The Few part 2
By: Carmack21
Editing: Mabbz
"Knight Caster, you have been tossed from my sister’s guard-" the princess stopped herself to think about what to say next. "You are jobless are you not? We come offering you a job. The choice is yours to make, but this is a one time offer." she finished.
'I was not tossed out of the guard, although I was tossed out of a bar.' Knight thought. 'This isn't an offer I could really refuse, is it?' After a moments pause, he spoke. "Princess Luna, why have you chosen me? I mean we just meet four days ago, and the Solar Guard has many great ponies. I am an average guard, I‘m not the strongest, I'm not book smart like your sister’s protégé, and I'm not even good at presenting myself before you." he added up all the flaws he had.
Princess Luna’s guard started snickering; Knight was all that, and to add to the list he had been bested and thrown from the bar by mares.
"Thou describe thyself as a weakling, but have thou not shown that thou push through hardships when being denied the rights that thou should acquire?" Luna pointed out.
"I don't know what to say?" Knight found himself stumbling over his words. He lost himself in his thoughts as he stood there with a blank stare.
"Knight Caster, we shall give you till midnight, and then thou shall give us your answer." Luna said to break Knight’s silence.
"Thank you, Princess Luna." Knight collected his thoughts and saluted, turned and walked from the lonely court room.
Luna looked to her guard, 'You know what too do Specs.' Luna sent a thought message to her guard.
'Yes my Princess.' her guard replied. She began to follow Knight, secretly sticking to the shadows and keeping a fair distance from her target.
Knight thought as he walked, it was a good offer, and he was just recently fired from his old job so why couldn't he say yes? Was it because of that mysterious mare, the same one who threw him out of the bar? Or maybe because Princess Luna was most likely responsible for his dismissal in the first place?
Click. A hoof step faltered behind him; someone was not in sync with his steps anymore. Hmm. He quickly turned a corner.
Specs flew from her hiding spot on the roof; she had stumbled on the freshly waxed floor. Quickly taking to the air as to not attract attention she waited for Knight to turn and question her, but he never did. Had he not heard her? Spec quickly landed again and continued her pursuit. Quietly, she turned the corner and- "Eep!" was all she could manage.
Knight had her pinned to the floor, his hoofs locked on to hers. Her mind began racing with the question of how he had just managed to pin her. "Why are you following me?" Knight demanded, glaring into Spec’s eyes.
"I am supposed to try and persuade you to join the Night Guard" she answered as she squirmed ineffectually under him. Luna’s only guard bested by a colt, that wouldn't look good for her.
"Persuade me? I have until midnight to decide. You are the pony who threw me from the bar, how do you think you can persuade me?" he answered sarcastically. He removed himself from her, and casually helped her up.
Her armor clanked slightly as she got up and readjusted it. She found herself looking at him, eyeing him. Specs had a new found appreciation for this colt. What was it?
"Now please stop following me" Knight said and turned to walk away once more. The need to collect his thoughts and decide his fate was a big deal too him.
"I’m sorry!" She blurted out. She had meant it but her tone had suggested otherwise.
Raising an eyebrow Knight was about to question her but decided not to bother. If it was about the bar he didn't care.
Specs had at least wished to get a response from him but nothing came. She bit her lip "My name is Speckles" she said with a bit of embarrassment. Up until now Knight hadn’t heard her name, and now he found himself struggling to keep a straight face. The personal guard of Princess Luna was called Speckles? Granted, not everypony had a name that suited them, but still…
He managed to avoid laughing as he replied "I am Kni-" before he could finish Speckles jumped in.
"Knight Caster, I know." she butted in.
"Well then, Speckles, I'll let you get back to your guard duties. I shall take my leave." He started walking away again.
Speckles watched Knight as he made his way down the corridor. She waited until he left her vision; pulling a ledger from her breastplate she scribbled a few notes. Replacing the notepad back in its rightful place she put her helmet back on. Her white fur was replaced by grey; her eyes turned golden; and her wings turned bat-like once more; her teeth were replaced by a jagged set of teeth. She took flight, sticking to the shadows of the pillars.
---
Knight turned the corner; he knew this demon like Pegasus would rest at nothing to keep up with him. He made his way out the grand double doors of the castle. Once Knight was outside he stretched his wings and took to the skies, his ash grey coat and silver mane flapped through the crisp night air.
Dong! The clock chimed in the background. It was eleven o'clock, and he had an hour to make his decision
He flew to the one place he could gather his thoughts, the park. He landed on the sidewalk, and headed to the bench. Taking a seat he looked towards the stars. 'Embrace the night.' he mumbled to himself. Each constellation started to appear, then his favorite, Captain Nesser. "I wish you were here to help me." he whispered.
"Hmm" a voice mumbled off in the distance. Speckles had followed him to the park but kept a safe distance away. "What is he doing?" she muttered to herself.
Knight looked too the sky, "Its said Nesser you fought alongside Princess Celestia, but when she banished you were caught with a tear in your eye, rather it be regret or you were devastated yet you carried on." Knight turned to look over his shoulder in the distance. The clock was halfway to midnight, but he knew his decision. He wrenched himself from his seat and took flight.
Speckles ducked into the shadows, took out her notes and scribbled. Once he had passed she replaced her notes, started following him.
When the predator and the prey reached the castle, Knight landed in front of the doors and promptly knocked. "Who goes it?" the guard called.
"Pri- Knight Caster" Knight hollered back, catching himself before saying ‘private’. The doors cracked open, two guards stepped out. They searched him and gave the O.K. to the Sergeant. Knight walked in and headed towards the court.
Speckles stayed to the air. She slipped past the archery guard and made her way to the balcony above the court. Entering easily, she hid in the shadows behind a column in the corner of the room. Standing guard she waited; her task was done.
Luna sat listening to yet another boring conversation, not taking any of it in. When a faint breeze made its way into the court she was the only one who noticed. 'How goes thy mission?' Luna thought to her guard.
'If he has a weakness other than those he listed earlier, he didn’t show it. He seems to have the right skill set, though you have to push him to make him reveal it' she replied silently.
'Good, good. He has shown himself to be a recommendable candidate then, has he not?' Luna lifted an eye, her face looking devilish. 'We request a helmet and gear from thy armory' she motioned for her guard to leave.
'By your lead I shall follow, whether it be to the battlefield or to the grave. I fight for you and only you for thou have shown me the light in the darkest of days.' Speckles crept from her hiding place, surprising a the other ponies, who hadn't even realized she was there, and left.
"Princess, can we have your decision?" asked the stallion that had the floor.
"We are sorry; we were lost in our mind. Can thou repeat what thou asked of us?"
---
Travelling down the hallways Knight found himself taking the scenic route to midnight court. He walked past statues and paintings, each telling a significant story, frozen in time. Staring at them, he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going causing him to bounce right into a blob of lavender.
"Oof" the unicorn said as she bounced and hit the floor.
"Sorry!" Knight said as he quickly bent down to help her up and gather her books, quills and parchments.
"Thanks. You know, some ponies look where they're going." the purple mare commented with a little chuckle.
"I look most of the time but I was distracted by… something" he recoiled as though it was an insult. “I'm starting to think that today might be a nightmare since everything’s gone wrong."
"Sounds like somepony has had a bad day" the unicorn replied sympathetically. "By the way, my name is Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's most faithful student and protégée." said Twilight.
"I am Knight Caster. But I'm sorry I need to go I have an appointment to keep, and I don't think I should be tardy." Knight said.
Twilight flinched at the mention of the word 'tardy' before saying goodbye to her new acquaintance.
---
Before entering the doors Knight stood still, a cold shiver ran down his back. It was time. He pushed the doors aside and walked in with military precision.
Luna noticed he didn't say a word, nor did he cause a commotion. "We are growing tired. We shall have a recess for the rest of our night" Princess Luna announced to her council.
With that each diplomat recovered their papers, quills, and other instruments then proceeded to get up, pushed in their chairs and left. Once they were gone Luna focused on Knight, her gaze was easy and a hint of happiness crossed her. She waited for his answer.
"I've reached my decision. I, Knight Caster who was tossed from Her Royal Majesty’s Solar Guard shall join in the Princess’s Night Guard." Knight announced.
"Huzzah! Thou shall be granted what thee requires by Speckles. There is but one thing thou can't forget. Once thou join us there is no way out but death or royal discharge." Luna arose from her dais and trotted forward to be face to face with her new recruit. "All thou need to do is sign this, with your life’s essence." Luna magically summoned a scroll and a dagger with a moon crescent on the hilt in front of Knight.
He carefully read the scroll aloud. "I solemnly swear my allegiance to The Goddess of the Night, and our beloved ruler Princess Luna. By pricking my hand and fulfilling this document I shall not stray from her said unless ordered. My life is hers, for I shall Embrace the Night forever henceforth." Taking the dagger in his mouth and raising his hoof, he sliced his flesh and pressed it against the paper.
The paper vanished in a puff of gas which travelled into knight’s nose and throat, knocking him unconscious.
Princess Luna and her guard stood over his limp body, "Does thou remember the training?"
"Yes Princess, but are you sure he's the one you want?" Speckles asked.
"Does thou remember how thee were choosen? We shall mold him into an unstoppable fighting force." Luna used her magic to levitate the pegusus limp body down the hallways to the Night Guard barracks.
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End part 2