The Centurion Project

by TheEighthDayofNight


Chapter 35: Laying the Groundwork

Elias had a heavy scowl on his face as he stalked through the long castle halls. A massive series of migraines had developed after the third week of waking up in the early morning, rather than in the afternoon. He cursed his choice to be a night guard; it had effectively ruined his sleep schedule, and with the departure of his living pillows, Elias had found little sleep in the first few days following the acceptance of his position. It didn’t help that it had taken direct orders from both princesses to get him to stop sifting through the absolute mountains of paperwork that he had to fill out. Book Binder did her best to soften the blow, but many of the forms required his personal signature, and even with the stamp Luna had given him, Elias had done his job and read through each form in detail, making sure he wasn’t putting his name to anything he disagreed with. Two forms had slid in sneaky conditions that would have effectively made him a slave to the crown, though when he brought it up with Luna, she had flown into a blistering rage, eradicating the forms and sending a few dozen scribes to change the language in the archives. While a bit overzealous, it had eased his fears about further manipulation from the pony princess.

Another form had also prevented him from actually recruiting anyone, being that he was not a biological citizen of Equestria. That form had also been burned, but by Celestia, rather than Luna. The white alicorn had recognized the hoof writing, and had found that it had been a recent amendment put forth by one of her generals; Sir Orange Juice. The pony had been subsequently stripped of rank in front of his peers, and when he tried to protest, Celestia threatened to strip his noble title as well. That had shut the unicorn up, and he had fled the throne room in disgrace. Celestia then said in no uncertain terms that anyone found trying to usurp Elias’ position would be met with severe punishment. Perhaps it had been a show for his benefit, but Elias had found that he trusted the white alicorn just a hair more. It wasn’t anywhere close to the devotion she likely sought from him, but it colored her a slightly lighter shade of manipulative in his eyes.

Without having to check his back constantly for people trying to stab it, Elias had made good headway with the help of his subordinates. Well over three hundred guards had submitted applications for the legion, and while a few were sent back to their respective guard forces at the requests of the other generals, Elias already had a good base of experience from which to build his legion. Though he would keep the positions fluid until he was sure the ponies were the right fit, he had already offered out all of his commanding positions. Chief Strategist was assigned to Scarlet, on the promise that the stallion would maintain his bed rest, as well as study for an advanced tactics test that Elias would put him through. He had given the pegasus a wealth of hand written study materials, and every time he stopped by the infirmary to discuss medical supplies with Steel Scalpel, Scarlet was always hard at work, his bed lined with books and open notebooks. He usually didn’t register Elias’ presence, and when he did, he gave a wave and a grunt, not even looking up as he studied away. Elias hoped the pegasus would succeed.

It had surprised him when Ice Blossom submitted an application, and when he had called her forth to ask why, she had claimed it was simply because she missed serving with her friends. While he was sure that it was part of the reason, Elias suspected there was more at play, especially when Chaser didn’t pester him to reclaim his sister for the Royal Guard. It rankled Elias to think that the the ponies were trying to plant spies, but he needed her experience. A Royal Guard would be an excellent role model, and with his plans for training, a pony role model was what he needed most. Either way, he put her up for one of the centurion positions, and he knew without a doubt that she would work well as one of the training officers. Another pony that had surprised him was Gray Granite, who had submitted an application only for an officer’s role. Elias had granted the request, mostly out of curiosity. The pony was newer to the guard than he was, and he was so soft spoken. How such a pony would fair in a leadership position, Elias didn’t know, but if he failed, Elias would throw him back to the Lunar Guard. Nightshade would be happy to have another capable fighter at least.

On a more personal level, things had been going swimmingly with his adjusted relationships, mostly. Luna had been respectful in her modification of their relationship, and the more he dwelled on it, the more Elias had extremely mixed feelings about the whole arrangement. On one hand, it put him on edge. He wasn’t supposed to have any friends, yet he had caved instantly the moment she pressured him. If it hadn’t been done in private, Elias would have worried how that reflected on him and his word, but as it was, he couldn’t help but feel happy at keeping one close confidant. He had poured out a piece of his very soul to Luna, then turned on his heel and said they wouldn’t speak again for seven months? No, he liked their modified arrangement better, especially when he had ambushed her and hammered out the details of their professional friendship sessions.

Though the alicorn tried to fight him on writing out the rules, Elias had managed strength in that department, and together they agreed on a once a week, one-hour session in which they did nothing but sit, talk, and relax. Though she had complained about it, Elias had also stipulated a maximum of one physical gesture per session, meaning that no matter what, he couldn’t be made softer. So far, though she had silently complained about all of his rules, it had worked out well, and when he was around the alicorn, Elias felt greatly relaxed. It let him just talk, and they often spoke of little nothings, primarily their work schedules and how much they despised them. While they chatted, Elias came up with new, better ways to organize his legion. He kept a pad of paper at him on all times, and Luna always watched with a smile as his hand moved with lightning speed across the pages, recording his ideas with ease. He didn’t know why, but that smile always seemed to encourage him, and whenever he saw it, ideas seemed to flow freer. On occasion, Elias even asked Luna about one point or another, taking her input into consideration and adjusting his plans accordingly.

Unfortunately, not all of her suggestions could be implemented, and Elias had been forced to be cruel when it had come time to address his initial picks for the officer positions. He had made it clear that their previous friendships no longer had value, and that anyone wishing to remain personally close had to retire, effectively immediately. Though there had been a few protests, Elias didn’t waver his position, and in the end, they all fell in line, making the same sort of threats that Book Binder had. Elias had no issue accepting said threats, so long as the ponies giving them would focus until their job was over. Afterword, Elias would give them free reign; he just wanted to see them all survive.

The rest of that day had been spent running the officers through the basics of his training plans, as well as all of the necessary protocols and punishments. Elias had received some disgusted looks when he brought out the pair of lashes he had had made, but nopony vocalized their protest, and Elias knew that when it came time to use the beating instruments, they would either use them, or they would leave his legion. The entire time, Elias made notes on the strengths and weaknesses of his officers, collecting a thick packet of notes on each one as he decided precisely where they would be the most useful. It was going to take some work, but Elias felt confident he could make the right choices.

Elias struggled not to groan as he massaged his temple. Under his arm was a thick bundle of papers that he was hoping to get approved by his fellow generals. While he had no issue designing the recruiting materials for his legion, the rest of the generals apparently wanted “help” with their recruiting strategies, so Elias was forced to pitch in. or be subject to an endless stream of complaining from the ponies about how he wasn’t contributing to the “greater effort”. The day’s meeting, which was strangely earlier than most, was about the subject, and Elias knew he would be expected to attend, despite only barely learning about it in passing. He would have looked like a fool to show up two hours late, and with the wrong materials. It certainly would have done no favors for his credibility with the ponies.

Elias passed by another guard, who was a mare, surprisingly enough. He had so far only seen female guards on his morning walk, and it confused Elias, especially given that the guard was almost an even split on the male to female ratio, with it leaning ever so slightly in the males’ favor. Yet all the guards he had seen since he had gotten up were female guardsponies. Each and every one of them had also given him the same strange look that the thestral was giving him as he strode by, turning the corner to the hallway leading to the back entrance of the throne room. Elias cast a glance over his shoulder to find the pony sniffing the air in his passing, and her eyes seemed to light up as he hit the throne room doors. They quickly shut behind him, and the strangeness was forgotten as he caught sight of his fellow generals, or rather four of them.

Elias rubbed at his forehead again as he made his way to the table, letting his satchel fall upon it with a thud. Everfree and Midnight Chaser gave him a shocked look, while Starry Skies gave him the same eyes that the guard had given him. She sniffed the air, then smiled widely at him. Elias might have found it creepy if he hadn’t been staring at Nightshade, who was rubbing herself against Chaser’s side. The mare had eyes only for the pegasus next to her, and she purred loudly as she nipped at his neck. Elias raised an eyebrow, but said nothing to either of them as he looked to Everfree.

“Good morning, I believe we are supposed to be discussing recruiting strategies?”

“What are you doing here Bright?” Chaser replied bluntly.

Elias cocked his head at the pegasus, doing his best to ignore Nightshade as she rammed her forehead into the pony’s neck. Why the thestral was acting like an overly affectionate cat, Elias didn’t know, and he wouldn’t let it distract him.

“It’s a planning meeting, and while I have already developed and begun implementing my recruitment strategies, everyone else had expressed an interest in having my assistance to better draw in recruits.”

He gestured toward his satchel.

“So I prepared an example of my strategies, and had my adiutor create samples for each branch that you can use to develop your own strategies. If you need any assistance understanding or implementing the materials, I am here to consult with.”

He shrugged.

“Why wouldn’t I be here? And speaking of, where is everyone else?”

Chaser and Everfree exchanged a look. The zebra grabbed the satchel and quickly removed all of the paperwork within while Chaser bit his lip, as if he was trying to come up with something to say. Nightshade purred as she nuzzled his side again, and the action seemed to flick a switch in his mind as he met Elias’ eyes again.

“You don’t know what this week is, do you?”

Elias shrugged and shook his head.

“The third week of April?” Elias offered.

Nightshade snorted mildly, and for the first time since he had entered the room, she looked at him with a wide smile.

“Oh, you are going to be having a lot of fun today Bright. Chase, don’t you dare tell him.”

The pegasus sighed.

“I wasn’t going to, not in words at least. Saying what it is usually drives every mare nearby into a frenzy. I have no idea why, but hey, at least I’m safe this year.”

Nightshade rubbed against his neck and nibbled on his ear again.

“I wouldn’t quite say that General, but let’s just say that you have a pass until later, hm?”

Elias’ eyes flicked between the two, looking for subtle differences. All he found was a gray feather behind Nightshade’s ear, and a tuft of fur attached to a gold chain around Chaser’s neck. The objects clearly meant something, but what? Chaser had mentioned being protected, from what? Starry Skies licked her lips as she stared at him, and it gave Elias another hint. It had something to do with the female ponies, that much was relatively clear, but what was missing? He had pieces, but not the whole puzzle. Elias silently cursed his lack of social awareness, then doubly cursed himself for being distracted. He had a task to do, and it wasn’t to talk about subtle cultural nothings that had little to no impact on him.

Elias let a scowl fall over his face, and he looked to the one pony, or rather zebra, that was actually working with his materials.

“Anything I can assist you with General Everfree?” Elias asked shortly, indicating clearly that whatever Chaser and Nightshade were talking about didn’t matter to him.

The zebra looked up from his materials.

“No, and in fact, I do not think your consultation is needed. Your paperwork is impeccable, give my compliments to your assistant. This will be invaluable in the coming days.”

Elias nodded, taking only a little pride in the zebra’s praise. He was an odd one, Everfree. Belonging to a small tribe of zebras that had migrated to Equestria centuries ago, it was one of only three noble families in Canterlot that weren’t unicorns. Apparently when they sought sanctuary with Celestia, they had offered their life-long military aid in any wars the fledgling nation found itself embattled in, and as such, they were distinguished warriors. Everfree was the current family leader, and of the Solar Guard Generals, he was the only one that Elias took no serious issues with, especially since he seemed respectful enough when Elias offered his assistance.

“I shall also respect the wishes of silence from General Nightshade,” the zebra said smoothly, “but I would recommend returning to your quarters or your office General Bright. Not unless you are seeking to be claimed.”

Elias opened his mouth to ask what he meant by “claimed”, but a glance to Starry Skies told him that she would show him quickly what the word meant in context if he didn’t leave soon. Her nostrils flared, and her tail lashed back and forth excitedly as she quivered with anticipation. Perhaps taking Everfree’s advice would be sound until he had a greater idea about what was going on.

Elias kept his cool as he collected his satchel, slinging it over his shoulder in a smooth motion.

“If you need any further assistance or clarification, I will be in my office for much of the day.”

Chaser and Everfree nodded, while Nightshade made a slight shooing motion as she smiled sadistically at Elias. Elias ignored her, moving back toward the throne room doors. Out of the corner of his eye, Elias saw Starry Skies drop from her position at the table, and begin to follow him, but Nightshade quickly caught the mare’s tail, and fast whispering seemed to cut through the air. What the words were, Elias didn’t know, but they were clearly important as the energy seemed to completely leave the pony in the time it took him to reach and then open the throne room doors. He was sure he heard a sigh of disappointment as the doors closed behind him, but Elias ignored that as well. Did the distractions ever cease?

Evidently not, because during his entire walk back to his office, Elias seemed to catch the eye of every member of the staff in the castle, all of whom were for some reason, mares. Elias was certain that there were at least a few stallions on staff, but none of them seemed to exist anymore, and each turned corner found another pair of eyes that followed him down the halls. It drove up Elias’ paranoia, and his steps sub-consciously sped up as he sought the sanctuary of his office. The chair, his chair, was calling his name. Despite his best attempts to ignore the obvious tailor-made gift, Elias could only relax truly when he sank into the faux-leather seat, designed specifically for him. Even mountains of paperwork breezed by in that chair, and Elias was becoming slowly more adept at finding solace in his office. He just needed to get there before the energy building in the air overflowed, and crushed him under its manic weight.

By the time he reached his office door, he had at least two tails, and the sound of sniffing followed him through the door, disappearing only once he shut the frosted glass and wooden barrier. Elias waited next to the door for a moment, keeping his hand on the handle, and listening intently. The sound of somepony pawing at the door briefly came through, followed by a slight whimper. Disheartened, the pony trotted away, still sniffing the air. Elias waited until the sound of hoofsteps was gone, then pulled away from the door. Book Binder didn’t look up from her desk as she toiled away at a stack of paperwork that never seemed to shorten.

“Finding escape from heat week in here huh? Just make sure you leave soon. General Bright shouldn’t come in, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he did.”

Elias blinked at the mare, and cocked his head.

“I did come in Adiutor. What is “heat week”?”

Book Binder looked up at the wall for a moment, her eyes blank as her mind processed the sound of his voice. Her head then turned to him, and her eyes lit up with happiness, followed swiftly by sheer panic. She dropped her quill and rose from her desk.

“Elias, you need to go back to your room, you shouldn’t be out. At all. I’ll deliver you some food, make sure you have everything you need, but you really need to go back to your room.”

Elias frowned as he let go of the door handle and straightened.

“Ignoring your breach in protocol, why? What is heat week? Is it the reason that only mares seem to be doing their jobs today?”

Book Binder sighed, and rubbed at her forehead.

“Right, okay, this is going to be a fun explanation. General, can I just… refer to you by name for a few minutes? This is a talk that parents usually have with their foals, and talking from assistant to general is just… strange. It’s a one-time thing, it’s just very important that I not be distracted while I tell you about heat. I don't want to mess up the explanation.”

Elias scowled, but he needed the answers more than he needed her to follow their rules. If it happened again, she knew the punishment, and at least she was asking first. Elias moved around the mare and set his satchel on his desk. He then calmly sat down in his chair, doing his best not to slouch into its comfortable leather.

“Alright, for the moment Adiutor, you are allowed to refer to me by name. Now, what is heat, and why should I be hiding from it?”

Book Binder pulled her chair out from behind her desk and sat it before his, plopping down swiftly.

“Alright, I am assuming you know how children are made?”

Elias rolled his eyes and nodded.

“Yes, I can grasp the basics. Mom and Dad love each other, or not sometimes, and they do non-polite things in the bedroom, and nine months later a child is born. At least for humans. I am assuming just about everything is the same for ponies?”

Book Binder nodded.

“Functionally, yes, but what I suspect is a difference between humans and ponies is that mares mandatorily go into something called heat once a year. While those seeking to have children go into a regular, milder heat once every few months, a spring heat happens every year without fail. It usually happens in the third week of April, and is the only time that mares are forced to be sexually reproductive.”

“Forced?” Elias echoed.

Book Binder nodded and bit her lip.

“There’s really no known way to combat a spring heat, save for the obvious. Most mares take medication to dull the symptoms, and for those with mates, most of the symptoms go away, since they do not have to actively seek out a mate. For everypony else however...”

“Oh,” Elias said simply.

Then understanding dawned in his mind. The looks, the sniffing. They were likely checking, not for his scent, but the scent of another female on him. Elias was clean, especially given that Book Binder wasn’t near him anymore. He had essentially dove into shark infested waters while the sharks were in a blood-rage. That wasn’t good.

Book Binder nodded at his look of understanding.

“It’s why the princesses legislated that all stallions can choose to remain home from work for the week. Only those who are actively seeking mates go out during heat week. All the other stallions usually don’t leave their houses though, with their family bringing them food so they never expose themselves. It’s actually very good business for little fillies and colts, and every year the mail service hires extra ponies to pick up the slack. Think of it as a week long holiday for stallions every year where they essentially can’t show their faces unless their married.”

“Is that why Night Flash isn’t here?” Elias asked.

Book Binder nodded.

“Unless I staked my claim on him sometime this month, the scent will be a little muddled. I kept him safe at my parent’s house, just in case. Most mares will recognize him has taken and respectfully stay away, but some go wild with desperation toward the end of the week, so I thought it better to be careful. Besides, my parents love having him around, and he loves helping them around the house, so who am I to risk him?”

“Why keep the stallions inside though?” Elias asked. “Heat sounds… distracting. Wouldn’t it be better to let mares stay home and deal with it?”

Book Binder shook her head.

“It was tried one year, but with such a severe disparity between the number of stallions and mares, the country basically shut down. On top of that, it didn’t help the primary issue, since the mares knew they could just go out and find working stallions. It was a mess, and the princesses found it easier to just hide the stallions away and send the mares about their business. Heat is annoying, but is manageable when there aren’t any stallions around.”

‘Like me,’ Elias thought.

He nodded in understanding of Book Binder’s words, then sighed.

“So, I know I’ve been seen out and about by no less than a dozen enterprising mares. Are they going to be hurt by my stupidity?”

Book Binder shrugged.

“They shouldn’t, not unless they had some prior interest in you. Like I said, spring heat is unavoidable, and most mares are just trying to scratch the itch. There are plenty of… institutions that stallions work at to satiate the desires of most mares, so that they can go back to their lives as normal. You might disappoint a few ponies, but I highly doubt any have taken a romantic interest in you.”

Elias glanced from his desk and grinned at Book Binder.

“Well that makes it sound like I’m not attractive to them. Are you saying I couldn’t find a mare?”

Book Binder snorted and rolled her eyes.

“I’m not going to answer that, because Momma Binder has an answer, but it is not appropriate for now. Suffice to say that I will expect you to have a mare by this time next year. You’re coming of age soon, and the control the castle mares have maintained is honestly more than I would have imagined most of them had. You are extremely attractive Elias, so much so that it still mystifies me how young you are. It just shows that your standard for adulthood is what most ponies will go by, rather than ours.”

“Most?” Elias asked.

Book Binder met his eyes with a smile.

“Very soon General. Very soon you will be my baby boy. I for one can’t wait and will follow every rule you put forth to earn it.”

She rose from her seat and dragged it back to its proper place behind her desk.

“But that is the sum of it. If you would like my advice, I would wait until nighttime to sneak back to your room. I can deliver food, books, paperwork, whatever you need, but unless you intend to get started on a family early, I suggest you remain hidden. You turn heads General, and though you aren’t a pony, fewer and fewer ponies around here are starting to care.”

Elias frowned and stared at his desk for a moment, trying to work up a plan to still be productive, while also taking Book Binder’s advice. The recruitment forms for the general populace had only gone out a day ago, and he needed to be on hand when the applications started flowing in. He intended to personally approve and deny each application to make sure nobody that didn't meet his standards slipped through. He and Book Binder had drafted up a healthy set of rules for who could apply to the legion, and while he trusted her completely, his paranoia would only be satisfied if he put his personal stamp of approval on the applications. It wouldn’t do to simply let the work sit until the end of the week. He had already pissed away enough time with his indecision about the legion, and now he had the potential to lose another week of working? That wouldn’t do.

A knock came from the door, causing Elias to jump from his thoughts. A brief thought to hide under his desk and let Book Binder handle it flashed through his mind, but Elias crushed it and straightened in his chair. If it was a mare trying to “mate” with him, then he would tell her in no uncertain terms that he was uninterested and that he had been unaware of what heat was. He wasn’t going to let heat week shake his focus, he would just need to power through it.

“Come in,” Elias said clearly, and calmly.

He was confident that whoever it was, Elias would have no issues talking to them. He was proven absolutely wrong as Luna walked into the room with a brilliant smile on her face. Did alicorns go into heat like all the other mares? How the hell was he supposed to tell the one friend he was allowing himself to have no? Could he tell her no? The dryness in his throat gave him no confidence as she walked into his office.

“Ah, so the rumors are true then, General Bright is on the prowl,” she said with a wide grin.

She was mocking him, that much was clear. She didn’t seem to be sniffing the air though, was that a good sign? The alicorn looked to Book Binder.

“If I had to caution a guess, I would assume he did not know about heat?”

Book Binder nodded.

“Yes Princess, but I have informed General Bright fully. We were just discussing our strategy to get him back to his quarters, while also maintaining our workflow. It’s going to be interesting trying to deliver all of his work there without anypony other than myself to deliver it. I’m sure we’ll figure something out though.”

Luna turned back to Elias, and her smile seemed to grow wider.

“That won’t be necessary Adiutor Binder, I have been informed of General Bright’s plight by General Nightshade, and have already devised a solution.”

She pulled her saddlebags off and took a seat, rifling through them with her hooves. Producing a thin, silver neck chain, she turned and plucked a larger feather from her wings, then quickly affixed the feather to the chain. She smiled proudly at her quick handiwork, then placed it carefully on Elias’ desk. Her green eyes flicked up the Elias, who had to suppress a smile. She had such pretty eyes. Elias mentally destroyed the thought, why was he so unfocused? Luna was speaking, and to avoid having an internal meltdown, Elias focused on her words.

“There, that should suffice to ward away any mares so that you may go about your business as usual. As I promised, I will do everything in my power to assist you, and losing a week of work will only agitate your paranoia. If you wear this, you will be able to move about freely.”

Elias took the feather in his hand, spinning it momentarily as he looked at it in the light. It was incredibly soft as he ran his thumb down it, and it seemed almost alive in his fingertips. He looked to Luna to find her still smiling, though her normally flowing tail was lashing back and forth slightly on the floor.

“All I need to do is wear it?” Elias asked.

Luna nodded, and a trace of nervousness flashed across her face, but her smile didn’t waver.

“Indeed General. You may tell ponies who you got it from or not, though between the two of us, I would rather you kept this private. It is an act between good friends.”

She put extra emphasis on good, but Elias felt a few pieces fall into place in his mind. Good friends, of course that made sense! Book Binder had a feather behind her ear when she and Flash started courting, and it was likely a sign that they were serious about their friendship beforehand. Nightshade and Chaser always seemed to work well with each other, and the feather this morning meant that she was likely courting him as well, with the feather signifying the closeness of their friendship. It was some sort of tiered system of friendship, with the act of the feather signifying the level just below courting. Elias could see Luna’s ulterior motives plainly; if he accepted the feather, he was basically saying they would be lifelong friends, and that he would never drive her away. It all made perfect sense, and while a blatant act of manipulation on her part, Elias quickly realized that he was completely content with such an act. He vaguely wished he had something to give her in exchange, but surely the concession he was making by accepting her silent offer was enough, right?

Elias slipped the neck chain over his head and let the feather fall onto his tunic, the blue standing out brilliantly amongst the bright red of his clothes. He heard a brief gasp from Book Binder, and his eyes flashed up to find her holding her hooves to her mouth. Panic raced through his mind. Had he mis-read the situation?

“Is something wrong Adiutor? Have I made a mistake?”

His eyes flicked over to Luna, who looked absolutely ecstatic, but who still had nervousness in her eyes, likely caused by his sudden hesitation.

“Good friends, right? I’m not reading this wrong?”

His eyes flicked back to Book Binder as she nodded quickly and dropped her hooves to her desk.

“Yes General, just an act between close friends.” She paused, then added, “and Princess Luna is right, it will certainly keep any mares in heat away from you. Make sure to wear it for the next week at least.”

Luna shot the mare a grateful look, then she smiled at Elias widely.

“Indeed. To make sure there are no mistakes, keep it visible at all times. The scent on the feather should ward most away, but the sight of the feather will be a guarantee.”

Elias nodded, eyeing both ponies carefully. They had gotten more comfortable, and neither showed further signs of nervousness. Had he been overthinking it? Had he mis-read their facial expressions? Only minutes prior he had been unable to detect why all the mares in the castle were interested in him, so it was certainly a possibility that he was just social blind when it came to ponies. Elias frowned momentarily, then rolled his shoulders. It didn’t matter. If it was a pass to move about without harassment, then so be it. He would figure things out if it was anything more than what both ponies told him with some later research, but pony customs was hardly on his immediate to-do list. Besides, the feather was really soft and comforting as he rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger.

*****

Luna had to resist the urge to grab Elias’ hand and parading the oblivious human around the castle. She couldn’t believe that she had gotten away with it! For a moment, Luna feared that she had been exposed as she saw his eyes light up with comprehension, but he seemingly made the wrong connection, and saw it as a special occurrence between friends. His lack of knowledge on pony culture served her well however, and seeing his fingers gently massage her primary made her giddy. Just watching the human with her feather was intoxicating, and Luna imagined that if she was in heat like her fellow mares, nothing would stop her from taking the human by force. Luckily, neither she, nor her sister had experienced heat in centuries, even before her banishment. While she would look forward to it in the future, now was not the time to be dealing with such thoughts. She needed to remain subtle, and while gifting Elias a primary was anything but, she knew that Book Binder had her back, especially given the subtle glances the mare kept throwing her way.

Elias leaned back in his custom-made chair and met her eyes.

“It’s really soft,” he noted calmly. “Are all pony feathers like this?”

Luna nodded.

“Yes, but note that my feathers are softer than most due to being an alicorn. Like myself, they will last for centuries without tarnish or fade.”

Elias grunted, and Luna mentally gushed as his eyes fell back to the feather. She needed to leave though. Restraint was the key, and if Luna stuck around and watched him interact with her primary, it would only clue him in to her feelings about him. Luna closed her saddlebags and rose, draping the bags across her back. She knew just what to do to draw his focus elsewhere however, so she cleared her throat loudly.

“General, I know you have already begun implementing your recruitment measures; do you have early estimates on the size of your legion?”

Elias stared at her blankly for a moment, then like clockwork, his eyes snapped back into focus, and his hands moved over his desk, snatching up a stack of papers.

“I do. In terms of recruits, we’re anticipating somewhere between four and six thousand initial recruits, with nearly two thousand put on a reserve list. I do, however, anticipate that we will lose a great deal of the recruits due to the intensity of my training regimens, so I estimate anywhere from a thousand to three thousand legionaries ready to fight by the end of training. I will be thorough in my effort to weed out the weak, and I can guarantee that we will be sending quite a few ponies home.”

Keepers below did she love hearing him speak. Despite his adamance that he despised his position and wanted nothing to do with it, he was very good at his job, and so very passionate about it. The grief of his previous losses acted as a diamond focus for his sharp mind, and Luna knew that with their help, he was going to do great things.

She hoped desperately that everything would go right for the man. He had made a brilliant show of strength to his fellow generals, yet his outer façade, so carefully crafted and maintained was just that, false. He was scared, terrified even. It showed in little moments, small, almost non-existent glances toward Book Binder or Night Flash. The pair were always with him, and sometimes Luna was able to catch the little signals. A hand twitch as he passed Book Binder a form, the intentional crossing of his arms to resist hugging Night Flash, an envious look when the two departed together on some errand. He was a master at hiding his emotions, but Luna could tell that he was beginning to suffer again. He had found some small measure of peace after Hearth’s Warming, yet here he was, toiling away again, all while ignoring his personal health.

That was her fault, and it was something she would have to beg his forgiveness for when the time came. She had done this to him, had set him on this path. He would have left had it not been for her personal intervention. Would he have found freedom though? Knowing how he thought, his sense of honor and pride would have made him dwell on the decision. He would have spent many days thinking about whether he was coward or not. This way at least, he did his duty, did right by his warrior side, and then would be rewarded handsomely for his service. Then the rest of his life could begin, hopefully at her side.

If he rejected her when she began public courting him, it would hurt. That, Luna could be certain of, but she would hold no grudge against the man. Perhaps she would be angry and disheartened for a time, but she could never harm him in any capacity. She had already worked behind the scenes with her scribes to set up a generous retirement fund for the man, with more than enough annual bits to find and start a family should he love a different mare. It was the least she could do for him given what he was risking for her.

She didn’t believe he would reject her though. As he spoke, his fingers drifted naturally back to her primary, massaging it lightly. Luna wished she could feel those wonderful fingers behind her ears, wished she could sweep Elias away to some isolated, comfortable place to confess her love to him. She would bring Book Binder and Night Flash of course, he wouldn’t be truly happy without them, but she would help him find peace. It was what his very soul was crying out for, and she would help him find that, in time.

“What are your intentions concerning your rejected applications?” Luna asked as he finished detailing his plans for training.

Elias scratched his forehead with his thumb.

“That depends on the reason for rejection. I’m working with the other generals to ensure that ponies with existing guard family members can’t join up, so I hope that we can create a system to keep those ponies well away from the battlefield. As for the rest… there’s nothing I can force. My health standards are my own, and while some may view them as too strict, I know what it takes to be a warrior. My training will not be easy, and the march will be even less so. The strong will live, the weak will die. It’s just the way of war. I’d like to avoid taking as many weaklings as possible.”

Luna nodded in understanding.

“Very well. I shall talk with General Chaser and General Nightshade about adopting some of your standards. It is important for our guard forces to be strong. Do you have any opinions on how we could best modify the existing guard requirements to better meet your standards?”

His eyes flickered up from his desk, and the genuine smile on his face brought the butterflies in her stomach to life.

“And here I thought you’d never ask.”

He became more energetic as he talked. Luna loved it. She kept her ears focused on his speech, going so far as to take a notepad from her saddlebags to keep track of his recommendations as her mind compartmentalized. It was a strategy that it had taken her and her sister centuries to develop, but the strategy let Luna hang on every word while also letting her daydream about the human. He clearly loved jobs involving militarism; perhaps she could encourage him to write his experiences down? He was a master at combat, and far above many of the strategists she had met, so perhaps there was a future for him as a teacher. It would allow him to be in control of a classroom, sculpting young minds with his energy, all while keeping him safe and away from the dangers of the world that had taken so much away.

Or perhaps he would enjoy something completely different. He loved working with his hands, and while she was sure many ponies would enjoy his talents as a masseur, perhaps he would make a good chef? It was very hands on, and would require the intense focus that he put toward everything else in his life. He would retain familiarity with sharp objects, and then he could interact with plenty of ponies. If he became a true expert, he would even be able to open his own restaurant! He seemed to enjoy building things, and a business would occupy his days and work perfectly with his restless nature.

Maybe that was the issue with her thought. Luna scribbled down a note about targeting recruitment, then glanced back up to find Elias’ eyes shining back at her. She blushed lightly and looked back to her notes, writing down his every word. She was thinking about how he currently was, but perhaps he would seek significant change when the march ended. He had voiced a lack of resistance toward Book Binder’s motherly advances when the march was over; it could signify a crossroads for the man, and something close to his new family would be more suitable. The royal library was always looking for more helpers, and Elias loved reading, that much she knew as fact. She could easily arrange for a leading position for Book Binder, keep Night Flash on as a Lunar Guard, then allow Elias to simply be among the books. A quiet existence, a calm one would see him to peace, and perhaps all the tension and pain would simply… disappear.

Luna mentally sighed at the idea as she wrote it, and the others down in her footnotes. That one… it was likely the best for Elias, but the worst for her. The librarians had become close to the man, especially with his pending relationship with Book Binder. She had heard many a rumor that they wished for his hand to hold. If he decided to become interested in such an offer, she… would cope. It was not her decision to make. Elias was the man she loved, but she would not stand in his way, would never stand in his way. She was willing to let the man she loved love somepony else if it made him happy, and even if she wasn’t willing, it wasn’t her choice. Elias was nothing if not his own man. She couldn’t force him to love her, she could only do her best to convince him to accept her love.

She took comfort in his fingers around her feather. He cared about her at the very least. He was her friend, a close one at that to have made such a concession to her. She had pressed and pressed, yet he did not turn her away. Such a kind man, such a wonderful heart. Luna smiled at Elias as he finished his speech and sat back in his chair. He matched her smile with his own.

“Any questions Princess?”

She shook her head.

“None at all General, you are very descriptive. Thank you for your help, in this matter and all others. I shall see you again soon I hope?”

She had to. Her heart ached to see him in more than a professional setting. Luna cursed herself for her weakness, but kept her smile up. Elias didn’t let her down as he nodded.

“Of course Princess, just as scheduled. I wouldn’t break a date.”

Luna clenched her jaw as she struggled not to gasp. A date. She knew what he actually meant, but a date. She hadn’t even thought of their friendship appointments like that. A date. She and Elias had gone on dates. The lovesick little filly in her chest fainted as she rose.

“Very well General, I shall see you Friday in the gardens. Do not be late.”

He gave her a nod as his face slipped back into his profession mask. As Luna turned, she noted his fingers on her primary one last time, then trotted away, making straight for her room. She stopped to send a letter to Nightshade, then broke into a jog. She needed somepony to talk to and release snuggle tension on, and as she increased her pace, she realized that she needed it now.