Moon Bud exited the break room lost in thought while her comrade Knight Shield droned on, and on, and on about one of his many unlikely adventures the stallion always seemed to find himself in, during his many trips to the local taverns.
Her thoughts distracting her from even pretending to show interest, as she trotted through the hallways of Canterlot castle back to her post. Moon Bud could not help but look out at the full moon in the sky though one of the many enormous windows of the castle. Her thoughts still lingered on the mare’s captain and his apparent uneventful meeting with Princess Luna, which unfortunately for Moon bud segued excellently into her own love life or lack thereof.
Crap, another year alone for me I guess, Luna I can hear my mother now.
She thought of her mother’s Transylmanian voice scold her in her own mind ‘Moon Bud, your sisters have all found decent stallions and are all vith child, vhen vill I hear sounds of little tiny hoofs from you’re little filly’s or Colts’ she winced at the thought of having to suffer another loving visit from her overbearing mother, once again come to question her life choices.
It’s never like in the books, you would have thought joining the royal guard it would be literally impossible to not meet your Knight in shining armour! But…
She turned her gaze over to her fellow Batpony, and comrade in arms who was for all intents and purposes still yammering on completely unaware that Moon Bud had zoned out seconds after he began his story.
Well at least hes a nice guy, flanks not bad too, I just wish he’d shut up sometimes Moon bud frowned sullenly to herself. She would have to find somepony before tomorrow even if it killed her, but being stuck guarding one place for hours on end didn’t leave a pony much chance for company, present excluded, and she was not good at making friends past her usual circle, for a pony who read allot and believed she understood the nuances of romance, she was not as cool and suave as her sisters.
Tartarus maybe if I close my eyes and wish upon a star somepony will just come and sweep me off my hooves.
Moon Bud and Knight Shield turned the corner completely unaware of the cosmic irony of her statement, as both Ponies where immediately blindsided by a giant and some would say shell-shocked individual.
All three flew into a wall by the side of the hallway crashing in a huddled mass of wings, arms and hooves. After a few moments of groaning Knight Shield was the first to utter any noise that he was still conscious.
“Nnnhhhh” the guard stated loudly.
“Yep” Moon Bud weakly replied, rearing her head from the collection of limbs and getting back on her hooves along with Shield. They both look at the armoured mass that had sent them cascading into the wall.
“Captain?” Moon Bud whispered more in confusion than concern as she saw the Human spiralled face down, and unmoving from the location that he had fallen from.
Knight Shield ever curious reached down with his foreleg and gently nudged his commander “Do you think he’s alive?” Moon Bud asked.
I hope so I was gonna ask for a raise this week” Knight Shield nonchalant replied, poking the sides of Marcus’s Leg once again with an inquisitive hoof.
Immediately after Knight Shield finished speaking the Night Captain sprang up like a bat out of hell, causing the two thestrals to fly back, both extending their wings in shock. The captain for his part just stared at them as if the ordeal had not even taken place.
“Moon, Shield, good I require your help.” He stated pointing his finger at the pair, with a somewhat wild look in his eyes like a man who had just witnessed something both wonderful and terrible at the same time.
“Wait captain are you o—“
“Listen! I need you, Moon Bud to go to my Chamber and retrieve a chest, a large wooden one marked with my name. Do not under any circumstances open or share the contents with anyone understand?”
Moon Bud simply nodded, taking the incredibly unusual situation in stride.
“Meet me in the royal gardens when you're done I will be by the gladiatorial arena."
“You mean the sand pit, next to the fountain?” Moon Bud replied.
“No time from technicalities Moon Bud, just go!”
Moon Bud once again nodded turning with a flick of her tail, and galloping towards Marcus’s chambers.
Marcus’s now slightly crazed attention turned towards Knight Shield who elicited an audible gulp. “Shield I have a very important task for you, I need as much wood as you can muster, get some of the guards to help you.” Marcus lifted a large golden ring with the insignia of a two headed phoenix from his finger. “show them this if they challenge your purpose. Ow and get the royal carpenters tell them that their urgent attention is needed, do you understand Shield?”
“I-I think so sir” Shield lied.
“Good, meet me at the pit as soon as possible.” The captain stated, lifting himself up and wiping the sweat from his brow, as he pushed forward towards the gardens.
“WAIT MARCUS STOP RUNNING!” came a voice from the other side of the hallway, the sound of hoofs on marble echoing down the hall.
Shield turned to see Twilight galloping down the hallway the captain had entered from, he stood immediately to attention as the Princess approached him.
Excuse, huh*, me, huh*, did you, huh*, see where Marcus went” Twilight tried to convey through ragged breaths.
Shield extended his hoof from the salute and pointed it down the hallway the captain had ran through. “Royal Gardens Princess, just by the sand pits he said.”
Twilight gathered enough air to thank Shield before rushing on towards the gardens.
Knight Shield just stood their dumb struck jaw wide open for the better part of a minute, as he tried to process what had just happened. He shook his head and pinched his forearm to be sure that he hadn't accidentally fallen asleep on the job again. After which he turned down the opposite hallway of his commander’s path, and began galloping towards the carpenter’s office.
After an hour of searching her captain’s room, with the vague directions he had given her, Moon Bud finally dragged the large oak chest down the last flight of stairs and into the royal gardens.
Buck my jaw is killing me, what the hay is in this thing? It weighs a ton, should have gotten one of the privates to do this. She thought to herself as she released the chest handle from her mouth and began caressing her now aching jaw with a hoof.
Moon Bud looked around the gardens from her Captain, after only a moment she caught sight and sound of over a dozen ponies galloping, flying and racing around the garden each carrying some form of carpentry tool or piece of wood, the night was heavy with the sound of banging nails and yelling from her fellow guard’s and at the centre of all this chaos was her captain kneeling down amongst the erect whatever it was support to be pieces of wood, both hands held in front of him his eyes closed and his mouth muttering something in what Moon Bud could only place as his native Latin.
The situation was only made odder by the addition of Princess Twilight who was sitting a few hooves away scribbling furiously on a parchment. the addition of a large brazen next to the captain also added to the confusion, the garden was already well lit even at night and considering it was pretty warm outside Moon Bud couldn’t place what her captain had needed such a large fire. Realising that her questions where not going to answer themselves she began to press forward grabbing the wooden chest once again in her jaw she dragged it towards her captain.
As she got closer to her captain, her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice.
“Hey Moon over here.”
Moon bud turned her attention to the sound, she spotted Knight Shield only a few paces away from the unbroken Marcus and Twilight, waving a hoof in her direction. She dropped the chest sure that it wasn't going anywhere, at least without her noticing and trotted slowly towards her friend.
“There you are, I was wondering when you’d get your flank over here, ow Luna you won't believe what’s being going on.”
Moon Bud raised an eyebrow as she scanned the scene around her “I can honestly say I don’t believe it, and I’m looking right at it.”
“First the captain had us all gather a bunch of wood and nails and then he set about making whatever this thing is I think it’s a statue or something I can’t tell captains not a very good carpenter thank Celestia he doesn’t do this for a hobby, I mean really will you look at this thing its—"
“Shield, can you just get to the point already.”
“Right, sorry, anyway then the captain had us all draw lines around the heap of sticks and then he lit that massive brazen next to him after that he just started mutterin’ in that Linin language and hasn't stopped yet.
“Latin” came the voice across from him he turned towards Twilight Sparkle.
Huh?” He replied.
“Its Latin an ancient Equestrian Language that’s been dead for centuries, apparently it’s still very common where Marcus comes from.” Twilight replied adopting a lecturing tone.
“Huh, so you can understand what he’s saying?” Shield asked questioningly.
“Sort of, I can tell what he’s saying, but without any context I don’t know what he’s doing I know it’s a ritual, or ceremony to some god or goddess of Marcus’s people… but I’ve never seen this first hoof before isn’t it exciting!” Twilight squealed in excitement, as she lifted the quill once more to begin observing the ritual.
Moon bud furrowed her brow, not so much at Shield or the Princess, well they weren’t helping her patience but it was more so the scene as a whole.
Ow Luna why didn’t I just open a bar like dad, my life could have been so much easier. But nooo Moon you wanted to see the world and learn how to fight, curse my tomcolt mind.
After a few moment the captain got up and dismissed the other guards and carpenters around him, after he was sure that they had all left he reached for the side of his belt. Moon Bud heard him curse in his Latin Language. She didn’t know what it meant but she was sure a swear word was almost universal to understand. He turned his head to the two guards.
“Moon, Shield I require a blade.”
As it happened Shield withdrew one from an unlikely crevice in his armour and turned to look at his confused friend.
“Why do you?”
“You can never be too careful.”
Shield brought the handle of the blade in his mouth and flicked it in one swift motion towards Marcus who grasped it from the air with ease. Marcus turned his attention towards the statue, which looked vaguely like some sort of four legged animal maybe an ox, or maybe even a cow? Moon Bud considered to herself. After a moment Marcus placed his arms up finishing his speech and bringing the knife to his hand, he slid the blade just deep enough for a shallow but long cut across his palm. Marcus grimaced slightly from the pain and extended his arm so that the precious crimson liquid landed onto the statue drawing shocked gasps from both Princess and Batponies present.
“Marcus!” Twilight gasped.
“Sir pardon my Prench, but what the buck did you just do that for!” Shield yelled in astonishment.
What? What’s wrong” Marcus asked with genuine puzzlement.
“Why did you just cut your hoo-Hand think like that!?” Moon Bud answered.
“How am I supposed to make an offering as important and life binding as this one to the gods without some form of blood offering? You tell me Sister Moon Bud” he pointed accusingly.
“Why would your gods want your blood anyway, that sounds so stupid” Shield.
It’s not stupid Brother, and I will ask kindly that you do not test the methods of the gods lest you bring their wrath upon yourself, and me, the gods are unkind to insults and they know all.”
“Wow…really” Shield replied nervously looking up at the sky whilst Moon Bud facehooved and Twilight had the graces to not react at all.
“So wait, why did you use your blood isn't there any other important way.” Twilight asked in an inquisitive fashion despite her disgust and shock.
“Well the princesses wouldn’t allow me to use other animals, mostly because they are sentient beings and it is wrong, or something like that I cannot fathom myself, this makes it really hard with important offerings.”
“Wait so you're saying your people used to include cows, buffaloes, oxen and other members of Equestrian society back where you’re from?” twilight questioned.
“Of course, though they couldn't use the native tongue or speak at all. Expensive creatures as well, only used for the truly important ceremonies or for the rich, by Juno I remember my mother was so nervous when I was about to be born that she spent half the dowry on a whole Ox as an offering.”
“How could you do that that’s just, just wrong! Buying a pony into slavery like that.” Shield stated as he started to turn a little green and queasy from the idea.
“Ow I don't like where this is going” Moon Bud murmured to herself.
Marcus turned to Knight Shield with a smile so mundane it would have as if Shield had asked him what he wanted for breakfast. “Slavery haha no brother you misunderstand, we sacrificed it, Oxen are perfect offerings to the gods first you make it stand over the mother of the child to be and then you cut from the neck—“
STOP!” came a unanimous cry from Twilight and Moon Bud.
“I think I'm going to be sick…” Knight Shield murmured holding a hoof to his mouth.
“You ponies sometimes, Jupiter give me strength, how do you even appease your gods?”
“We don’t” was his only reply from twilight.
Marcus frowned “well Lady Sparkle, I shall have to insure that for the wellbeing of us all Jupiter is appeased with a heifer of some kind, my own blood is not enough and wine and cheese will only get us so far.”
“Marcus you know you can’t do that!” Twilight scolded.
“What’s a heifer?” Shield asked ever curious whilst slightly recovering from his wheeziness.
“A baby cow” twilight answered.
WHY DID I ASK?” Shield yelled through his hoof as he ran towards the bushes, the sounds of his lunch being ejected into the floor echoing through the night.
Marcus sighed “it’s important that the gods are appeased in one way or another my lady. This is huge, I can't mess this up simply because of a taboo, now hand me a torch one of you.”
"Marcus as fascinating as this is I can't stand by if you going to hurt yourself again, you already have a head injury, ow Celestia! your head Marcus I completely forgot you need to lie down now.” Twilight stated in a flustered tone as she levitated the touch to Marcus.
“Not to worry my Lady this should be enough to bless the occasion.” Marcus confirmed as the torch was passed lightly to him thought twilight’s ethereal magic.
“Thank you now stand back.” Marcus commanded, before anyone could say anything Marcus brought the torch down to the base of the sculpture, which immediately set ablaze in an orgy of inferno.
Twilight stood slack jawed at Marcus, as he smiled as the flames licked higher.
“Should have seen that coming Princess” Moon Bud mused with a smile despite herself.
“Hey, why do I smell burning?” Shield tried to yell though a raspy voice behind the busses.
“Marcus the princesses are going to flip!” Twilight yelled as she flew up to him “you can't just go lighting fires around the castle.”
To be fair princess where technically not in the castle” Moon Bud couldn't help but point out.
“Once the offering has been accepted, I will clean it myself, now if you please excuse me, I have to see Princess Celestia.” Marcus stated scooping the chest in both hands and marching towards the castle once more
“MARCUS no I’m putting my hoof down, the princess is sleeping you can’t! Twilight yelled quickly dashing after the captain.
Moon Bud rolled her eyes at the pair and strolled over to the busses Shield was occupying
“Common you big baby the captains going to get in more trouble we should probably at least try and stop him” Moon stated mockingly.
“You know” Shield began trying to catch his breath still “you could at least pretend to be concerned for me I’m the one throwing my lunch up here” the Threstral growled in annoyance.
Moon Bud frowned at the response, There I go again, me and my big mouth, and this is why nopony sticks around me for more than ten minutes.
“Sorry Shield.” She answered in a sombre tone.
Shield looked and ceased rubbing his aching throat, a look of concern and puzzlement over his friends uncharacteristic reaction, he reached over somewhat weakly placing a hoof on Moon Buds shoulder “Hey don't worry about it, I didn’t mean to snap, not every night well almost not every night stuff like this happens, I guess I’m just a little on edge, let’s just go make sure captains not trying to set fire to anything else huh?”
Moon Bud lifted her muzzle from the ground with a genuine smile “ha yeah sounds like a plan.” The both turned towards the exit before Moon Bud stopped next to her fellow guard. “Thanks, Shield for putting up with me, I know it’s not easy sometimes”.
To her amazement she noticed a blush on her friends cheeks if only for only a brief moment “hey what are friends for.”
“And done” Celestia confirmed to herself, placing the quill back into the ink pot and setting down the last remaining scroll over to one side of the desk. She allowed herself a moment to simply stair out through her window.
It was late, later than she intended. Nopony ever said running a country was easy, not that it didn’t have its benefits. She turned her head to an enormous twelve foot bed lined with silk sheets and huge feather stuffed pillows. Celestia felt her body call out to the untold comfort of its domain, and told herself that she could at least scrap the bathroom rituals of brushing ones hair and teeth for at least one night, as her hooves clasped onto the bed throwing the covers up with a single thought from her magic.
Ow it’s good to be a Princess sometimes she conveyed to herself as she eased her tired form into the heavenly touch of the silk.
Knock, Knock, Knock
Celestia’s eyes shot up and she groaned audibly, a hint of annoyance graces her face for just a second. Whoever it is will just have to come back tomorrow for pony’s sake. Closing her eyes once more.
“Marcus you can’t knock on Celestia’s door its rude” came a familiar voice.
“Sorry captain but the princess asked not be disturbed I can't let you in” a gruff voice agreed.
Celestia’s eyes shot up once more as she recognised the voices behind her door, she sighed never a dull moment… I really wish I could have at least one though… maybe I should banish myself for a few years, if anything else at least Lulu was well rested. she mussed to herself. As she exited the comfort of her feather stuffed euphoria.
“Princess Me paenitet but it cannot wait.” Marcus stated with determination, a tired and wild look still across his voice and face.
“But Marcus please let me explain it’s not what you think.” Twilight plead to him.
Just as he began to knock again, at the door Celestia’s guards stood at either sides conflicted on wither to stop their commanding officer or not. The door swung open as tired and annoyed looking Celestia attempting her best to adopt her usual unmoved caring face and failing.
“Captain Marcus, Twilight what can I do for you two” Celestia sniffed the air “why do I smell smoke?”
“Sorry Celestia I tried to stop him but—“
“Salve and Me paenitet Princess Celestia joint ruler of this fair land of Equestria, I have come seeking your favour.” Marcus interrupted kneeling down next his chest, drawing an inquisitive look for Celestia just as Moon Bud and Knight shield turned the corner of hallway towards their captain.
“Marcus what is all this?”
“By the graces of the gods I apologise for not coming sooner, I did not wish to offend, it was only recently that Twilight informed me of your sister’s intentions. Otherwise I would have come much sooner, as you are Luna’s elder and only known family you are the benefactor in this arrangement, I know this is not nearly enough, I lack lands, or titles but I hope this does not offend you, I wish to gift this to you.” Marcus turned to the chest and flicked both sides of the latches to reveal a tremendous amount of golden bits that shone golden rays against the walls from the light of the hallway. If it was not already everypony around jaw dropped bar Celestia’s as hard as she resisted.
That’s more bit than I’ve ever seen in my life!” Moon Bud whispered to Shield who only dumbly nodded in acknowledgment.
“I gift this to you as a dowry payment, as you must have arranged, your sister has asked for my hand in marriage.”
“Ow no” Twilight could only state through a hoof she had slammed into her own face.
“She what!” Knight Shield and a couple of door guard yelled.
“Well that wasn’t exactly how I figured it went down, but it still counts, so I’m gonna say it anyway ‘called it.” Moon Bud all but yelled louder than expected, as the internal shock went away in favour of ecstatic joy of being proven right.
To her immense credit Celestia face was unreadable, it took everything Celestia had not to break face in front of Marcus, and the others, as she faced away from Marcus and towards Twilight whose face could not have been more opposite to Celestia’s.
“Twilight is this true?” Celestia calmly asked.
“Um well no, I mean sort of, it’s hard to explain.” She smiled sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her fizzled mane.
Celestia sighed internally, looking over her shoulders at the bed she had now no choice but to forsake.
She looked down at Marcus who stared unblinking back at her, he looked tired, his armour had dents and scratches from an untold number of collisions, his usually well maintained hair was frazzled and un-kept, and he looked more than a little terrified, but he stood firm all the same. Celestia thought to herself, allowing silence to fall for a brief but tense moment across the hallway.
“Come inside everypony, I fear this is going to be a long night” she finally concluded.