Foster Guard

by Cmdr Brohoof

A Guard's Work Is Never Done

Celestia had just finished holding court with her subjects. As the last citizen left the throne room Celestia slouched in her throne and let out a sigh.
"Its improper for a princess to slouch," Valor said from below her throne as he faced away from her.
"You're not even watching me. How did you know?" Celestia sat up and fixed her crown.
"I know you," Valor answered.
Celestia began to descend the dais where she and her sister shared thrones. Valor followed close behind as they left the throne room.
"You don't have to follow me all the time you know," Celestia said.
"Its the duty of the guard captain to protect royal family," Valor reminded her.
"Luna needs protecting too,"
"I perform my duties when she is fulfilling royal duties as you do,"
"I wish she would realize we're equal in this," Celetias sighed.
"She knows," Valor was matter of factly.
"Sometimes I wonder she argued with me yesterday saying that I don't think she can handle the responsibility," Celstia entered her private study and sat near a large pile of books.
"Do you?" Valor asked closing the door behind him.
"Of course not!" Celestia said slightly offended.
"I'll talk to her," Valor said as he got ready to leave. "Is she still spending time in the vaults?"
Celestia nodded. Luna had began studying some of the warlocks old books satating that they should understand more about the threat that nearly wiped them out.
"Oh before I forget!" Celestia jumped up from her desk and pulled a small box from inside a drawer.
"Whats this?" Valor looked at the small wooden box with a royal crest engraved on it.
"Today is fathers day and you ARE the closest thing to a father we've ever had. so Luna and I thought you should have that," Celestia smiled.
Valor opened the box to reveal a golden pocket watch with same crest at the box. Valor held up the watch and inspected it.
"This...this was..." Valor began to stammer.
"The kings we found it a few months ago," Celestia said.
"I...I don't know what to say," Valor carefully placed it back in the box.
"You could say thank you," Celestia said.
"Thank you," Valor said.
"I hope he and mother would have been proud of us," Celestia said as she looked at the wooden box.
"They would be," Valor responded.
"How do you know?"
"Because I am," Valor hugged Celestia.
"Thank you uncle,"

Below the castle in the castle vaults Valor found Luna studying the warlocks notes and books.
"Hello princess," Valor said as he approached her.
Luna didn't acknowledge his presence.
"Luna can you hear me?" he asked.
"Hmm...oh yes," Luna barely spoke.
Valor sat silently as Luna continued to read.
"Your sister said you two had an argument yesterday want to talk about it?" Valor glanced at what she was reading.
Luna slammed the book shut and turned to face him.
"Why are you here to take her side?" Luna said angrily and she stormed to another desk filled with dusty scrolls.
"No I just came to see what was wrong,"
"Whats wrong is that she gets all the attention, all the praise, all the respect while I am ignored," Luna fumed.
"Luna that's not true you know that your sister..."
"She what?! Feels we are equal! The subjects all come to her while I sit alone at night. Bunch of ungrateful...."
"LUNA I raised you better than that!" Valor snapped.
"Raised us?! You ran away while our parents died defending their subjects!" Luna was yelling now.
"How dare you I would have given my life to protect them...to protect you," Valor was matching her volume.
"Leave me!" Luna turned back to the book she was reading when he entered.
"Luna..."
"I SAID LEAVE! THAT IS AN ORDER CAPTAIN!" Luna used magic to increase the volume of her voice.
"Of course Princess," Valor said sadly as he left. Valor glaceed back briefly as he left her alone.

With each passing day Luna became more and more reclusive. Turning away any who attempted to interrupt her studying.
Valor had just taken off his armor for the day when there was a frantic knock at the door.
"What is it?!" Valor thew open the door.
"Captian the castle is under attack!" A guard informed him.
Valor ran to the armor stand in his room and began to don the armor he just removed.
"Has the princesses been informed how many are there?" Valor was going over plans in his head.
"It is the princess sir ....its Princess Luna...She's changed,"
Valor led a small group toward the vault where he and Luna argued days earlier. when he heard an evil laugh. Two guards were thrown through the doors as they approached.
"See to them the rest of you with me!" Valor ordered.
Inside the vault things were a mess. Books and papers were smolding in piles. The walls themselves were buckled as if a great explosion had happned inside the room.
"Form up!" Valor ordered as his guards stood ready.
"Oh uncle so glad you could make it," the voice Valor had heard laughing earlier said mockingly.
Luna hovered above them her form changed into a being of pure evil.
"Luna...what have you done?" Valor asked lowering his guard.
"Merely claiming what is mine. Tis it not my birthright too?" She grinned revealing her new fangs.
"Luna this isnt you. You've let whatever that warlock had corrupt you. Luna I know you're in there stop this," Valor asked.
"SHUT UP!" Luna yelled as she sent a wave of magic at Valor and his guard.
Several guards were sent flying only Valor just barely managed to hold his ground. He knew his magic was no match against Luna even before she and been turned.
"I won't fight you Luna," Valor tossed his sword aside.
"Then you are a fool!" Luna sent blade of magic at Valor as he stood firm.
The magic hit him like a ton of bricks. He skidded along the floor and slammed hard against a wall.
"Uncle?!" Luna said in her normal voice.
Valor didn't stir.
"I...I'm sorry uncle," Luna began to tear up until whatever had taken over her got ahold once more.
Valor blacked out as he saw Luna made her way out of the wrecked vault.

Valor awoke to the sun shining brightly through a nearby window. His head was bandaged along some bandages wrapped tight around his ribs. Valor painfully got out of bed and exited his room. A passing guard spotted him.
"Captain good to see back up," the guard saluted him.
"What happened where is Luna?" Valor asked.
"Princess Celestia will want to see you sir she's hasn't been taking things well,"
Valor made his way through the castle. What ever had happened while he was out devastated most of the castle. Windows were broken, holes in walls were being patched up, rubble still littered the hallways. Valor arrived at Celestias room. He knocked and entered without permission.
Celestia was outside on her balcony staring glumly at nothing in particular. If she heard him approach she made no indication that she did.
"What happened?" Valor said.
Celestia turned when he spoke. She had a small bandage on her face where she had been fighting.
"Oh uncle," Celestia broke down.
"Shhhh its alright," Valor patted her.
"I...I couldn't save her," Celestia sobbed.
"You did what you could I'm sure," he tired to comfort her.
"My own sister...I...I sent her away," Celestia continued.
"It'll be alright. Listen to me," Valor pulled away so Celestia could see him, "You need to be strong now...stronger than ever. Your subjects are going to be scared. You need to be there for them."
"I don't know if I can," Celestia wiped her eyes.
"I know you can,"

The damage done to the castle was too extensive to fix and part it held too many bad memories for Celestia. Valor convinced her to move the capital a fresh start he called it. A new capital was chosen, Canterlot. The capital was placed on a mountain. A bright shining beacon to give hope to all who could see it. Celestia adjusted to ruling the day and night. Valor continued to advise her when he could. Once again the land was at peace with Celestia guiding them.

Valor inspected the new guards from the academy. They stood in formation in the palace grounds awaiting his command. They awaited approval form the aging captain
"Dirty hooves," Valor muttered to one guard as he made his way thorough the ranks.
"You call that armor shiny?"he asked another.
"Is that oats in your mane?!"
Finally after drilling them constantly Valor grinned.
" I suppose you lot will do. Report toy Lieutenant Shield Bearer for you assignments Dismissed," he saluted.
The group returned his saluted and quickly filed out of the yard.
"Do you have to be so harsh on them?" Celestia asked as she landed next to him.
"Heh back when I was a new guard it would have been twenty times worse. You've made me soft over the years," Valor laughed as he and Celestia walked through the nearby garden.
"You've been captain a long time why not retire and enjoy life a little," Celestia looked at Valor's grey mane poking from under his helmet.
"Retire?! When one of those young bucks can best me maybe then I'll consider retiring .Besides what would you do without me?" Valor asked.
"I'm quite capable," Celestia added.
"Capable I remember when I had to change your diapers," Valor told her.
"Uncle!" Celestia chided him for being so crude as a nearby guard snickered.
"Not many guards can say they had to clean the royal behind,"
"You're just awful," Celestia laughed.
"Seriously though if any pony deserves a break its you. You served above and beyond the call of duty,"
"Alright I'll think on it...shouldn't you be lowering the sun now?" Valor asked.
"What oh...horse apples your right!" Celestia took flight.
"And you want me to retire!" Valor called to her as she flew off.

Celestia was listing to an advisor read off the days schedule when a guard interrupted them.
"Excuse me your highness but there's been an accident," the guard said.
"An accident?!" Celestia stood.
"Its Captain Valor,"
The guard escorted Celestia to the guard barracks behind the palace. A group was gathered around a pony lying on the ground.
"Make way!" the guard shouted as they parted for Celestia.
Valor was lying on the ground with a pained expression of his face.
"Uncle what happened here?" She asked.
"Just a sprain one of the recruits got lucky," he winced.
"I believe it may be his hip your majesty," the castle doctor said as he knelt by his side.
"My hip? Only geezers break their hip," Valor winced again.
"You are a geezer uncle," Celestia looked at the doctor "Will he be okay?"
"Yes he'll need lots of bed rest but he should make a full recovery," the doctor signaled for a stretcher and Valor was taken away to be treated.
Later in Valor's bed room Celestia was visiting after her duties were done for the day.
"Maybe your right," Valor said glumly.
"I usually am," Celestia sat by his bed.
"I'll retire...I suggest Commander Iron for captain no where near as good as me but he'll do,"
"We'll no one can replace the royal diaper changer," Celestia grinned.

Valor spent most of his days watching the new recruits practice and talking with those that visited the palace. After his one hundredth and twenty first birthday Valor suffered another fall and became bedridden. He was rarely seen around the castle but Celestia and others continued to keep him company.
"You want another apple?" Celestia asked.
"No," Valor said.
Celestia levitated his bowl and placed it on a tray to be collected later.
"Is Luna going to come by today?" Valor asked.
"No uncle Luna was sent away remember?" Celestia said
"Oh right right," Valor said. Celestia was sure he didn't really remember. The doctor had said his memeory would slowly degrade.
"I just wanted to give her Sir Hoofington she always loses him. You know she can't sleep without him"
"I know she's so forgetful," Celestia said as she pulled his blanket up.
"Thank you Sunny," Valor smiled at her.
"Your welcome uncle," Celestia kissed his forehead as he drifted off to sleep.
Celeestia began to leave she blew out the lights as she headed toward the door.
"I love you Sunny," Valor called out from his bed.
"I love you too," Celestia said as she closed the door and wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Good morning uncle," Celestia opened the curtains to let in the morning sun. "How are we feeling today?"
Celstia approached his bed.
"Uncle?" Celestia asked.
Valor remained still as she spoke. Celestia reached out a hoof and felt his neck. She smiled down at her loving uncle as she pulled the covers and gently covered him up. The servants found her waiting patiently by his side.

Many came from all around to pay their respects to the retired guard captain. Descendants of the island citizens, leaders from the surrounding kingdoms, guards that joined after hearing his heroic stories. Celestia waited well into the night until the moon shone more brightly than normal did she leave.
The moonlight illuminated the plaque on his head stone of a statue made in his likeness wearing his golden helm that still gleamed in the light.

HERE LIES CAPTAIN VALOR. LOYAL SERVANT TO THE ROYAL FAMILY. PROTECTOR OF ALL THE REALM . LOVING UNCLE AND FAITHFUL FRIEND. MAY HE NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE

Comments

[xoDANiox]

THE FEELS ARE UNREAL!!!!!!!!!!!!