//------------------------------// // 6: Honorful Guard // Story: Equestria's Beginnings // by Nightshade2012 //------------------------------// Crystal Heart was the original crystal princess, yes, like our Princess Cadence. When she was princess, there was no kingdom, only crystals in the mountains. And snow, lots of snow. It was up to Crystal Heart to build the kingdom we know as the Crystal Empire today, as well as gather followers to come and populate the city she would build. It was with them the trouble began. -- Princess Luna spent the majority of her days alone. Celestia didn’t mind her company while she heard the troubles of their subjects in the throne room, but the younger alicorn could tell she was not needed, and thus was not about to bother her sister with her presence. She spent time elsewhere, and in a sense knew the land better than her sister, though the ponies in it did not love her any more for her knowledge. Many days Luna flew far from Canterlot to get away from the hustle and bustle of life among its cobbled streets. She would spend her time among the forests the earth ponies had grown at the base of the mountain. Today, though, she was not in the forests. Luna walked along through Canterlot’s streets. Her subjects paid her the proper respect and bowed while she passed, though not so quickly as they did for her sister. Celestia had not set a time limit for how long Crystal Heart had to gather her subjects, though at first the newly dubbed princess had left to return to the north to do who knew what. She returned a few weeks later, though, and at the end of two days went north with a small band of crystallized followers. The next week there were more, and more, and more. Ponies from all over Equestria came to see this crystal princess, and some pledged to her and left to go north. That had been months ago. It was now winter in Equestria, and Crystal Heart had not appeared in Canterlot since late autumn. Her followers, however, still spread her word. Their coats gleamed and shone when it was sunny out, marking them as different from the rest. Luna knew where most of these ponies resided for their stays in Canterlot, and she was headed there now. The inn, aptly named the Glimmering Gem, was near the outskirts of Canterlot. She opened the door with a touch of magic, entering into the common room. Ponies, most crystal but some furred, murmured and chatted about a warm hearth. A few glanced her way and nodded respectfully, but for the most they did not turn to look at her. She rarely spoke to the ponies, just drank something warm and listened before leaving. She had the innkeeper-pony bring her a hot drink as she took her usual seat near a dark corner to watch and listen. What she heard was most interesting. “... Princess Crystal Heart was far too complacent, you dunderhead,” a gleaming midnight colored earth stallion was whispering near to where the princess sat. He must be in his cups, Luna mused to herself, to speak so openly near to me. He does look... familiar, though. “What does that even mean, Midnight?” a light colored pegasus responded. “She got her kingdom, didn’t she? We’ve been, we’ve seen how marvelous it is! What more could she have taken?” “Equestria,” the stallion, Midnight, whispered. “Think about it, Velvet. What does that princess in her castle do all day? She sits on her precious throne and listens, but does nothing to help her ponies. She stares at her windows for guidance. Her sister... Who knows what that one does,” he snorted, downing whatever was in his cup and banging it on the table for more. “Crystal Heart could make all of Equestria her kingdom. We’d just have to dispose of the fool on the throne.” The pegasus pony, Velvet, shifted nervously and glanced around like someone might overhear. Which, someone did, but the pastel colored mare didn’t seem to notice the figure in the shadows. “Midnight, don’t speak so loudly of such things,” she whispered. “They say the princess has ears everywhere...” “Baah, that’s just a lie to keep the ponies from acting up,” Midnight said. “They don’t even have guard ponies, Velvet, did you know that? I went to that bloody castle once, before the princess took me in. No guards, only pages and messengers. They think they’re invincible. I went and told Celestia my problems, but she just nodded and did nothing to help me. I lost everything because of her.” Now Luna knew where she’d seen this pony. She even remembered his name, more than her sister could probably say. Midnight Blues had been an earth pony farmer near the base of the mountain. A mudslide had caused him to lose his entire crop for the year, and he had gone to Celestia to plead with her to send somepony to help dig out his fields, or at the very least give him food. He’d had a mare and a child to feed. Her sister had promised to do something, and then had forgotten. Luna focused back on the conversation to try and pick up more of what he was saying. “... and Charm Speaker and her lot will throw in with us, too,” he was saying. “They’re not content with this either. She wants to see Crystal Heart ruling here, not in the north mountains.” Midnight drained the rest of his drink and clumsily stood up, knocking his seat over in the process. “C’mon, we’ll talk to them now.” He stumbled out with the pegasus Velvet at his side and out into the winter streets beyond. That left Luna alone with her thoughts. They want to dethrone my sister, she thought to herself. If they did that, by rights, it would be mine unless they got rid of me too, but hardly anypony knows I even exist. I can’t just let them overthrow Celestia, though... She sighed and rose to her feet, leaving her bits on the table for the drink as she left. She walked home in silence, shrouded by a scarf. After hearing Midnight’s grumblings, she noticed how painfully vulnerable they really were. The palace gates were not even locked or guarded, but wide open to let anypony that needed to see the princess in. The front door, too, was unguarded. The hallways were unpatrolled. Have we really let it get this bad? she thought. She let herself into the throne room, which was unguarded as well. Celestia sat on her throne, shuffling through papers held in front of her by her magic. She looked up when Luna came in, setting her work aside. “Where have you been, sister?” she asked curiously. “Being your ears, Celestia,” Luna replied tersely, stopping before her sister. “I heard some interesting things in the streets of our fair city. Sister, how long have we ruled in this palace with ponies in Canterlot?” “Why... I don’t know,” Celestia said, shrugging carelessly. “Perhaps a hundred years, or more, or less. Why do you ask?” “A hundred years or more or less,” Luna repeated. “And for that long, we have not had a single guardspony to stand watch over our halls or our doorways or even the city.” “Of course not.” “Of cou -- Sister, are you mad?!” Luna shouted. The doors to the throne room slammed shut with a blue aura around them, the same that glowed about the night princess’ horn. “We may be alicorns, but we are not invincible! One moment of being careless and one of us could be dead, do you not realize this? You granted Crystal Heart her little kingdom, but did you know her ponies still walk our streets to gather more for their new princess?” she demanded. “Some of them even plan to dethrone you, probably by assassination.” “They wouldn’t,” Celestia scoffed. “Luna, you’re spending too much time with the common ponies of Canterlot when you should be with me, here. We are in no danger in the palace, and we have no need for petty guards. I am my own guard. I am an alicorn, the finest being in Equestria!” “You are a fool,” Luna growled. “If you will not hire guardsponies, I will. I cannot have the pony that brings the sun dying, after all.” That said, she turned and stalked to the doors, opening them up as she went. “Fine, hire your guards,” Celestia huffed. “If you can find the bits to pay them with. Remember, Luna, I control the treasury in the palace. I doubt anypony will come to guard here for free.” Luna left her sister on her throne, the doors shutting softly behind her. She would show Celestia she needed guards. -- Two weeks passed, and there was no disturbances to be heard of anywhere in Canterlot or the other cities of Equestria. Celestia took every chance she had to point that fact out to her sister, who still sulked over the fact that their city was unprotected. After one hearing in the throne room that seemed to go on forever, she called an end to the day personal, much to her elder sister’s chagrin. “You do not decide when the day is done, Luna!” Celestia snapped once everypony had filed out. “That is my task!” “I was tired of hearing these petty things,” Luna sighed. “You let everypony who’s anypony into this throne room to listen, and how many problems to you solve, Celestia? Besides, I wanted you to meet some ponies I spoke to last week. Boys!” Celestia looked towards the doors as they opened up to admit a pair of stallions, shutting behind them. The taller of the two was a pegasus. His fur was white as snow, his eyes blue and bright. On his flank was the mark of a shield with a pair of lances crossed over it. The shorter was a gray unicorn with yellow eyes. On his flank was a shadow of a rearing pony clashing with another pony. “Who are these stallions, Luna?” Celestia demanded. Luna walked calmly to stand between the stallions, facing her sister. “The pegasus is Lancel,” she said, “and the unicorn is Gray Dawn. They are the beginnings of my royal guard, sister.” “Guard?” Celestia gasped as she jumped to her hooves. “I thought you were done with this folly, sister. We do not need a guard.” “You say you don’t,” Luna pointed out. “I, on the other hand, wanted a bit more protection than just how fast my spells can fly, Celestia. Lancel and Gray Dawn have been asked to be the captains of my guard. They could be the captains of your guard as well, sister, if you would hire one.” “I do not need a guard... Alicorns do not need guards!” Celestia shouted. “Honestly, Luna...” “That is where you are wrong, sister. I’m going to find more ponies like these two. There have to be more that are destined to protect others,” Luna said quietly. Lancel and Gray Dawn had not moved since entering, standing proudly beside the princess of the night. “How are they destined to protect?” Celestia muttered. “Lancel is strong,” Luna said, glancing at the pegasus. “He pulled wagons for his father, an earth pony. He could pull a chariot, like that fancy one you had made and yet has no pony to pull it. Gray Dawn’s special magic is defense,” she continued. “He demonstrated for me. I could not get arrows past the barriers he put up, or lances or spears. His shields are strong, sister.” “I told you, Luna, I will have no guards!” the princess of the sun yelled, starting to walk back to her throne. “Honestly, the idea...” Her voice drifted off as something beyond the windows caught her eye. “Luna, what -- ” The glass of one of the unfilled windows shattered inwards. An arrow flew through the falling glass, straight for Celestia. The princess was sure she was dead, her eyes shut as her heart stopped for an instant. She felt nothing, though. No arrow piercing her hide, no pain... nothing. Slowly, she dared open her eyes. Lancel was at the end of the throne room with Luna, his body between hers and the shattered window. Gray Dawn was halfway across the room, his horn glowing orange. Around Celestia was a shimmering orange dome. The arrow was caught halfway in and out of it, hovering inches from the princess. Celestia was still catching her breath as the barrier disappeared and the arrow clattered to the floor. “What... What was...” “Assassin,” Luna said as she approached, Lancel beside her. “Sister, I warned you, but you would not listen. Open your eyes to our ponies, Celestia. Not all of them are content with you.” “But... But I...” “You sit in this castle all day, Celestia,” Luna went on. “I am the pony that gets out among the ponies. You are making a mistake pretending to be above them because you possess wings and a horn and strength like an earth pony. Few of our subjects love you anymore. If it weren’t for Gray Dawn, you would not be alive now. He did his job and guarded his princess.” “I suppose he did...” Celestia said quietly, looking from the ever silent unicorn to the arrow on the floor. “I have had a change of heart, sister. I will dub Lancel and Gray Dawn knights of the new royal guard, as soon as more ponies are found to serve beneath them. Lancel, Gray Dawn, will you enter into my service as well as my sister’s to protect Canterlot and all of Equestria?” “Yes, Your Highness,” the guardsponies said at once, standing to attention. “I am grateful... Now, we need to find who sent this arrow to me,” Celestia murmured, going to examine it. -- By the time spring arrived in Equestria, the princesses were seen in a different light. Celestia had begun to leave the castle to see more of her subjects and the kingdom, while Luna had hunted for more ponies to name defenders of the kingdom. Soon she had a whole score of ponies behind her, and that was when Celestia called a royal ceremony. She knighted Lancel and Gray Dawn with a shining sword the palace blacksmith had foraged, and presented them with armor. It was bronze, with a blue star in the center, as well as helmets and shoes. The new captains accepted it gracefully. The assassin was never found, but as the guard grew and filled, until soon there were so many that Lancel came to the princesses and said no more could be accepted until further notice. They filled the streets of Canterlot to keep the peace. They stood on the battlements around the palace, as well as at the gates and the doors to the princesses’ chambers and the throne room. The city was safe. Celestia continued her excursions out into Equestria. When she was gone for long periods of time, always accompanied by guards, Luna took care of Canterlot for her. Soon her sister was well loved by everypony again. Crystal Heart remained north, and her influence in the country faded away. Equestria’s days of peace had returned.