The Last Stand of the Royal Guard

by brony at war

Chapter II: The Calm Before the Storm

Author's Note:

So, considering that I'm working on another story on a different site, have at least one class every day, and work, I'd say I got this out fairly quickly.

On the downside...this is mostly filler to pass some time before Chapter III...sorry.

Chapter II: The Calm Before the Storm

“And this can’t be denied in the calm before the storm.”

-Judas Priest

******2 Days After the Exile of Nightmare Moon******

Storybook Inkwell sighed as he trotted through the halls of Canterlot Castle, flipping through the various documents as he walked towards Princess Celestia’s room of the castle. The evacuation of Canterlot meant that there were very few nobles that wanted an audience with the Princesses…

‘No, it’s just Celestia now, isn’t it?’ the steward told himself. He shook his head and continued his task, occasionally looking up to keep from running into anypony or anything. With the majority of the nobles absent, a number of lords and earls that had land and manors outside of the Canterlot area were piling in their petitions and grievances while they had even the slimmest chance while Canterlot nobility came back into the city and resettled.

Turning another corner and finally coming to the right corridor, the unicorn sent the papers to his office via teleportation before closing in on the doors to the princess’s room. The entrance alone was heavily guarded by six members of the Royal Guard, an imposing sight that would deter any attacker.

Entering the quiet room, the unicorn nodded at the various members of Celestia’s advisory body as he joined them by the alicorn’s bedside. The monarch of Equestria was resting in her bed, the rise and fall of her shoulders barely visible in the darkened room. “How is she?”

The medical pony, Rose Spice, if Inkwell’s memory served him well, looked up from the opposite side of the princess’s bed. “As you can well see, she’s still recovering. I said this before and am getting tired of it; she used up almost all of her magic in the fight against Nightmare Moon - it will be some time before she fully recovers.” Rose Spice snorted as she walked away from Celestia. “That said, she will most likely be awake soon. Why?”

“Because I have a list of things to go over here...some of which would require her approval.” Inkwell replied, looking pointedly at the doctor.

Rose Spice huffed and, without looking at the steward, responded, saying “Well, you won’t get it, now will you?” Grabbing her coat, the unicorn began to walk out of the room. “I must go grab something...don’t disturb the princess.” With that, the heavy oak doors shut with a loud boom, which echoed in the stone room.

“Is there anything you can approve, Inkwell?” Defiant Bastion, the head of the Royal Guard and one of the closest advisors to Celestia, looked over at the steward with an inquisitive look. As a steward, Inkwell did hold considerable sway in the royal court in cases when the princesses were incapacitated, such as now.

“It’s mostly nonsensical things from nobles outside of the area...money grant petitions and the like. But, you know I can’t technically deal with internal matters.” The other ponies in the room chuckled at the words of the steward before quickly quieting down. They all observed the sleeping alicorn before them somberly, before, one by one, the ponies all left, leaving none but the steward in the room.

Moving to the window and watching as the appointed group of unicorns began raising the sun to start the new day, Inkwell sighed again, a million thoughts running through his head as he stood and appreciated the miracle of being able to see another sunrise.

---

Outside the walls of Canterlot Castle, a Hazy Skies watched as the most recent returning citizens of Canterlot began to filter into the city, carrying with them saddlebags and wagons of their personal belongings. From what he could see in the long line stretching out of the city, these made up almost all of the missing population of the capital city.

The pegasus shook his head as he returned indoors, not at all delighted. The silence and peace had been a nice break from the everyday crowds and the sounds of the market just outside his windows. Not to mention he didn't have to put up with the snob-nosed nobility that looked down upon the military. ‘Perhaps at some point I should ask the Princess for a grant of land away from here.’

Hazy Skies smiled at the thought of owning his own land and being able to pass it down to any offspring he may have. Of course, that brought up thoughts on finding a good mare and settling down with her. Doing something like that wasn’t exactly easy for a Royal Guard, as he had always busy protecting the Princesses and various delegates to and from other nations. ‘Maybe someday.’

Groaning as he stretched and got the weariness out of his bones, the pegasus began getting ready for the day as the streets below began to fill with ponies.

---

Far north of Equestria, in the frozen wastes the cartographers had named the ‘Frozen North, a hooded pony stood inside a tavern, appealing to the patrons within. It was common to find escaped convicts and refugees of the law in the frozen wastes, and this pony hoped to gain their support for the cause and for his queen.

“What would it take for you to join us? Can you not see this is the opportunity of a lifetime!” The pony, an earth pony stallion, turned to one of the patrons who had gathered. “You, ma’am? Are you a criminal?” The mare nodded, a hard look in her eyes as though she had an issue being called out.

“What is it you did?”

Looking around, the mare said “I stole some medicine from the royal palace for my mother is all. But Princess Celestia decided that was an offence punishable by a decade-long sentence!” A round of boos and hisses came from the gathered ponies, aside from some of the more stoic ones. These, the earth pony figured, were the true criminals, ones that had committed serious crimes.

“But…” the mare continued. “...even worse than that, I was regularly abused by the Day Guard and other prisoners, tortured at least once a week for ‘trying to steal medicine for those who actually need it’.” The room grew quiet at the mare’s words as she went on, her voice growing more vehement with each sentence. “So, after two months of that horrible treatment, I sent an appeal to the Princess and asked her to bring justice upon those horrible guards. But I never recieved an answer!”

By now, the mare had stood from her seat and was walking forward, her voice loud and angry. This was exactly what the hooded pony was looking for...people who had been wronged by Celestia. Even if they didn’t support the true cause of the Queen of Eternal Night’s followers, their numbers would add to theirs and bolster the amount of ponies that would storm Canterlot.

“Do you want revenge?! Would you fight against Princess Celestia?!” The mare, along with almost every other pony in the tavern, nodded. “Then join us! I am from a society of justice, one that will topple Celestia from her throne and get rid of the nobility of Canterlot! Join and fight with us! When we take Canterlot Castle, all your crimes will be forgotten, for we will establish a new government, with a new leader that our society has chosen!” Cheers filled the tavern as almost every pony within expressed their support for this ‘society’ and their plan. If it would down the princess and clear their names, then that would mean that they no longer had to live in constant fear of capture or, in some cases, execution.

All across Equestria, in taverns, shops, hideouts, and the like, the followers of Nightmare Moon petitioned the criminals and disenchanted ponies of Equestria to join them as the nation began to awake and revel in the light of Princess Celestia’s sun.