The Rhythm of Love

by lockheed

15: Dance of the Guard

"Your highness, must we really do this now?" I questioned as Luna stood next to a tailor who held a measuring tape in her magic.

"Of course we must. If you are to be our escort to the Fall Formal Ball then we must have you looking your absolute best." She replied with a wave of her hoof and a smile. It had been three weeks since she had gone on her first date with Drum Cadence, who was to be her other escort for the ball after being transferred to Luna's personal detail, and their date had nearly resulted in my court marshal. While Luna had been in a dressing room trying on dresses, Celestia had ordered me to discreetly follow them and keep them out of trouble. Of course, they managed to slip away at one point which later almost ended in a warrant for Luna's arrest but that's a story for another day. "This ball will require full ceremonial dress." Luna told me as she slid my four medals onto a rack which would be pinned onto my uniform.

"Piss on that." I muttered as the tailor set about measuring me for my new uniform. "So how long is this going to take?"

"Could be anywhere from a half hour to an hour and a half." The mare taking my measurements replied.

"Buck me sideways with a telegraph pole." I growled under my breath at the answer the tailor had given me. "So, Princess, do you plan to dance at the ball?" I asked her, trying to get my mind off the fact that I'd have to stand there for over a half hour.

"We suppose we will have to." She said with a sigh as she sat down at her vanity which was littered with brushes, mane clips, and a stack of comic books in the corner. "Our sister wants us to entertain a few of the dignitaries who shall be in attendance. One can only assume that they shall want to dance." Luna grabbed a comic book with her magic and flipped it open as she continued. "We do hope that they at least know some other dances besides a waltz or foxtrot. Perhaps we shall get lucky and meet one who can do the Windy Hop."

"I'm sure you will. I hear quite a few gryphons are fans of jazz and big band music. Certainly one of them will be able to keep up with you." I replied as the tailor carefully wrapped the tape measure around my neck to get the collar measurements.

"We do hope so anyways. We rather like the newer dances that came about during our banishment. Far more fun than the stuffy waltzes we had to dance a thousand years ago." Luna told me as she turned the page in her comic book.

"Well, if nothing else, you can always dance with your Guards, your highness."

---

"What?!" I shouted at Drum Cadence who cowered slightly at my outburst.

"There's going to be a changeling delegation here sir. After the whole incident with the changeling in the Crystal Empire, one of the other hives wanted to open relations with us so they sent a delegation here tonight." She replied as she straightened up. I plopped down onto the cushion behind my desk, and rubbed my temples with my forehooves.

"Have they tightened security at least? Last thing we need is a repeat of the royal wedding." I grabbed my coffee mug and took a sip while she answered me.

"They have. I know after our last run in with them that everypony is a bit on edge." She sat down and put her chin on my desk, looking like a sad puppy. "Do you think Luna is worried about it?"

"Knowing her, she's just now going over the list of who all is going to be there." I said with a grin as I looked over the guest list one more time before we headed downstairs for the ball. The door to Luna's office opened and out stepped Luna in her recently polished crown and slippers.

"We are ready to leave." She announced as she walked over to us. "But first, to get it out of our system." Luna leaned down and planted a kiss on Drum's cheek, leaving the bat pony a blushing mess. The Princess giggled at the reaction she got from her marefriend before looking over at me. "We are assuming that you have seen who shall be in attendance tonight?"

"I have. I don't like it but if they are peaceful then I shall be as well." I answered as I stood up. "Now, it is five til eight. We should probably be heading downstairs to greet the delegations." Luna nodded, making Drum and I walk out into the corridor and down the stairs, Luna walking in between us the whole time. We made our way to the top of the palace grand staircase where Celestia and two Solar Guards stood waiting for us.

"It's about time you got here, Luna. The Guards and I were about to go looking for you." Celestia chided with a small smile as Luna rolled her eyes. "And good evening to you two." She added as she smiled to Drum Cadence and I. "I thank you for being Luna's escorts for the night. I'm sure there would be somewhere else you would've rather been." We shook our heads that there wasn't but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't have rathered been at home on the couch with Test. I can't speak for Drum on the matter though as she was lucky enough to be spending the evening with her marefriend. Even if they couldn't display their affection for each other. "Now, I'm assuming that you all have read about the new delegation that will be here tonight?"

"Yes, your highness. We promise to play nice with them too." Drum replied, earning a grin from the sun goddess. Drum and I, along with the Solar Guards, took up positions near our respective princess but out of the way of the guests. After the first couple of guests arrived, an influx of them came in and kept us on our hooves as we saw the changeling delegation enter the main doors. Our eyes remained focused on them as they remained in line and slowly made their way up the steps. In the center of the delegation stood a male changeling who was roughly the same height as Celestia and next to him stood four changeling guards dressed in what I could only assume was their form of a uniform. Though, they needn't wear armor like us ponies thanks to their already tough exoskeleton or whatever it was that protected them. Finally, they reached the top of the stairs and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up as their king reached out and grabbed Celestia and then Luna's hoof to kiss them. As he did this, the four Guards broke off from him and trotted over to both us and the Solar Guards.

"We are honored to be the guests of such noble guards." They said as they bowed to Drum and I. We exchanged a confused glance before looking back to the changelings who stood up and opened the right breast pocket of their uniform tunics. "Please accept these gifts as a token of good will between our hive and your kingdom." Their purple eyes bothered me beyond belief but I reluctantly held out my hoof for their gifts. They each dropped a small bag tied with twine in our hooves, the contents making a small clinking sound. I carefully untied my bag in case it was a trap but my jaw dropped when I looked at what was inside. There in the bag were rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds all cut into different shapes and sizes.

"Where in Equestria did you get so many gems?" I questioned as I looked up at the smiling changelings, my mind temporarily putting their species aside.

"Our hive is full of them." The Guard standing in front of me replied. "It was built in an area that allowed the gems to be produced in large numbers over millions of years. We researched Equestrian culture before our trip and found the gems were highly valued here."

"Wow. This is...just...wow. A bag of gems this size is at least two years wage for me." I told them as I smiled to them. "Thank you so much."

"We can feel your gratitude. I'm sure they'll look amazing in a ring for your coltfirend." The one replied before they quickly turned around and followed their king into the ballroom. The changeling's words echoed in my ears in my ears and it wasn't until Drum poked me in the shoulder.

"You alright?" She asked as I looked over at her.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I replied as I tucked the bag of gems away in my armor. "Just, something that changeling said."

"What? About the ring?" Drum inquired to which I nodded my head. "Why would you care about a ring unless-" She stopped mid-sentence as she gasped. "No way! Oh, I hope he says yes."

"Well look, I still have a month to wait before he said he'd even consider it so don't get ahead of yourself just yet." I told her as I looked over the small number of guests who had yet to enter the ballroom. "Besides, if we get married then the topic of foals would come up eventually and I'm not sure I'd exactly be good dad material."

"Well why not?" She asked. "You seemed to do just fine with Test's niece and nephews."

"That's different though." My voice coming out somewhat as a defeated sigh. "They're older kids; not a foal who's still all wobbly legged and needing help in the world. Besides, their mother and father helped mold them into decent ponies. Heavens knows what spawn of Tartarus a child of mine would be." I commented as we stepped forward to trot alongside Princess Luna into the ballroom now that the guests had all arrived. "We'll discuss this later. Right now, let's just focus on work."

---

"Hey, Rhythm. Are you coming to the party tomorrow? I know a lot of the foreign guards will be there." Drum stated as she bumped her flank against mine while we trotted towards the palace exit to go home for the night.

"I might, I might not. Do you think they'd mind if I brought Test with me?" I asked the grey mare looking over at her real quick. "I hate to leave him home alone two nights in a row."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Heck, the changelings would probably sit near you all night just so they can snack off you two." She told me with a small laugh.

"I'll try to make it but no promises. It just depends on how Test feels about it. I already feel bad that my schedule doesn't always work well with his, I don't need to be away from him if I don't need to be." I told her as my head drooped a little in guilt. "Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow." We both said goodnight and turned separate ways in front of the palace. I trotted home in relative silence, the only noise being the sound of my hooves on the cobblestones and the wind that rustled the first dead leaves of autumn. As I trotted along, I began to hear the sound of crickets chirping in the meadows just outside the city. Up above, I could barely see any stars due to the streetlights of the city. That was one thing I'd hated after our move to Canterlot. No longer could I sit at my window and stargaze. If I wanted to do that in Canterlot, I'd have to go where the crickets were before I'd see anything good. Maybe I'd suggest that to Test for something to do on the weekends. He liked stargazing just as much as I did. Plus, it'd be a good way to have a nice, quiet evening with the stallion I loved. Thankfully with all the thoughts rushing though my head, my walk home didn't seem too long. I unlocked the front door and quietly shut it behind me. My eyes looked over to the clock on the wall by the door, 12:37. Sighing in a mixture of exhaustion and sadness, I quietly removed my armor and walked down the hallway for our bedroom. When I got into the bedroom, I saw Test laying there, a pillow clutched to his chest. He'd gotten into the habit of holding me while we slept and I felt my heart break at the sight of him squeezing the pillow as though it were me there with him. I carefully climbed into bed so as not to wake him and removed my prosthetic which I then set against my nightstand. Slowly laying down and rolling over to face the sleeping stallion next to me, I saw his face scrunched up as though he were having a bad dream. Gently, I slipped the pillow out from his grasp, making him reach around in his sleep looking for something to hold onto. Finally, his hoof found me and I scooted closer where he then wrapped his forelegs around me. I could feel his heartbeat in his chest and I looked up to see a small smile on his now peaceful face. Reaching a hoof up, I gently ran it though his mane and smiled at the grey stallion who now held me. No relationship is ever perfect, but it's the little things like that that get it really close.

---

"Don't worry, it's not like you're going to have to speak in front of everyone there. It's just a party for the guards and their friends or family." I said to Test as we trotted through the palace grounds, him anxiously biting his lower lip. "Just be yourself and it'll all be fine." We turned the corner into the Royal Gardens where a couple dozen gryphons, around a dozen changelings, and a few zebras who were all part of the guard force for their own delegations. And that wasn't counting the couple hundred Royal Guards there as well. I trotted into the crowd and smiled to those who smiled at me. Test walked along side me, his side pressed against mine as he looked around nervously. The lively sound of foreign dance music filled the air over the sound of everyone talking with one another and I smiled as I saw a table with mares handing out mugs of hard cider and gryphon beer. I trotted over and thanked them as they hoofed over a mug of beer for me and a mug of cider for Test. I found us a table near the edge of the party where we sat and watched some of the gryphon guards with their instruments. The gryphons wore their usual green-brown uniforms with overseas caps on the enlisted guards and peaked caps on the officers. In contrast, the changelings wore forest green uniforms with black trim on them and a universal peaked cap for officers and enlisted guards.

"Alright, everyone gather around for the dance of the soldiers!" A voice called out and a large circle was formed in the middle of the party. Test and I stood up and trotted over to the circle where most of the gryphon guards stood around as though they were waiting for something until the gryphons with the instruments behind us began to play.

As we watched, two of the soldiers started off dancing, looking like something that should be in a ballet. The tempo quickly picked up and a gryphon officer in the circle shouted out, "I'd like to see you ponies top that!". Three Guards stepped up and began dancing, with another three joining in a moment later. The gryphons spread out as more Guards stepped up and formed a group behind our dancers, myself included after a small push from Test. The music changed again and a brown gryphon began hopping on one paw while holding the other up like a musket. We all grinned at him while someone began deciding who would go next for the dancing. The gryphon then stood up and began dancing in front of us almost tauntingly. As the discussion continued about who would go next, I heard my name thrown in and I felt my grin vanish. The problem with being Luna's escort and agreeing to dance with her was that it meant the other Guards saw that I could dance fairly well. And so myself and two other Royal Guards were pushed forwards by our comrades as the next in the competition between us and the gryphons. We all began dancing the only dance we all knew we could do but we knew that wouldn't be enough.

"Hey fellas, you two just stand back. I know something that'll knock their hats off." I said with a smirk which prompted them to step aside as I stood up on my hind legs and crouched down. Thankfully my prosthetic was able to bend and I began kicking my legs out in front of me while I crossed my forelegs. Around me, ponies, changelings, and gryphons looked on with smiles and looks of amazement. I opened up my forelegs and smiled as I suddenly stood up to end my dance. We then stood back and a gryphon began doing some weird spinning dance, going around the circle like a top. As I watched this though, I felt something tap my shoulder and I turned to see a gryphon with a brown body, black feathers on his head, and beautiful brown eyes. Immediately I felt the blood run from my face and my knees start shaking. "W-William? What're you doing here?"

"Test didn't tell you I'm in the King's Guard back home?" He questioned, his deep, beautiful voice sounding as smooth as silk. I shook my head and he clicked his tongue in response. "Oh well. You want a drink?"

"I think I need it." I replied as I followed him out of the circle to the table where the mugs of beer sat. We both grabbed a mug and made our way over to the table that Test and I had been sitting at. "So, you're in the King's Guard?"

"Yep. Been in for about fifteen years now." William said with a smile as he sipped his beer.

"So how old are you? I never exactly got your age." I told him with a small blush.

"I'll be thirty four next month." This made me choke a bit on my beer but I managed to keep it under control as I cleared my throat.

"Thirty four? You realize that's a fourteen year age difference between us, right?" He nodded that he did as I set my mug down. "To be honest, I never thought I'd do...that, with someone even five years older than me; let alone fourteen." I felt his talons on my shoulder and I looked up to see him smiling at me.

"Don't worry. If it makes you feel any better, I won't say anything about it to anyone. Not even about the pink stockings and the collar." He said with a grin as I covered my face with my hooves.

"That was Test's idea." I admitted as my face turned ever more red.

"Alright, well, I'm going to go check on some of my men. I'll probably come chat with you some more later." He told me as he stood up and walked away, his tail swishing behind him. I picked up my beer again and began drinking like my life depended on it. It was going to be a long party.