No Sun-Queen Shall Rend Asunder

by Plough and Stars Pony

"N.S.Q.S.R.A." Chapter One Night Train B

Steel Wind cantered down the corridor after the rest of the Royal Guard. The few pegasi and many unicorns in charge of Canterlot’s weather had blessed the Avalon-lofted Capitol a mild cloudy day with spells of sunshine. The sunshine gleamed through the windows, against the opulent tapestries and the bland ugly stone.

It had, he mused, been four weeks exactly since Flash had to go with Princess Twilight Sparkle up to the Crystal Empire for a research trip. Flash had been so lucky. Ordinary Royal Guards would never get that amount of free time racked up. Maybe being a personal bodyguard to one of Equestria’s Princesses granted privileges…

Steel broke trot and skidded – horseshoes squealing and screeching on the rough flags. Steel blinked; certain he had missed something, a little obvious something. He cast back his mind: Flash…bodyguard…same grey stone, brightened by blue banners and red carpets…strange - but familiar – orange and gold blur bobbing past the corner of his eye…yes!

Steel swung his head to the right to a draperied colonnade, as the orange blur slipped behind a marble column. Out the other side, Steel saw
the deep blue crop of mane, the golden gleam of armour, the deep yellow coat of his best friend, Sir Flash Sentry.

Hardly registering his wings snapping out in excitement and pleasure, Steel’s brain flicked on with adrenaline.

Steel lifted a hoof to attract his eyes, and mate his own wave. Then he heard something most odd. A soft melody, now reaching his ears, wafted from Flash’s own person. Steel gaped, Flash was actually humming. Was that a spring or a skip to his hoof’s trot? Was that an easy smile splitting the muzzle so often stricken by that inexplicable woe of the past months?

Steel Wind was stunned.

What had brought this about?

Steel found himself at a loss. He couldn’t talk to Flash right now. He would have to wait to corner Flash at dinner and enquire. Until then, he was forced to marvel.

Oh, and he had to seek out Sharp Spear and tell him.