//------------------------------// // Interlude - A Family Stallion // Story: The Guardian (K)Night // by InfiniteBrony //------------------------------// The streets were silent at the early hour, but would not remain that way for long. Even now the sun was cresting the horizon in the east, spilling the dawn light onto the cobbled roadways of Equestria’s capital. The shafts of golden light fell at a sharp angle, casting many of the surrounding eaves and archways of the city’s famous and slanting architecture still in deep shadow, even while the streets themselves were cast in bright amber. The effect was both strange and beautiful, throwing everything into something that wasn’t quite night or day but somewhere in between instead, a special kind of twilight that could only be seen in rare moments like this. Speaking of Twilight… Drahcir stopped walking, the silence of the streets becoming absolute as the clip-clop of his hooves against the cobblestones ceased. His face fell and he felt a swell of pity rise up within him for the poor filly. He knew that he was probably going to have to stay at the castle full time just to help handle the situation, but he didn’t mind, nor did he blame her. She definitely didn’t deserve what she had gotten. Poor thing looked like she had just about had a seizure when she got the news. If it wasn’t for the fact that her coat hadn’t turned grey he would have sworn she’d turned to stone from how stiff she’d frozen up. Not to mention the set of pipes that little thing had. She could put his old drill instructor to shame. Although, it was admittedly kind of funny when one of the servants poked her in the side after a few minutes of her catatonic unresponsiveness. She’d simply fallen over onto her side without moving a muscle, holding her pose perfectly as she clattered onto the stone floor. Princess Luna had just thrown her hooves up, shaken her head and huffed, “Oh great. We have broken her.” The door to a building not too far down the road on which Drahcir stood opened and closed, a pony emerging and setting off down the opposite street. No doubt making her early morning commute, and snapping Drahcir out of his thoughts. He quickly started walking again, this time with a slightly quickened step. Thankfully he had been standing in one of the many long shadows cast by the surrounding buildings and she hadn’t seen him. He hated being seen in his armor. It wasn’t that he hated actually wearing the armor or even the armor itself, far from it in fact. He loved his Lunar Armor, and everything it represented, his county and his princess, his duty and the fellowship of the guards. He was both proud and honored to serve. Not everypony saw it that way, though. Throughout his entire extensive career as a Royal Guard he was used to being looked up to. He graduated top of his class and climbed through the ranks quickly, all the while never losing that amiable and noble air that served to make him so likeable as a pony. All of his subordinates looked up to him as an excellent leader and exemplary role model, and even his superiors admired and respected him. Sure, nopony could that gain that kind of respect and climb the ranks so quickly without drawing the wrath and ire of others with their own schemes and ambitions, but he always dealt with such rivals in stride and come out on top. Still, nopony had ever really openly hated and loathed him. That all changed though, just a few years ago. Luna had returned after a millennium of banishment. She was frightful and shy, not so much as talking to anyone but her sister. But being the kind and older stallion he was, he easily saw past her scared and timid exterior and right to the deep hurt she hid. He never saw the dark and estranged princess everyone else did, all he ever saw was a pony, lost and in need of some friends and a shoulder to lean on. Needless to say, when the Lunar Guard program was announced he was the first in line to join - literally in fact. That’s when things changed. The moment he donned the Lunar Armor and the enchantments that went with it, ponies started looking at him differently. Some were simply curious. After all, he was something that hadn’t been seen in hundreds of years, and thus was a bit of an oddity. Those he could stand. Others weren’t so kind. Most saw him as a monster, or even worse - an abomination. To them he was something to be afraid of, or to despise. They looked upon him with open and unmasked fear and hate. He loathed it. Yet still… He thought of Luna. He thought of his new friends in the Lunar Guard. Of the pride in his wife’s eyes as he stood steadfast against the prejudice coming from every side. Of the adoring smiles of his children when they listened to the stories he had to tell. It wasn’t the first time he thought of these things and it wouldn’t be the last, and just like every other time he smiled. As bad as it could be at times, if he could do it all over again he wouldn’t change a thing. As caught up in his ruminations as he was, Drahcir didn’t notice where he was until he nearly dented his helmet on the door frame. Looking up he was pleasantly surprised to see that his hooves had taken him all the way home while he was lost in his own thoughts. Taking a deep breath to brace himself, he opened the door and stepped inside. Before he even had a chance to close the door behind him, he immediately felt something soft impact his chest hard enough to drive the air from his lungs and clutch his neck tightly. “Daddy’s home!” came the accompanying filly-ish squeal. Falling to his haunches with a light huff, Drahcir reached up with his forelegs and gave his youngest daughter tight but gentle squeeze. After holding the embrace for a few moments, he carefully set her down on the floor in front of him, kissing her softly on the forehead just below her scruffy blonde mane and earning a (rather adorable if you asked him) giggle in return. “Rosewood, what are you doing up? You don’t have to get ready for school for another half hour,” he asked, standing up and closing the door behind him with his hind leg. “I was waiting for you, silly!” she respond, her eager little smile never leaving her face. Despite the number of times he had heard that exact response, and no matter how many times he swore he would eventually harden himself to it, he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell a little at her words. He playfully rustled her mane to try and distract her from just how much her comment made his smile grow. She tried to shoot him an angry look with her brilliant green eyes from beneath his large grey hoof, but the effect was rather diminished since her smile never faltered. “And besides,” she continued, beginning to bounce in place a little, “mama’s making pancakes!” “Is she now?” he responded, lifting his head to peer past the banister and into the kitchen. The sight that greeted his eyes was definitely more delicious than just simple pancakes. His wife had her back turned to him, her shapely golden-brown flank raised into the air and swaying slightly side-to-side to a nonsensical tune she hummed as she bent over to pull a tray of fresh muffins out of the oven. Taking out the tray and setting it on the table next to a large plate filled with a small tower of pancakes and called over her shoulder, “Rosewood, sweetie, stop pestering your father, he just got home from work. Why don’t you go wake up your sister and tell her breakfast is ready?” “Okay mama!” the young filly called as she eagerly scampered off to rouse her older sibling. Stepping away from the front doorway and into the dining room, Drahcir walked up to his wife as she was busy setting out the plate and utensils for breakfast (or dinner, in his case). Carefully, and mindful of the armor he still wore, he reached up and embraced her, burying his muzzle in her flowing chocolate-brown mane and kissing her in that sensitive spot just behind her ear that she had, making it twitch and smack him in the snout. She leaned into his embrace, turning her head to face him. He stared into her piercing emerald eyes for a few moments before leaning forward and kissing her, careful of his fangs. They stayed that way for a few seconds, lips pressed together as he held her. When he pulled away he saw a smile that mirrored his own on her face. Looking into her eyes he told her, “I love you.” She leaned in and nuzzled him, saying “I love you too,” before kissing him again. A pair of simultaneous ‘eww’s coming from the hallway caused them to break the kiss for a second time. Turning to the hallway they saw the both of their daughters standing side-by-side, a shared look of distaste on their faces. Chuckling, Drahcir released his wife and made his way towards the hallway himself, giving his older daughter a hug as he stepped past. Making his way towards the master bedroom at the back of the house, he began unclasping his armor as he walked. By the time he had walked into the bedroom the armor was fully undone, and he was able to shrug most of it off with a roll of his shoulders. It fell to the ground with a metallic clatter, spilling around him in a gleaming semi-circle of metal links. Turning in place, he opened the specially made wardrobe designed just to house his particular uniform. All along the sides and roof of the exquisite piece of craftsmanship were clasps and pegs of silver, and on those went the most numerous part of the armor: the various metal scales that flowed along his neck and back, all the way down to his haunches. Towards the floor, recessed into the back was a molded alcove and in that went his armored saddle, along with his hoof-guards. Just below the roof of it was a sort of rounded shelf, shaped vaguely like a pony’s head. He carefully placed his spined helm on it. Finally, standing proudly in the center of all of it, was the most important fixture of all. A beautifully carved bust of a pony’s chest and broad shoulders, intricately shaped and inlaid with inserts and trimmings of ebony and silver. This aptly located centerpiece was meant to hold the most important piece of all, the section of the Lunar Armor that was more valuable and more precious than all the rest of the ensemble all together, despite the fact that the suit was made entirely of Night Steel. This was where the ornate chest piece was to rest. Carefully, he pulled on the chest piece. At first there was the usual resistance, like pulling apart a pair of magnets, but after a moment the final piece of Lunar Armor separated from him with a soft hiss of rushing air as the seal was broken. The myriad of enchantments receded as he placed the final piece on its resting place. His fangs dulled to ordinary teeth. The ash grey of his coat dulled its natural icy white-blue, and the long and smooth two-tone purple of his mane and tail lightened and reverted to its normal trimmed cerulean. The bat like wings that the Lunar Guard were famous for changed back into regular feathered pegasus wings all at once with a loud and sudden rush of air as the feathers exploded outward and down the length of his wings. As usual, his eyes were the last to change back to normal. Blinking a few times, they reverted from the intimidating golden irises and slit pupils, back into his familiar soothing magentas. He shifted a bit from hoof to hoof, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck as he was finally free of the heavy burden of his armor and enchantments. He fanned his wings out behind himself and gave them a few light flaps, relishing in the feeling of air between his feathers after a long night spent in uniform. Taking one last look at himself in the mirrors built into the inside of the wardrobe doors to make sure everything was as it should be, he closed it and headed back towards the dining room so that he could enjoy a morning meal with his family. They were all already seated around the table when he walked into the dining room. He took his usual seat across from his wife and piled his plate high with pancakes and muffins. For a while they all ate in relative silence, the lethargy common in the early mornings taking hold in the children as he and his wife were momentarily content with just each other’s company. However, being that it was one of the few times throughout the day when he was together with his family because of his profession, it was not long before somepony decided to do something to start conversation. As his wife finished her own plate of pancakes and began to eat her muffins at a leisurely pace she pulled out a small scroll, sealed with the small green ribbon of the equestrian mail system. Wordlessly, she slid it across the table to her husband, a smug and excited smile on her face. Drahcir picked up and unrolled it, noting that both of his daughters seemed rather excited as well. One thing was immediately noticeable about the document: the large violet seal of the Lunar Guard that took up most of the upper portion of the scroll. That second thing Drahcir noticed about it was that despite the obvious initial assumption, it was not addressed to him. Immediately once he noticed these two things a second conclusion was not far behind, and he felt a twinge of excitement and anticipation swell up within him. If his family was this excited about it, there was only one thing the scroll could be. Quickly, he skimmed over the small, precise lettering, his smile growing as he read several words here and there out loud. “After careful review… at this time seems prudent… applicant Aloer… top scores and head of his class… we are happy to inform you… accepted into the Equestrian Lunar Guard Academy!” Drachir spoke out loud, his voice gradually increasing in volume and his smile growing wider as he made his way further down the letter. He looked to his wife, his grin wide and his eyes silently asking an unspoken question. His wife on smiled wider, nodding in the affirmative. His spirits lifted enough that he gave a brief laugh, asking aloud, “When did we get this?” “It just came in yesterday evening,” his wife responded, a giddy giggle layered just beneath her voice as she spoke. “Can you believe it? Our little Aloer is going to be a Lunar Guard, just like his father!” Her excitement was nearly palpable, and she let out a soft squeal of joy and pride at her eldest son’s accomplishment. Drahcir couldn’t help but grin like an idiot. It had been far too long since the apple of his eye had left home in search of a future for himself, but now he was coming home! Not only that, but he would even be following in his poppa’s hoofsteps, and joining the elite and coveted ranks of the Lunar Guard as well! This was all the more exciting to Drahcir, because as captain of the Lunar Guard it was his job to oversee all of the new recruits, and he just couldn’t wait to see how much more proud his son was going to make him. Additionally, with registration at the Academy only a week away, it wouldn’t be long before he finally saw his son’s face again and got a good look at the fine young stallion he had no doubt become. As focused as he was on the great news, he didn’t even notice he continued to munch on his muffins and pancakes and by the time he realized he had been eating absentmindedly, all that was left on his plate was the last few bites of a rather large muffin. Scarfing it down, he finished his meal at the same time as the rest of his family. Leaning back in his seat, he patted his belly contentedly, asking in a jovial tone, “Is there any other news?” His wife gathered up the used plates and utensils, bringing them back into the kitchen to wash them as she said, “I think there’s something Rosewood would like to tell you.” “Oh? And what would that be?” he asked, turning to face his youngest with a smile. “My school’s having a play!” she squealed with obvious excitement. “And I’m going to try out for it.” “Oh really now? What’s it about?” “Um,” she began, a childish look of thoughtfulness spreading across her face. After a moment of thought, her eyes widened and she exclaimed, “I don’t know!” This only earned her a boisterous laugh and a ruffled mane from her father. With a childish squeak, she pulled away from him and started to furiously pat down her mane in an effort to return it to its normal style. With a slight tap of his hoof, he ushered her towards her room, shooing her along and saying, “Go get ready now, you’ll have to leave for school soon.” His smile never left his face. She complied quickly, nearly knocking down her sister as she zipped past in the narrow hallway on the way towards their shared room. It didn’t take long at all for either of the sisters to finish their school day preparations, and only a few minutes later they both stood before the front door, saddlebags full of notebooks and quills and various other instruments of learning. With a brief hug from both of their parents each, and quickly uttered goodbye they stepped through the open doorway, joining their friends and the other children of the neighborhood on the daily commute towards the school house. Both Drahcir and his wife stood in the doorway, smiles on their faces as they joined all the other parents along the street and silently watched the small group of foals walk down the sunlit streets, the younger among them rushing to and fro, laughing and squealing as they immersed themselves in their foalish games. Only once the procession of school-foals turned the corner and was out of sight did they both turn away, retreating back inside and shutting the door behind them. Side by side, they both walked towards the foyer, where Drahcir stopped and wrapped his wings around his wife, forcing her to stop as well. When she turned to look him in the eye and saw the slowly forming frown on his face, her own smile began to falter as well. He pulled her into a soft kiss, and when he pulled away the corners of her mouth had fallen even further. Worried that he may have been overly-concerning his wife, he quickly started speaking, “I didn’t want to say anything in front of the kids, but there’s something I have to tell you.” At this her face fell completely, and he quickly nuzzled her before continuing, “Now now, it’s nothing like that. Something’s happened at the castle is all.” She perked up a bit at that, and the look in her eyes said for him to continue, so he did. “The other night, a special guest arrived at the castle, but in rather dire straits. She’s not exactly in critical condition, but she’s very close to the princess and I’ve already been called in to watch over her once before, and based on the way things are going right now it probably won’t be the last time either. The whole castle’s been pretty busy lately with what’s happening because of it, and I’ll probably be called in on a full time basis. I don’t think I’ll be able to come home for a few days after this.” Predictably, and understandably, a look of disappointment came across her face as he relayed this news, and she embraced him harder, burying herself in his chest. After a while she sighed, and said, “I understand. You’re a big important guard and Princess Luna trusts you most of all.” With a grumble, she added, “Doesn’t mean I have to like it though,” under her breath. After a moment though, her expression turned from a disappointed frown to a mischievous grin. She trailed a hoof lightly in circles across his chest, before giving him a soft nip just where his shoulder met his neck and leading him down the hallway. “Um, what are you doing?” he asked as he followed her. “Well, if this is your last day home for a while we should make it count, shouldn’t we?” she explained, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously and swaying her flank provocatively as she walked towards their bedroom at the back of the house, flicking him on the nose with the tip of her tail. Immediately, Drachir’s eyes flew wide and his wings stood immediately at attention. “Yes ma’am!” he complied, following after with a wide grin and a canter in his step.