//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Rocinante and the Wedding at Canterlot // by Charliemane //------------------------------// “P-Please! I'm only a kitchen servant!” Waffle Skillet backed away from the lance held at the tip of his nose, but the knight-errant behind it followed after him. “A likely story indeed, for when the nobility is under threat, who suspects the humble butler?” Skillet took another step back until he felt his flank bump into the cold stone wall of the castle. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he looked to the pegasus next to the crazed knight for help. Sassaflash couldn't help but feel a little pity for the poor earth pony shaking in front of them. Perhaps he was telling the truth. After all, they had been wrong about the identity of the Mysterious Mare Do Well, several times in fact. “Cousin, maybe he's telling the truth? How can we know for certain?” Rocinante cocked an eyebrow towards his cousin. “What makes you doubt his obvious guilt, dear cousin? For does not his nervous shivering countenance bear witness to an ashamed conscience?” Sassaflash looked again at their cornered opponent. He did shake and sweat as though he were terrified of some great guilt being laid bare, but that may have only been the result of the lance now resting on his nose. “Maybe we should test him? Ask him something a spy wouldn't know?” To everypony's relief, Rocinante nodded and turned back to the cornered servant. “Very well then. A simple test should serve us well in this hour. Tell me, who is the chef that serves the Royal Court this day?” Sassaflash rolled her eyes. It was a simple question that any spy would have been able to answer. “A-Applejack! Applejack is in charge of the kitchen today!” Immediately Sassaflash's mouth dropped open in disbelief. How could anypony get that wrong? But before she could say anything, Rocinante leaned forward with a triumphal grin on his face. “Ha! Everypony knows that Lady Applejack of Ponyville resides in Ponyville! The astute steward of Sweet Apple Acres could not possibly be in the kitchens! Prepare yourself, spy!” The shaking Waffle Skillet closed his eyes as he flattened himself against the wall. But before the knight-errant could strike, the ground suddenly shook fiercely as an angry alicorn princess forcefully landed in the middle of them. Princess Luna was both relieved and outraged to see her Knight of the Restored Moon out here unharmed, but far away from the one pony he should have been protecting. Ignoring the servant who was quickly scurrying along behind her and back into the kitchens, Luna turned her gaze to the knight in front of her. “Prithee tell me, wherefore dost I find thee here amongst ponies of no value to our opponent when over yonder lies young Cadance without her guard, open to attack and leaving all to fear for the safety of those who had been tasked with protecting her?!” Though her eyes were narrowed in anger as she impatiently waited for an answer, she secretly hoped there was a legitimate reason for her knight's sudden change in location. While she had been racing throughout the castle, Princess Luna's mind had produced a large number of valid reasons for Rocinante and Sassaflash to disappear, but the confused ponies before her gave no such valid reason. “Gracious Highness... did... did you not send us here?” Luna was so stunned by the answer given to her that she nearly fell back on her haunches. Surely her closest friends would not lie to her. Was she truly so tired that she had misheard them? Shaking her head in an attempt to further awaken herself, Luna took a deep breath as her eyes at last fell on Sassaflash. The poor mare was shaking so badly from the imposing presence of the Princess that her knees were knocking. Luna had not seen her so scared of her since they had started their journeys together. A remorseful sigh escaped her mouth as Luna sat down and carefully formed her words. It was both embarrassing and dispiriting for her to have scared one of her closest companions so much and she felt herself blushing slightly as she slowly and carefully put on a comforting smile. “I am sorry. For t'was not my intention to cause thee such fright, dear Sassa.” Sassaflash nodded and her knees went from wobbling fiercely to merely shaking. In contrast, her cousin still stood firm and resolute, perhaps confused, but evidently never shaken by Luna's outburst. The lack of fear of his Princess caused Luna's smile to grow from a facade meant to comfort her friends, into a true smile that comforted herself. “But I do still seek the truth. For what reason art thou here, at a remote corner of the castle, instead of with they charge?” Rocinante tilted his head slightly, his eyes filling with the same foal-like curiosity that Luna had seen in him at the Gala. “Noble Grace, Do you not recall telling us that your sister, Princess Celestia, had requested that our strength be lent unto the guarding of the granary?” Now Luna's eyes began to fill with curiosity. She racked her brain as she tried to remember her sister giving such a request, or even a command. She certainly didn't recall telling Rocinante or Sassaflash of any such change. Was her sister trying to move things around behind her back? Just as she pushed the thought from her mind as impossible, Sassaflash leaned in towards the yawning princess. “Are you alright, Princess? You look really tired.” “My condition is of but a trivial concern-” “H-Highness, your condition is never trivial. Please, let us take care of everything while you rest.” Luna wasn't certain if Sassaflash's interruption or her concern stunned her more, but she smiled as she let her friends help her back up to all four hooves. “I... I am grateful... indeed I doth find myself indebted again unto thee. I shall retire now and rest. Prithee, go forth and defend Princess Cadenza until my return. Though my sister, Princess Celestia, may have her concerns with regards to the safety of the grain, our chief concern should be for the safety of young Cadenza. I shall speak with my sister on the morrow about this matter. Until then, stay safe and remain vigilant.” “Of course Highness.” “As you command, Noble Grace!” Luna thought her chest felt a bit lighter as she spread her wings and lifted off of the ground with a powerful push. Her friends were safe and back on task. But why would her sister order them to watch elsewhere without first consulting her? After all the teasing Celestia had given her about having a personal retainer, Luna thought it was more than strange that her sister would suddenly treat them like one of her own Royal Guard. “Fair Highness! How excellent it is to find you in such high spirits during these dark and troublesome times!” Princess Cadance's eyes went wide as she turned to face Rocinante and Sassaflash. Though for only a moment, her brow furrowed and her teeth clinched, but she swiftly regained her composure and trotted lightly towards her persistent escorts. “Ah ha... Sir Knight! I thought you were guarding the granary?” Rocinante and his squire swiftly bowed low as Princess Cadance drew nearer. “Indeed, Fair Highness, but our lady, Gracious Princess Luna, requested that we return to your side, so as to prevent any unforeseen evil from approaching you.” Princess Cadance sighed as she continued walking towards one of the castle's many towers, but stopped as she eyed her bridesmaids waiting for her at the tower's base. The sudden stop caught Rocinante and Sassaflash by surprise and they walked right into the Princess from behind, knocking all three of them to the ground. Gritting her teeth, Princess Cadance rose and forcefully pushed back the knight and his squire back with her hind leg before turning to face them. “My bridesmaids are right over there. I'm sure they can take care of things. Why don't you go patrol the grounds?” Rocinante shook his head vigorously before he bowed again. “Fair Highness, how could we leave you and your fair maidens so defenseless?” Cadance put a hoof over her face before looking back to her bridesmaids, who were now approaching them from the tower. “My bridesmaids... are... they are my guards.” Rocinante looked up from the ground, clearly confused. “Your guards?” Princess Cadance looked over her shoulder towards the bridesmaids again, before turning back to the knight-errant with a hushed voice. “Don't tell anypony, but I hoof-picked picked these bridesmaids because they... they know martial arts. Each one of them is a master in... in... hoofkido.” Rocinante thought for a moment before his eyes widened in surprise. “Ah! Much akin to the famed shieldmares of the ancient pegasi tribe!” Princess Cadance and Sassaflash both gave Rocinante a bewildered look before Cadance, still forcing her smile, continued. “So... you don't need to be here. I've already got guards!” Though Princess Cadance gave her best grin, it swiftly faded into a scowl as Rocinante shook his head. “I am afraid that I cannot comply, Fair Highness. Her Noble Grace has commanded us, with the utmost vigor, that my squire and I expend all of our efforts unto your defense until tomorrow.” As the bridesmaids arrived, Princess Cadance smiled again as she looked around nervously. “Yes! That's... why... you'll be the first line of defense!” “Of course Fair Highness, That is why-” “You can patrol the outside of the tower.” Princess Cadance smiled widely as she stepped back into the line of bridesmaids behind her. “If anything gets past you, which I know it won't, my other guards will take care of it.” Rocinante put a hoof to his mouth as his eyes darted back and forth, contemplating the Princess's words, but before he could reach any conclusion, Princess Cadance turned and began walking towards the tower. “I'm sure a strong knight such as yourself can handle this, or should we call some of Luna's other guards to help you?” Rocinante immediately dropped his hoof back to the ground and puffed up his chest, his eyes looking up unto the clouds as though he were posing for the statue depicting his inevitable victory. “Fear not! Fair Highness! For a knight of virtue and valor shall be your defense! You may rest easy, for no evil will slip by my vigil and no wickedness shall escape my eye!” Rocinante was clearly pleased with his response as he chuckled and brought his attention back down from the clouds, but by the time his eyes fell back down down to earth, Rocinante saw that Princess Cadance and her “guards” had already entered the tower.