• Published 13th Apr 2020
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The Name of Our Mistakes - ObabScribbler



Luna's descent into Nightmare Moon could have been stopped by the ponies around her.

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15. Envy


15. Envy


Wind Racer marched along the corridor, not bothering to look whether the earth pony behind him was keeping up. The little mare barely came up to his shoulder and took two steps for every one of his, yet he didn’t slow his pace. Only when he reached the servants’ quarters did he stop.

“I thank thee, good sir,” the little mare said in a breathy whisper. “Thy escort was much appreciated.”

“My escort was ordered,” he replied coldly, not looking at her. He had brought her through the most winding passages of the castle, away from prying eyes that might have seen her leaving the princess’s chamber. If anypony had seen one of Princess Luna’s personal guards escorting a common servant through the castle they might have suspected something, but equally finding a groundspony near the royal chambers would have raised questions and enacted punishments for the little mare for being where she should not have been. “Thou art delivered safely to thy room. Now I take my leave of thee.”

The little mare bit her lower lip. “I … I th-thank thee for thy time. G-Good day, sir guard.”

Wind Racer finally looked at her, resisting the urge to curl his lip at her stuttering. Of all the ponies the princess could have taken to her bed, he did not understand why she would choose such a snivelling no-one. The little mare wasn’t ugly, but her yellow coat and pale pink hair gave her a washed out look that he found immensely unappealing. The way she constantly ducked her head and crept along like a dog expecting to be kicked did little to improve his impression of her.

Art thou jealous? whispered his own mind. He pushed the thought away. He was no more worthy of the princess than this mare. He wasn’t sure if anypony would ever be worthy of Luna’s touch.

“Good day,” he replied, turning on his heel and marching away.

He returned to his post without incident. The messenger who had arrived to inform the princess of Clover the Clever’s arrival was long gone, as was Swift Wing. He had escorted Princess Luna to the Great Hall while Wind Racer had been left with escorting her unworthy secret bedmate. Wind Racer resumed his post, guarding the princess’s chamber and its contents, even though he would much rather be guarding the princess herself.

Less than half an hour after his return, he head two sets of hoofsteps coming along the corridor. He straightened as Swift Wing and Princess Luna rounded the corner.

“Ah, Wind Racer,” she smiled. “I trust thy task was completed proficiently?”

“Indeed, Highness.”

“I would expect nothing less of thee.”

Her words made his inside tingle and his neck arch with pride. “I thank thee, Highness.”

She nodded at him, still smiling. As she passed between the two guards into her chamber, her tail flicked sideways and brushed against his flank, causing a shiver to run through Wind Racer that he barely contained. His wings strained to stand straight and it was only through supreme self-control that he kept them folded.

“Good day to thee, Wind Racer. Good day to thee, Swift Wing. I intend to write for a while and then to sleep. I trust that thou shalt render me uninterrupted in these things?”

“Highness!” they responded in unison, clicking their hooves together and saluting.

Luna smiled at them. “Good.”