Rainbow Dash's POV.
I took a deep breath as I slid my armor on, I was barely out of basic training with the guards and had been assigned to the Solar Guard. I was nervous, I was still a rookie in the guard, so I had a lot to prove around here.
I still had a hard time believing that I was here, when I had left Basic Training I hadn't expected to be put in the Solar Guard. I looked at myself in the mirror, the golden armor wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing I had ever worn. I brushed my rainbow colored mane back and took a deep breath.
"Okay Rainbow, this is your first day on the job, don't freak out, you'll do just fine," I said to myself, trying to reassure myself. "What's the worst that could happen?"
I jumped when there was the sound of a Pony knocking at my door, I went and answered it to find the guard Captain Steel Horn waiting for me.
"Private Rainbow Dash?" The Captain asked.
"Yes sir, that's me, Private Dash!" I said, trying not to sound nervous as he looked at me closely. "Uh, what can I do for you sir?"
"Private, I know you're new to the guard, but we have a special assignment for you," Steel Horn said, that just made me tense up more. "I'll have to take you to talk with the Princess."
"The Princess?" I asked, that really didn't make sense, why would the Princess want me for a special assignment. "Yes sir, I'll follow you."
"Good, please keep in mind that this mission is of the utmost secrecy," Steel Horn said as he started down the hall.
I didn't hesitate for a moment, I followed him close behind, I just had to hope that whatever the assignment was it wasn't too dangerous.
00000
I tried not to look nervous as I looked around the extravagant private rooms of Princess Celestia. I was just a guardspony, so I wasn't even sure why I was here, I was so out of my element right now.
"Private Rainbow Dash?" A kind, feminine voice said and I turned to see the white Alicorn Princess of the sun looking at me.
"Yes ma'am, reporting as requested," I said with a bow. "The, Captain said you wanted to give me a special assignment?"
"That's right, and you don't have to stand on ceremony," Celestia said. "I know this situation is very unusual, but you're in a unique position to be able to help."
A unique position? What exactly did that mean, I wasn't from Canterlot and I had only recently become part of the guard, exactly what about my position was unique enough that it warranted a special assignment?
"I, don't understand what you mean, your majesty," I said. "I'm just a guardspony, what can I do to help the Princess?"
"I'm worried about an element within the nobility, maybe even in the guard," Celestia said. "You're young, not from Canterlot, and you're new to the guard, so you're one of the few Ponies I think we can trust with this mission."
"What is the nature of the mission?" I asked. "And, what is this element you're worried about?"
"I have an infant daughter," Celestia said bluntly, that caught me off guard, why hadn't I heard about this before? "I understand your confusion, I used magic to keep it hidden, but now that she's been born, I'm worried that she will be discovered by Ponies who will use her to get at me."
Now I understood, she needed a Pony with guard training that she could trust in order to keep the foal safe. I just hoped that she was making the right choice by picking me.
"I'm going to send her to Ponyville with another Pony I can trust," Celestia continued. "I want you to go to Ponyville, you're still unknown enough in Canterlot that you won't arouse suspicion if you suddenly leave. I'm not going to force you to do it, but she needs a protector and I believe you're the best Pony for the job."
I thought about it, whether or not I was going to do this was all up to me, and it wasn't an easy decision to make. I had worked my tail off to get through Basic Training so I could become part of the guard, but the Princess was now asking me to give that up.
The princess wanted me to do this, so how could I refuse? I was being asked to sacrifice the life I had made for myself, for a Princess. That was my job as part of the guard of course, and the decision was easy.
"I'll do it, your majesty, I'll be her guard," I said with a salute.
"Very good Private, I'm glad you agreed," Celestia said with a smile. "Now come, you should meet your charge."
I nodded and followed her into the next room.
00000
In the next room there was a Pegasus mare with a light orange coat and a purple mane and tail that is holding a bundle in her forelegs. She looks up at us with a smile and held her hoof to her lips in a shushing motion.
"Orange Swirl, this is Private Rainbow Dash, she'll be joining you and Sunbeam in Ponyville," Celestia said quietly so she didn't disturb the sleeping foal.
"Its nice to meet you, Private Dash," Orange Swirl said with a smile. "You will be Sunbeam's protection detail?"
"Yes ma'am," I said, moving forward quietly. "I know I'm young, but I want to do my best to help the young Princess."
"We'll be glad to have you there," Orange said with a smile. "Here, come meet the filly you'll be protecting."
I moved in close and looked down at the bundle, I couldn't help but smile a little at the small filly who's life I had been charged with protecting.
I just hoped that I could do it.
"Thank you Private Dash, this means a lot to me," Celestia said with a smile. "I'll arrange for you to have a nice house in Ponyville near Orange and Sunbeam's."
"Thank you, your majesty," I said with a nod.
00000
A few days passed as we arrived at Ponyville, I landed on the cloud surrounding the cloud mansion that Celestia had arranged for me. I didn't actually think she'd have gone all out like this, I mean it wasn't exactly the biggest cloud mansion I had seen, but it was certainly nicer than my small guard quarters.
I looked down towards the house where Orange Swirl or Dizzy Twister as apparently she was calling herself now was now living and took a deep breath.
I had been given a duty by the Princess of the Sun, one that I didn't want to fail at.
After all, it was my duty to protect the new Princess, the secret heir.