4. The Hidden - Part 2
In the morning, I was rousted from my bed by the light pressing of a hoof against my shoulder. My eyes opened to the sight of Tranquil Dusk peering down at me. It had been another dreamless sleep. Restful and without visions of Nordanver.
“Hello,” she said softly.
“Hi?” I responded as the fog of slumber started to wear off. It was impressive that she’d snuck up on me.
“Grandmo—The matriarch had business to attend this morning. She asked that my brother and I show you around. I’ve prepared breakfast for before we go.”
I rolled off the pillow that had been made up for me and started to don my armor. “That would be lovely, thank you.”
Tranquil Dusk nodded and then stood in the doorway, watching me. She was staring. Perhaps for these ponies it wasn’t rude. Perhaps she was super curious. Perhaps she’d never seen a stallion like me before. In either event, it was somewhat awkward.
Once I finished, she turned and headed back into the main room, affording me a brief glance at her cutie mark. It was blue and purple, like her mane, and in the shape an open book with the spine out. At least what should have been the spine. It was, instead, a burning candle.
Crimson Dawn was already at the table, eating a slice of bread covered with some kind of preserves. I sat across from him and started to make my own. Tranquil Dusk joined us, her gaze still locked on me.
“You know Celestia personally?” Tranquil Dusk asked.
“I do,” I replied before stuffing a whole piece of bread in my mouth. Secrets couldn’t be given away while I was eating.
The mare shifted on her stool. “Is she nice?”
“Tranquil,” Crimson said sharply.
The two then exchanged glares.
I swallowed my bread, cleared my throat with a drink of water, and then nodded. “She has always been nice to me.”
“And she doesn’t have the Elements of Harmony anymore? Who does?” Tranquil Dusk pressed.
“Enough!” Crimson Dawn cut in. “The matriarch has instructed us to show our guest around, not pester him with questions about the world beyond.”
The two glared at each other once more before Tranquil Dusk tossed her nose up in the air and let out a little humph.
“When you’re ready, I would be honored to show a warrior such as yourself around,” Crimson Dawn said.
It was interesting to watch the two of them together. They weren’t unlike another pair of siblings I knew. Winterspear had always been more of a trickster, and I had been serious like Crimson.
I finished eating and stood up. “Now is as good a time as any. I do have a long flight ahead of me.”
“Certainly, if you’ll just follow me,” Crimson said as he led me out of the house and into the street.
The village itself was not nearly as impressive as the other nox pony settlements I’d visited. The architecture was clearly similar, and these buildings had been well maintained over the years. There was also a whole lot more of them.
Without a keep, however, this place just didn’t seem as regal or concrete. Not that I didn’t understand the reason for not having one. A seat of power for a non-existent alicorn would be a depressing reminder day in and day out.
As we toured around, I did spot one point of interest. It was a large building that seemed an awful lot like a fortification. It was built from precisely cut stone blocks extended back until they melded into the mountain’s interior. The whole structure stood on a large foundation that could only be ascended by a single set of stairs.
To top it all off, two heavy metal doors stood closed and locked at the top. Any attackers on hoof would have a difficult time utilizing any sort of ram to assault them. Flying invaders wouldn’t be able to carry as much weight. Perhaps this was their bunker.
“What is this place?” I asked as we stood outside, looking up.
Tranquil Dusk inhaled excitedly to speak, but Crimson Dawn set his hoof to her mouth. “This is our library. It is the collected knowledge of our people.”
“It looks like a fortress,” I said casually.
The stallion nodded. “Knowledge is a powerful thing, and for all we know this may be the only place that these writings still exist in an unbiased state. No offense intended to you personally.”
“None taken,” I replied. By unbiased, he meant uninfluenced by the thousand years of history that the ‘Ponies of the Day’ had experienced. The nox ponies may have begrudgingly accepted me, but there was still a xenophobic vibe around.
“I’m guessing there is no chance we could go inside?” I asked.
Crimson Dawn simply shook his head.
That was probably for the best. I was already trotting a path that was far outside of the scope Princess Luna had given me. These ponies were also giving me ideas and glimpses into an alternate view of history.
It was making me uncomfortable, as it forced questions that needed answers. Questions that could make a reasonable pony suspicious of the pony Princess Celestia was ages ago. I didn’t like that, nor did I like the idea that these ponies thought both she and even I were some sort of aggressors.
“Very well,” I said. “Where to next, then?”
Crimson said nothing and just started forwards. We continued through the village, but each time I had questions, Crimson would shoot Tranquil down before she could give me an answer. It really didn’t help that all the other nox ponies were looking at me like I might lash out at any moment.
With a frustrated sigh after being cut off yet again, Tranquil Dusk finally suggested, “If we are not to talk or share, perhaps we should have an early lunch?”
We both looked to Crimson, who replied in a polite but clearly annoyed voice, “Yes, that's fine.”
The cafe that the two selected seemed quaint and humble. If it weren’t for the fact I was literally inside a mountain using my armor to see, I’d have said it was like any place back home in Canterlot. That was comforting, even if the server trembled every time he was near me.
I did my best to ignore that and be gracious, but it was starting to wear on me. Back home, when ponies see a royal guard, they feel safe and smile.
“Is Luna the Student beautiful?” Tranquil Dusk asked, interrupting my brooding. “I always imagined she’d be beautiful.”
Crimson glared at her, but I answered anyway. “Yes, she is. She’s taller than all the regular ponies I know, and her mane is magical. It always looks like the night sky and flows even without wind. I think you’d like her.”
Tranquil Dusk smiled shyly and clapped her hooves together. A sterner glare from Crimson Dawn brought that to a quick conclusion, however.
I cleared my throat and tried to change the subject. “Do you two have professions? Other than assisting the matriarch of course?”
“I’m a knowledge hunter!” Tranquil Dusk chimed.
“You aren't!” Crimson Dawn put in. “She’s a student.”
Tranquil Dusk stuck her tongue out. “They’re the same thing. Soon the matriarch is going to let me explore the world. You can stay here and sulk all you like.”
Crimson Dawn just shook his head. “Your dreams exceed the reach of your grasp, sister.” He then turned to me and added with pride, “I’m a watchpony.”
My ears flicked at the term. That is what I had suspected: some sort of militia. “I notice you don’t carry a weapon, though.”
The younger stallion’s ears pinned back and a frown crossed his face. I’d hit on something. “The matriarchs, both current and retired, have believed that nonviolence is always best and that our defenses will keep invaders out. Soldiers are unnecessary inside our mountain, they say.”
“Who keeps the law, though?” I asked.
“Watchponies like myself do. We don’t have many issues.” He tilted his head. “Are there many crimes in the place you come from?”
“No, but I suppose the theory has always been that by having a lot of guards out in the public’s view, it reduces the chances of crimes occurring.”
Crimson Dawn nodded slowly. “I can see that point of view.”
Our food arrived shortly afterwards and was, once again, fruit. I’d had more fruit in two meals than I’d had in weeks. We ate in companionable silence.
The sound of a cane clicking against the stone caught my ear and I looked up to see Moonlit Star approaching with the assistance of another pony. As she neared us, she smiled and said, “Everypony in town said I could find you here. Have you enjoyed your tour?”
“I have. Your grandfoals were very kind to me. Thank you for allowing me to look around so freely.” Freely was, of course, not the case, but politics were politics.
The matriarch nodded. “You’re most welcome, Silent Knight. I assume you are now ready to take your leave and head home? That will allow us time to prepare for Luna the Student’s visit.”
“Yes, I think that is for the best. The sooner I return the sooner, I can inform her of all that I’ve learned. From there, I can plan a visit for her.” I finished my last slice of orange and stood, then gave a formal bow of my head. “Until we meet again.”
“Until then,” the matriarch responded.
Crimson Dawn, Tranquil Dusk, and I then made our way out of the village and up the long cavern that served as its entrance. When we reached the outside, I paused to look at the two of them.
They could have hardly been any more different. An insular, bulky stallion and a curious, lithe mare.
“It was our honor to have you, Silent Knight,” Crimson Dawn said before offering his hoof to me.
I bumped it and nodded. “It was my pleasure.”
“Will you really bring Luna the Student back?” Tranquil Dusk asked.
“If that is her will, yes. I serve at her pleasure.”
The mare clapped her forehooves together and grinned. She did little to hide her enthusiasm and I could tell it annoyed her brother.
“Take care you two. Until next time,” I called as I got a galloping start and leapt from the landing platform. My adrenaline surged when an updraft caught my wings and hurried me along. It was great to be out of the mountain and back into natural sunlight, no more cold darkness or muted night vision.
I’d learned so much and desperately wanted to share it all with Princess Luna. She would be ecstatic that I’d found her ponies. A whole city that had lived outside of the kingdom.
The excitement spurred me to keep flying far longer than I should have. I imagined what it would be like to bring Princess Luna to the mountain and see the looks on the faces of the nox ponies. Would they fear her or love her?
With each passing moment, new and more exciting thoughts came to me until I realized the sun had set and I was flying by the light of the moon that would lead me home to Canterlot.
I was pushing to go further, faster. It was the first real exercise since my wounds in Nordanver. There was nopony around to tell me to take it easy or slow up. No, it was just me and the wind. That was a luxury I was going to enjoy so I flew. I flew until I couldn’t anymore.
A fat, heavy cloud was plodding along below me. It was riddled with hints of gray which may have meant I was in for a bumpy ride, but my options were limited. I tipped downwards and crash landed into its soft, puffy embrace.
My body ached, my lungs burned, but, on the whole, the exertion made me feel alive. Without giving my location another thought, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
That proved to be a mistake.
It was hard to know exactly how long I’d slept; it was day when I woke. At least, as best as I could tell. The sun was cutting through the clouds but that was quickly changing. I’d been surrounded by fatter, heavier, storm-laden, snow-filled, cranky clouds.
“If some weather pony is responsible for this…” I muttered as I gathered my things, briefly checked my map, and started off towards Canterlot again. Whatever joy I’d felt the day before was quickly being drowned in the waves of snow that had started to pelt my face.
I was cold, I was wet, and I was miserable. It was a nightmare trying to navigate through the snowstorm that floated between me and my destination. I tried on a few occasions to reason with the clouds, but they reminded me that I was not a weather pony.
Weather ponies were now a lot lower on my list of things that I liked. Who needed storms, anyway? By the time I reached Canterlot, I was partially frozen and soaked to the bone.
I practically crashed onto Princess Luna’s balcony before shoving the doors open and hurrying to her large hearth. Hoofguards went flying as I kicked them off trying to get close to the fire.
“Well, hello to you, too,” the princess called from her seat on the couch. In my foul state, I’d completely missed her. She’d blended in too well with the material and there wasn’t a lot of light in the room.
Her face was easy to read. She was mildly amused but too filled with apprehension about my mission to really appreciate my misfortune.
“Apologies, Princess. My mind is elsewhere and half frozen. I had the misfortune of flying through a blizzard to return here, a task I will never again take on lightly,” I groused.
Princess Luna chuckled softly. I must have looked somewhat pitiful… wings and coat soaked through. “May I assume by your grumbling at the weather that the meeting was successful?”
My rump hit the floor and I thrust all four hooves towards the fire, letting it warm the bottoms. “You may, although there are things you should know. The situation is more delicate than we may have guessed.”
Concern filled the princess’s voice. “How so?”
“To begin with, the ponies I found were frightened of me. Not just a little bit, either. I had escorts the whole time and the nox ponies I did come in contact with literally shook. They think I’m a monster or, at the very least, an aggressor.”
Princess Luna replied, “Surely you’re exaggerating.”
I shook my head. “Oh, no, Princess. I’m being literal. When we had lunch, the server shook so bad he knocked a glass of water over. That isn’t all, though. That is just the little tiny part that got under my coat.
“Their ancestors believed that Princess Celestia murdered all of the other alicorns and banished you so she could rule by herself. That is the knowledge that they’ve passed down across the generations. Day ponies bad!”
“What!” Princess Luna’s voice was loud enough that it knocked me over. Balancing on my hind end hadn’t been a stable position.
Honesty and bluntness aren’t exactly the same thing. “I apologize again, Princess, but that is what they told me. They’re terrified of her! They wanted to know how you defeated her and who all the new alicorns are.”
“Celestia would never murder anypony!” Princess Luna’s tone had shifted from disbelief to anger. “How dare they! What did you tell them? Surely you assured them they were wrong?”
Carefully, I righted myself. “Princess, I was alone in their care. Do you really think one royal guard that they didn’t trust could really convince them to change a belief that is generations old? I told them that you didn’t defeat her and that she was happy to see you returned.”
Princess Luna got up and started pacing the room. Her jaw was set and her expression betrayed a mix of confusion, anger, and sorrow. To be honest, I was impressed any pony could express such a range of emotions all at once.
With a soft sigh, I pressed on, “I’m not telling you this to upset you, but I feel like we may need to reevaluate just inviting them to join modern society. They’re different ponies. We also have other items we probably need to deal with, too.”
“Such as?”
I stood and walked over to place myself in her pacing path. The princess stopped and our eyes met. “Princess, do you remember what actually happened that day?” I asked cautiously.
“I have told you that I do not, Silent Knight! Are you suggesting I’ve lied?” Her tone was defiant.
“No, but finding out may be necessary. You’ve told me yourself that Princess Celestia keeps some things from you. If there is even a hint of truth to what these ponies say, we’re going to have to deal with it.”
Princess Luna’s voice rose again. “She is not a murderer!”
My ears fell flat and I replied softly, “Well, be sure to tell them that when she shows up for a meet-and-greet. You know, before they all run away in a panic and shut their society off for another thousand years.”
The princess’s anger rose for a brief moment and then deflated. “You’re right. This is a sensitive topic for my sister. I will try to broach it and, at least for the immediate future, we will not invite her to any ‘meet-and-greets,’ as you so casually put it. Is there anything else?”
“Yes, a lot, actually. They have a library. It was heavily fortified in a way that puts the Royal Archive to shame. I wasn’t allowed inside, but I was told the texts have not been influenced by contemporary history.”
“That sounds most interesting,” she replied softly.
“Agreed. I wanted to get inside, but it wasn’t allowed. They’d probably let you in, though. I couldn’t imagine them denying an alicorn. Then again, they thought I was a special pony, too.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“They said I was a Knight of the Moon, or at least a descendant. My name isn’t a name, it’s a title.”
Princess Luna softly chuckled and ran her hoof along the crest of my mane. “Won’t your Crystal Wishes be pleased? Yes, as I have long suspected, your lineage is tied to the nox ponies and it is certainly probable that your ancestors were Knights of the Moon.”
I tilted my head. “Can you tell me anything about them? I’d like to know more about my family, other than what my father has said.”
“I’m afraid there isn’t too terribly much to say. They were pegasus warriors one and all. Some were protectors like you but most, went out into Equestria to do valiant deeds in the name of the Alicorns of the Night. When our House disappeared, so did they. Of course, Equestria is a far safer place now. There hasn’t been a need for knights for some time.”
Knights that did valiant deeds. That sounded a lot more like the games Winterspear and I played as foals than my father’s version. I think I liked that better. “Their matriarch believes in nonviolence, but I can’t say for certain that all the ponies feel that way.”
“Oh?” the princess asked curiously.
“The watchponies that keep the law. One in particular seemed interested in the more martial aspects. I think most of them would be more terrified than hostile when we visited, but it is something to keep in mind. They’re terribly isolated and frightened. Nothing is more dangerous than a trapped animal.”
“Verily,” the princess replied with a sour tone. She moved to her couch and motioned to the spot across from her. “Please sit down. I’d like to hear everything again from start to finish.”
“Of course, Princess.”
☾
Being the commander of Princess Luna’s House Guard was starting to seem mundane compared to my work for the princess and my involvement with the intelligence section. From a career perspective, that was not a good thing.
I spent a lot of my time waiting for news from activities that were not exactly within my scope of control. They also weren’t exactly outside of my duties as Princess Luna’s chief protector. In either case, I should have been focusing more on my official duties and aimed to do so.
There were some responsibilities to handle as the CO. Despite being out for a bit, keeping up with the unit was turning out to be surprisingly easy. Radiant Orchid handled most of the work just as I had when I was in her position.
Iridescence had picked up a fair share, too, since she was learning to do that same job. Typically, my role involved doing paperwork, attending meetings, and explaining to my sergeants what needed to be done. They did the rest. I was starting to see why my father had the poor opinion he did of officers.
My door had been open constantly as of late while I got to know the new ponies in the unit. Some officers might not bother, but my current intention was to remain where I was for a long time. Plus, it was just a good habit to take an interest in your subordinates.
I looked over files while three ponies stood at attention on the other side of my desk. Nova, Golden Touch, and Oopsie Daisy were my new medics. New to me, anyway.
“Your records are all impressive,” I said. “I’m not sure we could have found better medics. You’ll still function as guards, but your training is going to be skewed towards your medical skills.
“I’ve pulled a few strings and, if you like, you can work one shift a week over at the Royal Guard Medical Center. They’ll train you and you’ll do a lot more than patch up ponies with minor cuts and scrapes.”
Nova replied, “That will be a great opportunity, sir. Thank you.”
“I can’t wait to work a shift and maybe even save lives. Thank you, sir!” Golden Touch responded.
“Do they have any foals there?” Oopsie asked.
I honestly didn’t know, so I shrugged in response. “Thank you all for stopping in. I look forwards to working with you. Dismissed.”
The trio made their way out of the office and Radiant Orchid came in after them. She waited until they were gone before asking, “How are your meetings going?”
“Well enough. I like the ponies you and Iridescence decided on. Speaking of her, how is she coming along?”
Orchid shrugged. “She’s still tentative but making progress. These things take time.” She closed my door.
My brow arched. “Something on your mind?”
“Yes, sir.” She advanced on my desk with a serious expression. “You and I need to have a little talk.”
I tried not to cower under the intimidating stare. “Alright, you have my attention.”
“With all due respect, sir, you’re turning into a disappointing commander.”
My mouth opened but she lifted a hoof and kept going.
“Since you’ve been back, you’ve been aloof. You have off-the-books meetings. You disappear for days and you don’t tell me squat. I didn’t agree to be your section sergeant so that you could go do whatever it is you’re doing.”
The back of my neck got hot and anger bubbled up inside my breast. I kept my expression blank, however, and locked eyes with Orchid. It was time to lay down the law and remind her exactly who she was talking to.
I took a deep breath. “Sergeant…”
Then I trailed as my experiences with officers flashed across my memories. What would I have done in her shoes? What does a commander that disappears all the time look like? An empty desk.
“Sir?” she replied, glaring at me.
“You’re mostly right.”
“Mostly, sir? Hardly! I think—”
A bit of anger escaped when I interrupted her. “Enough! It took a lot of guts to say what you did and gamble that I’d do the right thing, but you don’t know nearly as much as you think you do, Sergeant. There are some things going on above your pay grade.”
Orchid shook her head and advanced on my desk. “No, sir. Not between me and you. Lieutenant Rook never kept secrets from you. Don’t you dare treat me like I’m any less. We’re partners, or I walk.”
We glared at each other a while in silence as I went over everything in my head. Finally, I set my hooves on the desk and stood. “Okay, but when we’re done, I’m going to remind you that you asked for this. More importantly, you’re not going to like it. You’re going to have to keep secrets from your sergeants and that was something I never did. Now, sit down.”
Her rump dropped immediately.
“When I disappear for longer periods of time, it is at the direct request of Princess Luna. Technically, Princess Celestia is also in the loop. That is why Major Measure has never said a word. You don’t think you’re the only one that would notice me running off, do you?”
After some thought, she carefully asked, “What kind of requests?”
Orchid was right about one thing: Rook and I had very few secrets. This had been one of them, though. “There is a group of ponies living out there that aren’t part of Equestria. The goal is to reunify them.”
“What do you mean? Like the zebras?”
I shook my head. “No, this is more along the lines of the Crystal Empire magically reappearing. There is a whole group of ponies that have been living on their own. They were Princess Luna’s subjects a thousand years ago. When she was banished, they went into hiding.”
Orchid cut in, “What do you mean by Princess Luna’s subjects?”
“That… That is more complicated. Look, a long time ago, the princesses didn’t exactly share everything. These ponies only recognized Princess Luna as an authority and we’ve only recently found them.”
“Okay…”
“Princess Luna will want to visit them soon and there are some problems with that. They don’t trust Princess Celestia or ponies like you. It is going to be delicate.”
“Ponies like me?” Her nose scrunched. “What is that supposed to mean?”
I waved a hoof. “Sorry, that came out wrong. They don’t trust ponies that don’t look like them. I’m distantly related to them, apparently, so I don’t technically count. But they don’t really trust me all that much, either.
“That is neither here nor there. We’re going to conduct diplomacy with a lost civilization. I’ve been paving the way, and I wasn’t allowed to discuss it. Technically, I’m still not but your point is well made.
“At any rate, we’ll be going to visit them soon enough and Princess Luna is crazy if she thinks I’ll be the only guard with her.”
Radiant Orchid just stared at me with wide eyes. “How long has this been going on?”
“A while. Since before the gryphons. I just found them recently, though. The details are still a secret and you’re going to keep it that way. I’m not kidding when I say this goes all the way up and skips the Royal Guard. Am I clear on that?”
Slowly, she nodded, looking a bit spooked.
“I warned you. You’re the one that stormed in here.”
“Yeah…” All the intimidation was gone. She sounded almost sheepish now. “I just thought you were off… I don’t know… figuring out you were a hot young stud and had missed sowing some oats. I mean, you did finally just get a marefriend.”
“Hot young stud sowing oats?” That made me snort.
She flushed and quickly changed the subject. “The meetings are about this?”
I replied flatly, “Not all of them, no.”
Orchid lightly rubbed at the side of her helmet. I think she was after her temple. “Am I going to like hearing this?”
“No.”
“Okay.” She breathed in and out. “In for a bit, in for a silver piece.”
“The meetings are with the intelligence sections, particularly a Nordanver-focused group. All of my involvement is a courtesy and off the books. I don’t even brief the princess, but I’d guess she knows since she’d receive the official notices.”
Her ears flicked. “Alright… Why?”
“Come on, Orchid, surely it is obvious! You were there, too. He killed our ponies and tried to capture the princess. He’s a threat! I can’t get past that while he is still out there.”
“I know he hurt you, Silent Knight, but we got away, okay? We’re here, he failed, that is that. You won, you did your job. What are you doing now and how is it helping?” she asked.
“The job isn’t done! I failed. I didn’t get the bad guy. So now we’re making his life hard. We have certain assets available to us that can make certain he doesn’t get comfortable.
“I’ll be perfectly honest, too: if I get my hooves on him, he and all of his men are going to receive a ton of punishment before I turn him over.” The statement came out more as fact than bravado. I could see a chill run along the mare’s form.
Orchid frowned. “Are you sure you’re not just off having fun, then? Playing hide the stallion with Crystal Wishes?”
Slowly, I shook my head. “As crude as that is—and seriously, thank you for that—not while I’m on duty, no. Look, I realize this is all unorthodox but this is the job. At least for me. It was different when Lieutenant Rook was here. Do you think it was dumb luck I miraculously got command of the unit I came up in? You know better than that.”
Orchid shifted a bit. “I thought it was because you and the princess were close.”
With a shrug, I replied, “Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. I wear more hats than Rook did and commander is just one of them. At this point I’m not even sure Princess Luna views that as the most important one, either.
“That leaves you. You're the section sergeant. You know as well as I do that your job is to run your section and train your lieutenant well enough to convince her that is the pony doing it.”
“Yes, sir… That is what I was trying to do when I came in here. Now I’m wishing I hadn’t. You don’t need the kind of help I can provide.”
I smiled smugly. “You asked for this.”
Orchid groaned. “Yes, I did. Look, Silent Knight, you know I’d do anything for you. I’m here, right? I’ll cover the unit and train Iridescence to do the same. I’ll even snow over the sergeants since I know what is going on now—”
“But?” I cut her off.
“We had an agreement. Nothing that risks me leaving my foals without a mother. You keep that gryphon thing to yourself and don’t ever, ever ask for my help with it. If you did I’d be dumb enough to agree because it is you.
“Please understand, I don’t think you’re wrong. I just think some things are better left alone. This is one of them but you’re just a little too young or too stubborn to realize it yourself, though.”
I looked at her and replied, “To be honest with you, Orchid, I’m not… but I can’t get past it. I just can’t. I swear I won’t ask you to help me on this. Other than to cover for me that is. I’ve seen enough ponies’ graves already.”
“Yeah… me, too. That is why I’m hoping there isn’t one more. Think about that a while, okay, sir?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Orchid left me then to think about what I was doing. Half of me knew she was exactly right. The other half didn’t see it that way. There was an enemy out there plotting and planning. It was a Royal Guard’s duty to take care of criminals.
It was a House Guard’s duty to ensure the safety of the princess. How could I do either of those things if I just walked away? I couldn’t. All I could do was close my eyes and see the face of the bastard looking down at me on the train. One day I’d be the one looking down at him.
I got up and headed out. There was official business to do. I had the UHG weekly alignment meeting which would be followed by the palace guard monthly alignment meeting. Central command loved alignment meetings.
After those two I’d then attend the committee for the Palace of Tomorrow, the Filly Scouts ‘Meet a Royal Guard’ experience, and finally something hastily thrown together about a dragon roost.
That was the rest of my day. I spent the whole time going through the motions while I thought about what Orchid had said. Was I really being stubborn by wanting justice? Was it really blind youth? I certainly didn’t feel immortal. There was no delusion that if I met Alastair again I would be assured victory. Perhaps my section sergeant was right.
After all of my duties had been completed, I wandered back to my office, yawning when no pony was looking. It had been a long day and I was running out of energy. I’d sleep on what Orchid had said and consider backing off a bit. When I reached my office door I unlocked and pushed it open. She was probably right and after I slept on it I’d feel—
There was a plain grey envelope on the floor with no markings at all. Somepony had slid it under the door. Casually I looked back and forth down the hall before picking it up and opening it.
My teeth clenched in anger as I looked it over. “Of course. Well, then, I’ve got you now you bastard.”
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Talk about mood whiplash! That last paragraph...
By the way:
That is a run-on sentence there should be a semicolon between the two clauses.
OhmyGOODNESS.
This chapter was just a whirlwind of tension! Oy, I need to go relax. Wonderful writing as always! Can't wait to see what happens next!
I liked this chapter, but I feel like it would've been a lot stronger if it would've stayed focused on the Nox ponies a bit more. I like the background you've given them, but it just seemed like it became a smaller part of this chapter with the rest that you added in. Still good, though. It may just be a bit of silliness with my preferences.
6000570
No kidding about the mood whiplash *winces* I wish he hadn't gotten that missive right then... Oh man oh man..... Watch out, Silent Knight, watch out. You're going to get in over your head...
6000633 I knew that was going to be a concern when the chapter went as long as it did. It was one I didn't want to break up though. Plus I was trying to convey that he wasn't exactly welcome. It is a difficult balance of writing and showing that Silent Knight has a lot going on at once.
6000622 That is what I was going for =D Glad it worked out!
6000609 I haven't actually. One of the common ideas.
6000570 Actually in this case I missed the "and." Little mistakes ;D
5999728 I'm not certain there is a consensus on the name yet. Vote away!
6000651 Oh, you certainly showed that Silent wasn't entirely welcome in the village (or whatever you prefer to call it) as well as Luna being upset by that fact. As for your choice not to break it up, that's your call as the author. It felt a bit odd, to me, but it didn't take too much away from my enjoyment. Just something I wanted to note. Like I said in the previous comment, it might just be my personal preference, not necessarily something that ruins the entire thing.
Another great chapter.
Great chapter. I was thinking Silent was going to be stuck with the Nox ponies, but I guess he was able to leave. I can't wait to read the next chapter. Great job.
Radiant Orchid is more than a touch naïve here — does she honestly believe that Alistair is not a threat to Equestria? Even if he’s lost his support base he’s still a bigoted little gobshite who was willing to commit treason and attempted to assassinate not only one of Equestria’s heads of government but during a diplomatic visit that was intended to foster goodwill. If successful that could easily have started a war. Giving him, his cronies, and the puppet master pulling their strings time to lick their wounds and regroup is absolutely fucking asinine. I know ponies are ridiculously risk averse and often have a perverse skewing of priorities vis‐á‐vis the sanctity of life as weighed against the certainty said life will end another’s without a moment’s hesitation given the chance, but I still really want to bitch slap some reason into her.
edit: Whoops, I somehow managed to confuse Radiant Orchid with Iridescence. Fixed.
I don't wanna be right but my money is on Celestia having killed the alicorns so she and Luna would be able to represent their houses alone and without the bad blood between them. And doing it to make equestria as happy as it is now without all that rivalry
Seriously, Silent's gonna get himself in trouble with this obsession he has with Alistair. But on a lighter note, I wonder who he's gonna take with him to the nox ponies when Luna goes for her visit. Assuming there's a chariot involved, I feel like Miley will go. She's nice and innocent.
Equestrian racism at its finest... Canon Equestria is racist as FUCK, and its always irked me.
I agree with Luna that her sister is no murderer.
Yes, yes, I think that the perfect music cue for the start of that last line can be found right here.
But that's just me.
Wow, the tension in this chapter was higher than tree hugger....
6000981 Damn. that is pretty damn high.
Im curious as to how this will all play out. The cliffhanger with the gryphons was a nice touch. The Nox ponies are understandably scared. The isolation hasn't helped them any. I would kill to get in that library of there.. Hmmm... Anyway i liked this chapter. cant wait till the next one!
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Either every knowledge hunter for the past 1000 years has been terrible at their job or something hinky is going on.
In an alternate dimension where Silent Knight is a prankster:
"Only on game night" Silent Knight said, "Did Luna tell you about it?"
Secret missions, Lunar Knights, doing deeds in the name of the Alicorns! Have you been reading my mind?
Not gonna lie, this made me want to slap her, with a baseball bat. When you sign that dotted line to serve you are declaring that you are willing to give your life, regardless of personal, professional, or family conditions. That might just be my view on the matter, but it's a view I hold very strongly. If you aren't willing to give it all, you may as well give none. Nothing else matters, end of discussion.
The trail has gone hot? Time to send in 1SFOD-D
Or JTF2
Hmm... the last parts make me wonder how Luna's escord will be organized and look like when she goes for a visit.
I bet for a squardon of pegasi (that kindda makes me wonder what is the actual rasial procentage of the PLHG) or with an airborn chariot with 2 unicorns/earth guyz on Luna's sides.
6000796 It's not a bad theory - it fits Celestia, but how would she have managed to kill 5 alicorns, all of whom were more powerful than her at the time?
6001447
Orchid stated previously she wanted to quit the guard (or the section, I don't remember) and she was just staying the time Iridescence was up to the job.
6002038 Well, assuming my theory is correct, probably through underestimation; for all we know Celestia smothered them in their sleep or something.
It's not a full proof concept of how it happened, but until further proof presents itself it's all I've got
6002111 That's true, but doesn't change anything.
I hope that when the mission actually goes through Silent remembers that Alistar is likely a pawn of someone much more dangerous. Finding out who that is, is far more important than personal vengeance.
6002597 That is a valid point! We'll see how it all spins out ;D
6001868 We'll find out that information relatively soon.
6001447 I can see that point but I think her counter would be that she was already supposed to be out of the guard. She only stayed because Silent Knight asked her and they did have a deal. We'll say that the deal was altered and we all pray it isn't altered further!
6001222 I think Crimson agrees with you ;)
6001111 I'm glad it resonated so well!
6000981
6000914 Actually reread the chapter while listening to soundtrack to Flash Dance (I kid).
6000893 That is the prevailing thought in the comments.
6000884 Well, that isn't to say there weren't orders of earth and unicorn pony knights ;)
6000796 Oh ho! Someone going against the grain of the comments ;) It is certainly possible!
6000774 I think you mean Orchid in this case? Everyone has different priorities when it comes to what happened it seems.
6000736 I'm glad you enjoyed it.
6000686 Thank you sir =D
6002747 Welcome back! Yeah... if that was the last thing you read and then you came here you've missed a whole lot. Glad to have you along though =D
6002782 I'm counting on it.
6002782 That might hold up if she were in a different unit, but this is Princess Luna's personal Guard. Dying for her protection is right at the top of the job description. If an assassin goes after Luna while she's there, it is her obligated duty to, even at the cost of her life, protect the Princess. That is her job, duty, and purpose.
6002782
Yes, you’re absolutely right. I’m not sure how I managed to get the names mixed up, but I did. I’ll correct my original comment.
Didn't Celestia say the meeting was attacked?
6002782 You're welcome.
6002810 Motivations change, people (ponies) change, situations change.
Radiant Orchid may not have realized that she lost the desire to sacrifice everything for the Princess after she started her family because there was never a serious reason/situation for her to question her own dedication.
Also, how many are there in the service who are all bravado and "Hooahh" until the situation erupts, and suddenly they falter in their duty? Live fire and gruesome death has a way of causing some to re-evaluate their cause. That is why all good services work hard on defeating the 'self', installing a sense of duty and pride, and re-training thought processes.
If nothing else, shouldn't you give her credit for taking a unflinching self-examination and realizing that she no longer had it in her and reported that?
Dat swear at the end.
Serious mode activated.
What's a "me squat"?
jeez, shit just got real
6002782
I'm curious will you address the fact that the "Luna always had loyal followers who loved the night," trope makes her look so much worse than she does in canon? (It's stated that she fell because of jealousy towards Celestia because all the ponies loved the day and shunned her night. If there was always a significant population of Night-Loving ponies who didn't care for Celestia any more than the day ponies did Luna it makes her a total hypocrite whose lack of connection to her ponies was her own fault.) Most stories that have them don't even mention it in passing.
No kidding. The real question in my mind is whether this collection of documents really did survive in an unbiased state. It's got to be easier to keep your population sedate and under control if there is plenty of "evidence" that the world outside is under the control of a murderous tyrant. This could easily be the sort of belief system that sets itself up to be very self-reinforcing over time.
That may have been overly blunt, but it's not like any of the details could be safely kept from Luna, and she absolutely needs to know what she's dealing with.
I hope they're going to bring Celestia in on this too, this is the sort of thing that will poison your thoughts and reactions over time if you keep it bottled up and let it fester.
Silly Orchid, you shouldn't have asked if you weren't prepared for whatever might come. Though now with her mentioning her foals, I'm wondering if this conversation and unwanted knowledge is going to get her killed at some point in the future.
I cannot forsee anything good coming of this.
6003759 Those are excellent questions and points. You're certainly catching all the themes I'm trying to put out there!
6003606 I think I can loosely address this without spoiling anything. Based on what we know, Luna didn't actually have any loyal followers. The nox ponies mentioned two other alicorns that they owed allegiance to. Luna was just the "up and coming" pony.
6003486 Yes indeed, Secrets is some serious business!
6003444 Not sure if serious ;D It is an idiom. It means he isn't telling her anything.
6003210 Things are truly starting to heat up!
6002940 Like we can trust her!
6003108 Perhaps.
6002782 well my job here is done....
These should all be chapters
6002782
You know, that's something I've never asked yet about this world of yours: do earth ponies in this have some sort of natural magic or whatever? Cause in canon, they don't. That's why you never see earth pony royal guards in canon; there's literally nothing they can do that a pegasus or unicorn can't do better.
6005267 Great question that I haven't really gotten to deal with since I haven't written an earth pony story yet. I am pretty sure Miley will eventually get one.
In my mind, just like in canon, earth ponies do not have any magic. The whole "They hear the plants and trees" stuff to me just doesn't fly because that is essentially saying every earth pony is a farmer. No magic means they're helpless peasants though right? It could, but not in this universe.
Earth ponies are technologists. They recognized a long time ago that what they lacked could be overcome with inventions. Unicorns don't have a lot of inventors because magic is the path of least resistance. Pegasi have a few more because they also don't have active magic. Neither hold a candle to what earth ponies do.
6005576
I dunno, that still kind of leaves them in the position of never being as useful (from a purely logical perspective) as a unicorn or a pegasus. Yeah, they can use technology, but what's stopping a unicorn or a pegasus from doing the same? That still leaves the unicorn or pegasus inherently more versatile and, therefore, more useful, than any earth pony.
True there's an element of training and experience involved, but all other things being equal the pegasus will still have wings, and the unicorn will still have magic. They can do any job an earth pony can do, as well as an earth pony can do it, and still have magic or flight as well. It's the Iron Pony competition all over again. They're totally equal, right up until the pegasus uses their wings, or the unicorn uses their magic, and then the earth pony is completely outclassed.
The earth pony could build a device to let themselves fly, or shut down a unicorn's magic, but that would take time, training, money, and actually having such a device handy even once it was built, all to overcome something that the other two can do without thought or effort at all. And even then, when you have pegasi capable of breaking the visible light spectrum and unicorns that can lift thousands of pounds and time travel, even if those are the aberrations, from a cost perspective they're still more efficient and a better investment than the complex and expensive machine an earth pony would build to equal that, and that's not even counting the pony hours that would have to go into developing, designing, building, and actually using such a device.
Also assuming that none of the unicorns or pegasi involved are in any way proficient with earth pony technology, have no access to any of it, and design nothing on their own that isn't inherently tied to improving their own natural abilities.
6006265 I mean, inherently, I think what you're describing is going to exist given the rules that have been laid out by canon. Even with technology I agree that earth ponies would be "inferior." Here is what I kind of did to address it in Q&B but, ultimately I still think it is going to come out Unicorn > Pegasus > Earth Pony.
When I think about unicorn magic I don't think Twilight Sparkle. To me she is exceptional. Most unicorns in Q&B only know "levitation" and maybe one other spell related to their talent. I feel like that in the show Rarity has a few spells but nothing like Twilight. She can levitate, do that weird mending thing, and maybe a few other things. Additionally, since unicorns do less with their bodies they tend to be smaller and less hearty.
Pegasi have passive magic. They have the ability to move clouds (which creates weather) and use them as building materials in addition to standing on them. I guess making clouds for the weather is technology since they have a factory. A factory that you can, evidently, destroy and walk away from without going to jail or paying damages. Most pegasi are bigger than unicorns but still smaller than earth ponies to keep them lighter. A smaller group is larger and those are the ones that have the throw back to the warrior ways of old. The vast majority, however, have gotten lighter, faster, and such as the world has become more civilized.
Then you have the earth ponies. They have to do everything "the hard way." They don't have a floating hand or semi-fingerlike wings. That has made them clever, creative, and technical. Can other ponies use their inventions? Sure. Could they fix them? Maybe? Could they come up with new stuff quickly? Maybe? Can earth ponies do that better? Yes. Earth ponies are also the largest of all. They have to gallop everywhere, carry everything themselves, and other things of that nature. They're the biggest and heartiest ponies of all.
Is that a big enough advantage? Maybe, maybe not. That is how I see it though.
6006469
Totally playing devil's advocate here, since I love me some earth ponies (earth pony master race!), but what's stopping pegasi and unicorns from being just as good with technology as an earth pony?
Unicorns evidently don't have to learn their magic, and just sort of have an inherent understanding of one or two spells, and pegasi can do their special pegasus things just by virtue of being a pegasus, so what are they doing with the rest of their time? Unless earth ponies are inherently smarter than the other pony tribes, and the others are just plain incapable of understanding earth pony technology, what's stopping them from learning it just like an earth pony?
If the royal guard were going to follow a purely logical approach, even with a technological advantage there would be no reason to have earth ponies anywhere other than auxiliary or research and development roles. On the front lines they would effectively be cannon fodder, rendered obsolete by the greater inherent versatility of their unicorn and pegasus counterparts.
6006988
No sweat there, you know I love devil's advocate and lively discussion! There is nothing at all stopping them and, I suspect, some rely on it more than others. Especially unicorns that aren't great with magic and pegasi in general. When I think about it I imagine that earth ponies are clever problem solvers. When a unicorn is faced with something that can't be solved with magic they may be slower to react than an earth pony. That sort of thing.
Hard to say. Sweetie Belle seems to have to work at using hers. In later seasons she has been better at it. For me, I feel like they do actually have to work at it and learn.
My guess would be physical training for the more warrior inclined and learning about weather for the others. If Rainbow Dash is any indication I'd say being lazy ;D
I'd say more clever than smarter.
Ah on this I have an excellent answer (mostly because it is part of the canon for B&Q). Logical as it may be that is based on a few assumptions:
1. All pony types are represented in equal populations.
2. All pony types have the same population interested in being a royal guard.
3. All unicorns can use military magic.
Now, when I watch the show, I feel like we see more earth ponies than anypony else. That is anecdotal but it is how I feel. I do know we see a LOT more mares than stallions which we all discussed once before about gender inequality. I'm not bringing that back I just think it is fun.
When I imagined the royal guard for Memoirs and then expanded it for B&Q I actually put numbers to it.
Given that unicorns are in general, smaller, daintier, and not all able and/or willing to use military magic they represent a very small fraction of the royal guard.
Pegasi are a far larger part but, still only make up the second largest group. By being flyers most are smaller, lighter, and such. The biggest pegasi demographic are the throw backs to the old ways. Thus, the second largest group.
Then you have the earth pony. They're big, they're strong, they work hard, and they're clever. They make ideal soldiers. Thus, in the B&Q stories they actually make up almost 50% of the total force.
Could the Equestrian military do "better" with a ton of flyers and spellcasters? Probably... but unicorns get tired easier. A grounded pegasus is usually smaller than an earth pony. That is how I view it anyway.
You can't take territory with only bombers and nuclear weapons ;D
6007531
For the record, it's real easy to take territory when you're the only one left alive to plant a flag on it. Just sayin'...
As for the rest of it, I'll concede the population density numbers and the size arguments since it's your AU and I can't really tell you it's wrong, doubly so since the whole point of an AU is that it deviates significantly from canon in some ways. I will, however, argue the military effectiveness of unicorn magic and grounded pegasi.
Starting with the grounded pegasus, since it's simpler: they may not be able to match an earth pony in pure strength or size in this universe, but they would still have that agility you gave them. That might only be a true advantage in certain situations, there are hardly any where it wouldn't at least leave them evenly matched, making a grounded pegasus still equally as effective as a regular earth pony. Silent Knight is a good example. Even while grounded he was able to hold his own against a significantly larger number of griffins, and the griffins were all larger, better armed, and had more inherent versatility due to the use of hands.
The thing you mentioned with the unicorns is that not many of them would know military spells. I disagree. The real question isn't how many unicorns know inherently military spells, but rather how many unicorns know spells that can be made into military spells. I made a D&D character who used nothing but telekinesis and either outright ripped people apart, bludgeoned them to death with the terrain, or murdered them with swarms of floating weapons. And that's with a spell that every unicorn in the show has been seen using to some degree. Even if they can only manage to do something like create a small, six-inch square shield, they would still be lethal with the right training. We had a long discussion on another story about the possibilities of vorpal shields, since, in their simplest form they are nothing but a solid plane of force that separates what is on one side from what is on the other.
With a bit of creativity, just about any spell can kill someone.
I'm just gonna fav this before I get down to reading. Just because this exists. Just because I love Silent Knight.
No homo.
But not really.