• Published 11th May 2015
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Secrets of a Royal Guard - Anzel



Life has never been better for Silent Knight, but he finds himself shackled to the past by guilt, anger, and regret. Even though he tries to hide his true feelings from those he loves, he knows that the secrets he keeps will come at a cost.

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12. Haven - Part 4

The library of Haven was a quiet place most of the time. Occasionally, Princess Luna or Moonlit Star would break the silence with some form of magic or instruction. Radiant Orchid had shown up before she was supposed to relieve me and dragged me off to a row of books furthest from the training area.

She poked her head around the end of the aisle, peering down where she knew the princess would be. Once she seemed satisfied that we weren’t being monitored, she turned back to me.

In a hushed voice, she said, “Our ponies are getting restless, sir. This was meant to be a meet-and-greet, but now there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. Keeping them all cooped up in this place—a place that I need to remind you is almost pitch black—is bad for morale. We need to give them a target to focus on.”

This was a conversation I’d been anticipating. I was walking a delicate line between what the princess truly desired and my own goal of keeping my guards happy. “I’ve noticed it, too. Freeing our guards up from their shifts just gave them more time to stand around bored.”

“Yes, sir. Obviously they’ll stick it out, but we should do more than just rely on their professionalism. Can you talk to the princess?”

“I think I can. It might be difficult, but I’ll get it done. In the meantime, I want you to take everypony up and out of the mountain for the afternoon. Have Crimson send another watchpony to take over.”

Orchid’s head tilted. “All of us, sir?”

I nodded. “Yeah, best give them all some sunlight. The watchponies are trustworthy, and I’ll keep an eye on the princess while we’re in here. This place is a fortress, after all.”

My section sergeant stood up and nodded. “How about you, sir? Don’t you need some sunlight?”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t seem to bother me. I guess it’s a trait passed down by my ancestors.”

“Suit yourself,” Orchid replied before turning to leave. “I’ll handle our ponies while you handle the princess.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied absently as I tried to figure how I’d broach this subject with Princess Luna. Her excitement was off the charts since we’d arrived. This was not going to be an easy conversation.

Magic flared from the training area as I approached it. The princess was right in the middle of a lesson, so I stood off to the side, waiting patiently and observing.

Princess Luna wasn’t the same pony physically anymore. She stood taller, her coat was darker, and her mane had taken on the look of an endlessly flowing starlit sky rather than a gentle summer evening. I wasn’t sure but if she kept this up, she might end up being larger than her sister.

Eventually, the lesson came to an end and the princess looked my way, finally noticing me. “Silent Knight, what can I do for you?”

“May I have a word with you privately, please?” I asked.

“Of course.” She gave the matriarch a meaningful look. Moonlit Star nodded and hobbled past me out of the training area.

Once she was out of earshot, I spoke quietly. “Princess, I truly apologize for this, but I need to bring to your attention that unit morale is suffering.”

“And why is that?” she asked with a frown.

“We’ve been here for weeks with a very small complement of guards. There is little for them to do, they’re surrounded by darkness, and they are likely thinking about their commitments back home.”

The princess tilted her head. “Were we not gone far longer to Varrheim?”

“Yes, Princess, but they prepared in advance for the length of that trip and we had far more guards,” I reminded her, trying my best not to sound like a parent talking to a foal. “They were also not idle there and had a clear goal. We had a lot to do. These few ponies have been on constant duty with no end in sight. They’ll continue on forever out of loyalty to you, but as their commander, I owe it to them to have some answer.”

Luna’s expression grew tight as she clearly bit back what she wanted to say. She stood up and began to pace. “I cannot simply walk away from my mentor a second time, Silent Knight. You understand how important this is, do you not?”

On the surface, she looked and sounded irritated. I knew better. In reality, she was nervous and maybe a little scared. This was a sensitive subject for her, especially given how the Nightmare Moon incident played into things.

I lifted my head and looked her straight in the eyes. “It won’t be like last time. You’re not walking away, Princess. We’ll go home, you can attend to the royal business in Canterlot, and I can pick fresh guards for a second trip.”

She wasn’t convinced. “Why don’t you send the guards home? I’ll be fine here.”

I shook my head. “No, Princess. Idle or not, bored or not, we will not abandon our duty and you cannot abandon yours.”

There was a flicker of hesitation in the princess and I latched onto it.

With a soft breath, I pressed, “Luna, we’ll come back. If I have to come alone with you, we’ll come back. Moonlit Star isn’t going anywhere, but you do have other duties. I’m half surprised Princess Celestia hasn’t sent a search party.”

Princess Luna smiled like a cat that had gotten into the cream. “Oh, no, she’s aware that we are fine.”

My brow furrowed. No messages had left Haven; there was no mail service here. “How?”

“I informed her personally with one of the new spells I’ve learned. She knows I’m safe.” Her tone had a certain smugness to it that I’d never heard before.

Magic. Leave it to magic to try to ruin my solid argument. Nonetheless, I stood my ground. “That doesn’t change the fact that you have other duties. Other ponies to care for.”

After some deliberation, she sighed and nodded. “I agree. Very well, then. Tell your guards that we shall stay a few days more and then leave. I want you to work with Moonlit Star to establish a messenger service for future visits.”

“Of course, Princess. Thank you.” I bowed and left her alone to her studies.

Dawn came to Haven once again. How these ponies decided when that was, I still didn’t understand. I just started my day when they started theirs. When the city burst into life, so did we. My first task of the day would be simple enough: a conversation with the matriarch.

She was easy enough to find, sitting in a rocking chair on her porch, looking at me as I approached. “Good morning, Silent Knight. Won’t you have a seat? May I get you something to drink?”

When she started to push herself up, I held my hoof out, urging her to stay in place. “No, thank you.”

The matriarch relaxed back into her chair. “Lady Luna tells me she’ll be leaving soon.”

“That is true,” I admitted without hesitation. “She has duties and I need to rest my ponies. We’ll return soon enough, though. She has an opportunity here that she has dreamed of for centuries.”

“It is probably for the best,” she said softly as she began to rock her chair. “After all, she may be the Student to us, but Princess Luna is the Ruler to you and thousands of other ponies.”

“How did you know?” I asked as my ears shot up in surprise.

Moonlit Star chuckled softly. “My granddaughter is very stealthy and even more curious. Your younger guards are not as cautious as you.” She raised one playful brow. “This was bound to happen, so don’t take this as a failing on their part.”

Young guards talking when they shouldn’t have been. They were good ponies, though. I shrugged and replied, “She didn’t want to seem presumptuous. I don’t have the full picture, but I guess there is some order to the three alicorn positions?”

She nodded. “Oh, yes. The Student is the youngest alicorn and has much to learn. The Ruler sees to the needs of all ponies. The Mentor teaches the Student the ways of magic and prepares her to one day take over the role of Ruler.

“When a Mentor is ready to take the great journey, she would train the Ruler to be her replacement. Then the Student would become the Ruler, and a new alicorn would become the Student.”

“Where do you get a new alicorn?” I asked.

She chuckled at first, then shook her head with a solemn frown. “That is a secret even I don’t know. I expected that Celestia would have found some new ones by now to replace, at the very least, the two her house lost. Yet both you and Luna say this is not so.”

This conversation was starting to unsettle my nerves. A little desperately, I suggested, “Perhaps she didn’t want to further aggravate the problem by having three alicorns of the day and only one of the night? Maybe once Luna is strong enough, they can rebuild their houses together?”

The matriarch shrugged. “If so, that is beyond the tomes we have here. There is no information on ascension at all, and I’ve read every book in the archive many times in preparation for my role as Luna’s mentor.”

My mind raced to search for an answer and instead landed on a memory. “Exemplar Ferrel believes that extra good ponies that help others will ascend to become an alicorn after they pass.”

“Then I suspect there haven’t been any extra good ponies in over a thousand years,” she replied simply.

I frowned at that and our conversation lingered there in silence. She continued to rock, her chair squeaking with every forwards sway.

Finally, I found something to ask. “I’m curious about your pegasi, the ones with draconic wings.”

“Ah, yes. The original nox ponies. In ages past, they were far more xenophobic. Even more so than we are now. In time, though, day and night ponies started to mingle. You’re an example of that. All that is left in you is the ear tufts.”

“Some are still…” I wasn’t sure the word to use.

“Pure?” she offered.

“That seems like a negative way of putting it, but yes.”

The matriarch chuckled and nodded. “Some of the families only condone selecting mates of the same type. Of course, I caution that this can be foolish, since without mingling, we’d have never had magic. I certainly wouldn’t be who I am. Still, they have their right to choose.”

“So they do. Given your open mind when it comes to… mingling, I hope you’ll all consider giving the rest of Equestria a try?”

Moonlit Star replied in a soft voice, “That seems inevitable now. In fact, I want you to take my grandchildren with you when you leave. I would like Luna to have some nox pony influence, and it is time they start learning about the world outside of this mountain.”

This was not a small task she was asking of me. They’d more or less be two very naïve tourists, and both of them would stand out both in appearance and their manner of speech.

However, the palace was a safe enough environment for them to learn about the world. Our guards knew how to deal with foreign dignitaries. This wouldn’t be much different, really.

I finally nodded. “I can arrange that, if you think it is a good idea.”

Moonlit Star looked at me for a moment, then out into the city of Haven. Her expression was soft and a little sad. “Tranquil Dusk will leave on her own sooner or later, regardless of what I want. She is too curious about the outside world. In doing so, she may invite many other young ponies to go with her.

“Crimson Dawn is far more obedient, but he dreams of being a great knight. He is enamored with you and your guards. As much as it pains me to say so, Silent Knight, sending them to your world for now may be the best thing I can do for mine. They will be no burden to you, I promise.”

We exchanged glances. Her eyes were full of fear and doubt. She was trying to quarantine her own family. Moonlit Star had chosen to be a leader first and a grandmother second.

“This must be tough for you,” I said softly.

“Immensely, but I trust that you’ll keep them safe.”

“Me?” I asked in surprise.

“Yes, I want you to be their guardian outside of Haven.” She leaned towards me, the sadness and fear replaced with a sharp, stern look. “Can you do that? Can you keep my family safe?”

Keeping track of two tourists wasn’t really in my wheelhouse, but they weren’t foals. How hard could it be, especially if it would give their grandmother peace?

“As long as they don’t do anything that is against the law, I can ensure their safety. You have my word.”

The matriarch nodded and stood from her chair. “Good. I’ll prepare them. Now, I need to get to the library. We have much work to do and only a few days to do it in.”

I bowed my head. “Thank you, Matriarch. Have a good day.”

She limped her way in the direction of the library, leaving me to consider my new mission. I’d need to set some ground rules but, in general, the risk to Canterlot was very small.

Would the two of them even stay there once we were out? Tranquil Dusk might run off to explore the world immediately. If I could get her into school, that might be helpful. Canterlot University had a lot to study.

At the least, I would have a few days to plan something for them. That was something to occupy my mind when I was standing watch and didn’t have the ability to read the Knights of the Moon tomes.

The days passed by rather quickly, as I was busy getting everything ready for us to leave. Things were finally in order, and Radiant Orchid had taken the late shift so I could get some rest, which was exactly what I was trying to do. I was half asleep on the couch in Luna’s room when the door opened, and I nearly fell off as I prepared to confront the intruder.

A familiar face looked at me. The intruder was Princess Luna, apparently coming in early. Early for her and Haven, anyway. She and Moonlit Star had been working all the harder these last few days.

My nerves settled and I rose to look more respectable than a pony sprawled out on their back. “Welcome back, Princess.”

“You may go back to relaxing, Silent Knight,” she replied with a smile.

That was all the encouragement I needed go boneless again. “You’ve been working so hard I’ve barely seen you. Are you ready to go home?”

She frowned at me. We both already knew the answer to the question, but she replied nonetheless, “No, but I understand that it can’t be helped. For now, anyway.”

I watched her while she paced the sitting area. “I don’t understand, Princess. You have a whole lifetime to come back to this place. You may learn as you please. The knowledge isn’t going anywhere now that it’s been found. Why are you so... upset?”

She turned her back to me. “I stunted my development when I refused the wisdom of the original Moonlit Star, Silent Knight. Some of what I am learning now is pedestrian by alicorn standards. I should have long since mastered much of this.”

There was regret in her voice as she continued, “After a thousand years of banishment, I have become a very eager student. Celestia may be an immensely successful teacher and we may be sisters, but our magic is very different. The knowledge and magic have always been split between the houses. As such, there is only so much she can teach me. This is my opportunity to learn what she cannot.”

That was a perfectly logical explanation. One I couldn’t question, so I attempted to lighten the mood. “I think I understand. It’s like that time I wanted to go to jump school.”

Luna turned to me with a curious frown before she laughed and shook her head. “And I still maintain that you are a pegasus. You can fly. Jump school seems an impractical waste of time.”

“I wanted the badge,” I said with a wave of my hoof. “Yes, I can fly, but they teach other skills I didn’t learn at flight camp. How to land without getting hurt. How to discern terrain at a high altitude. But I just wanted the badge, because other guards had it.

“I didn’t care about the training, just the end result. I probably would have hurt myself because I thought that since I was a pegasus, I’d be fine. Just because you’re an alicorn that is supposed to master this stuff, doesn’t mean you should rush through it. You’ll wear yourself out, Princess. Don’t think just about the badge.”

Luna tipped her nose in the air. “A badge and alicorn magic are hardly comparable, you know.” She sighed and settled on the couch beside me, then started to fluff my mane. “But I see your point. As long as you remain true to your word that we will return, I shan’t hold a grudge.”

“Oh, thank you, Princess. It is good to know you won’t smite me for doing what is best for you.” My eyes widened when I realized I said that out loud. Stupid, honest mouth.

“Is that so?” She laughed and groomed the disheveled hairs on my shoulders from wearing armor all day. “I presume you mean that you only want to help me? This isn’t about you? Poor Silent Knight. Are you jealous of the alicorn tomes?”

I scrunched up my nose in preparation to make a face. Then I realized she was right. I was jealous of all the time she was spending away from me. “You were my princess first.”

This gave her cause to smile and she nuzzled my cheek. “I believe I was theirs before you were born, but I appreciate the sentiment.” She stood and turned away, walking across the room. “Pleasant dreams, Silent Knight. Tomorrow, you may rest assured I will not stop us from returning home.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Luna lingered in the doorway to her bedroom and looked over her shoulder. “I apologize for shirking my royal duties. Celestia has ruled so long that I feel as if she can continue to do so without me.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but she silenced me with a raised hoof.

“Be not concerned, I know I have my important part to play, too. I’ll be more useful to everypony once I’ve been appropriately trained. Even you cannot deny that. But what is most important is that I cannot keep you away from Crystal Wishes too much longer or she also may get jealous.”

“She may indeed, Princess,” I said, teasingly. “Good night.”

I pulled myself off of the couch and headed into my small bedroom. We would finally be leaving in the morning, and that was fine by me. It was time to rest my guards, see Crystal, and get some semblance of my regular life back.

Early the next morning, I made a quick stop at the library to borrow the next Knights of the Moon tome. I’d gone through the initiate’s guide several times, and though I still had a lot of practicing to do of what was in it, I could at least start reading ahead until we came back here. The second volume seemed to be focused on dealing with threats from manticores, dragons, chimeras, and other species that were dangerous during those times.

I arrived at the town square to find the chariots packed and my guards waiting for me, as they had been instructed the day prior. They were standing at attention, looking as professional as always, but I could see the fatigue in them. We were all ready to go home.

“Listen up, ponies: we’ll be leaving today,” I said as I walked up and down the line. “We’ve got a long flight home and I’d like for it to go smoothly. Thankfully, we’ve found ourselves two new volunteers to help pull these chariots. That should make things a little easier. In case anypony missed introductions, this is Crimson Dawn and Tranquil Dusk.”

Crimson stood to his full height. “It is an honor to be one of the first to go to Canterlot. I’m proud to have a chance to serve Lady Luna directly.”

“Glad to have you,” Orchid replied.

“I’m excited to get there,” Tranquil said, tapping her hooves together. “When I’m taking a turn pulling, we’ll go a little faster.”

I chuckled at that. “It sounds that way.” I turned my head to look at the rest of the ponies present. “Orchid, final inspection of our chariots, please. Nova, you’ll start with the princess. Crimson and Lightning Flash will be on the larger. We’re in the sky in one hour.”

“Yes, sir,” my ponies responded and set to their tasks.

I trotted over to where Princess Luna stood with Moonlit Star. “Lady Luna, we’ll be ready to go shortly. On your order, of course.”

“Thank you, Silent Knight. I’ve said my farewells and am pleased with the plans made for correspondence. As soon as the chariots are ready, we may go.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll let you know.” I turned to go, but Moonlit Star set a hoof on my shoulder.

“Keep your promise,” she said in a soft voice. “Watch over my family.”

“My word is given and it will not be broken,” I replied.

“Thank you. Now, have a safe journey,” she said before turning back to speak softly to the princess.

That was my cue to check over the work of my guards. They were hard at work finishing our preparations. While I watched them, I felt a presence at my side: Tranquil Dusk.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

I smiled and nodded towards Crimson, who was fumbling with the harness. “Why don’t you go and help your brother get ready? He looks like he could use it.”

Her laughter was quiet but unmistakable. “Yes, sir.”

I stood quietly by and watched the two of them interact. They seemed about as fit as a pony right out of the Royal Guard Academy. I wasn’t sure how much protection they’d need, but I also wasn’t certain that the matriarch had meant they were in physical danger.

It was going to be interesting keeping my eye on them and guiding their interaction in a world that would be very unfamiliar. That was something I’d worry about later. For now, I moved over to where Nova was putting on her own harness to check her buckles and straps.

Everything seemed to be in order, and the remaining ponies had piled into the larger chariot. It looked like it was finally time to go, so I went back to Princess Luna. “We’re ready for you.”

“Very well.” Luna turned to look at Moonlit Star. “Matriarch, you have my eternal gratitude for your hospitality and your wisdom. I will return soon.”

Moonlit Star smiled. “You are always welcome here, Lady Luna. I shall prepare for your next visit.”

The princess bowed her head to touch her horn to Moonlit Star’s. “Until then.” She straightened up and looked at me. “Lieutenant, we may go.” She then strode to her chariot and took her place.

“Yes, ma’am. Move out!” I called before motioning with a wing.

The chariots lurched forwards and we were on our way home. It was a great relief to me even though I’d hidden that from the others. Once I felt the sun on my face and the wind in my mane, I realized how much I’d missed it. It took all of my discipline not to fly off like a foal that finally grew into her wings.

Tranquil Dusk spoke up, shifting my attention to her. “What is it we will be doing when we get to Canterlot?”

“What would you like to do?” I asked.

“I want to see everything!”

I chuckled. “That might take some time, but it is a great goal. Where would you like to start?”

Her eyes lit up with excitement. “The castle where Lady Luna lives!”

That gave me some pause as I thought it over. “There are some limits to where you can go within the castle, but initially, you’ll be living there.”

The mare quietly clapped her hooves together. “Wonderful! And then I would like to visit all of the major cities of Equestria. When can I leave to explore them?”

“I—”

Crimson shifted in his seat and asked, “What about me?”

I graciously took the chance to back away from Tranquil’s growing list of questions. “The same rules apply. The sky's the limit. What would you like to do?”

“What if I want to become a royal guard like you?”

My ear flicked in the wind. “Pardon?”

He frowned and repeated, “What if I want to be a royal guard, like you?”

“Your grandmother may not approve. At the same time, ponies your age are allowed to make their own decisions. Of course, they’re wise to listen to their elders. The Royal Guard is a long commitment. If you were to do that, you wouldn’t be able to go home for a while.”

Crimson Dawn looked back in the direction of Haven and then back at me. “I understand… but I would have that right?”

This was a complex question right out of the gate. “By our standards, you’re an adult, Crimson. That means you can do as you please, but it also means you must accept the consequences of your actions. Do you understand?”

The younger stallion shifted uncomfortably. “I do.”

“Then think about it very carefully.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied.

It seemed that being the one responsible for these ponies was going to be a lot more perilous than I’d thought. What had I gotten myself into?

Author's Note:

And so they return from Haven with two Nox ponies and a lot of alicorn magic. Everything should get back to "normal," right?

As always I hope you enjoyed the Haven arc.

If you are enjoying this story, please consider taking a look at Crystal and my's website QuillnBlade.com for extra content such as mini stories, Q&B AU wiki, and special rewards for the awesome folks who support our Patreon. We have monthly art give aways, a Q&B Discord RPG, a several other fun gifts for patrons.

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