Chapter 2: The Pegasus of the guard.

Stalwart Defender woke up painfully. He was in a hospital bed in a stone structure of some sort. He looked around, his light purple eyes flickering around quickly. Two of his legs were splinted expertly and he couldn't feel his left wing. A fragment of panic drifted through him and he fought it down as he had been taught. A voice he had heard somewhere before drifted through the door. He frowned, trying to remember where he'd heard that voice. He was still thinking when a very tired Princess Luna walked quickly into the ward. Stalwart gasped and went to stand. Luna looked at him irritably.

"Oh please don't. You'll hurt yourself."

Her voice was sympathetic but had an undertone of irritation and tiredness. Stalwart Defender nodded, swallowing. How the hay did he end up in Canterlot? His head hurt...

"Are you alright Defender?"

He looked up at Luna in shock. How did she know his name? He couldn't figure it out. He decided to ask, figuring that the worst that could happen was that the princess would leave.

"Your majesty... What... What happened?"

Luna looked at him in surprise. She turned to a nurse walking by who shrugged.

"Could have happened when he crashed through the roof my lady. He had a few bruises on his head when you brought him in."

"What? I crashed... through a roof?"

The nurse looked at him and nodded pensively.

"Yes, and we found a rope in the roof cavity from where it snapped when you collided with the roof."

Luna looked at the bewildered Pegasus kindly.

"Defender, you have a broken wing, two fractured legs and a minor concussion. Our doctors and nurses looked after you and you've slept for the past three days."

Defenders' eyes became curious.

"I'm sorry my lady but... How do you know my name?"

Luna laughed softly, a feeling of warmth spreading through her at the humorous moment.

"You told me three days ago silly."

Defender felt a sharp pain as he tried to move and he blacked out.

---

"Will he be alright?"

Luna was standing at the reception, speaking to the nurse who was in charge of Defender. The nurse looked at Luna.

"Your highness, He will be fine so long as he doesn't try to walk or fl-"

There was a clatter and a cry of pain from further in the hospital and both Luna and the nurse ran back through the ward. Defender was on the ground, both wings outstretched, his splinted wing dragging across the ground. The nurse rushed over to him, Luna stood there gobsmacked.

"Stalwart Defender! I told you to stay in bed!"

"I can't... Stay here!"

"You most certainly can! Until such time as you are healed, you are staying here!"

Stalwart Defender forced himself to his hooves. He almost cried out in pain, but his training would not allow him to.

"You... Don't understand..."

Luna giggled and the nurse and Defender looked at her.

"You find this funny your majesty?"

Luna giggled again.

"Well yes! Sort of..."

Defender shook his head, trying to cut through the haze of pain blocking his thoughts.

"I cannot stay here."

Luna approached and smiled.

"You can, and you will."

He shook his head.

"You can't... keep.. m-"

Luna put a hoof on his mouth and looked at him pointedly.

"You are staying here. Period."

Defender looked at her.

"Is that an order..?"

"Yes."

Defender sighed.

"Alright... I guess I'm staying here then..."

The nurse smiled thankfully at Luna then hustled her charge back into bed. Luna stayed by his bedside, speaking with him well into the night until morning, where she herself retired. Defender, tired not only from his ordeal, but also from forcing himself to stay awake whilst Luna was there, despite her constant reassurances that he could sleep, fell asleep almost as soon as her footsteps vanished from his ears' range.

---

Stalwart Defender frowned and shook his head.

"No, I don't think that would be the best course of action... It's a bit, one sided don't you think?"

Luna looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"How do you figure?"

"Well, if both families claim that the land is theirs, you can't simply give it to one or the other."

The two were once again in the infirmary. Luna had come to him to talk, as she normally did whenever she had time. They were discussing a matter that Luna was having difficulty resolving, that Celestia would not help, or rather could not, help her with. She was asleep.

"What do you suggest then?"

Defender frowned.

"Split it down the middle and then take about an acre wide strip straight down the centre for yourself."

Luna blinked.

"How would that help?"

"Simple. They get an equal share, and if they step over their boundaries... That is plant on your land... They can be penalised without the other pony getting involved."

Luna thought about it for a moment, then smiled softly.

"You're absolutely right! That's a brilliant solution, why didn't I think of that?"

Defender smiled.

"You would have come to that answer as well... had you thought long enough your majesty."

Luna giggled.

"Defender, I told you to call me Luna. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Defender smiled.

"Always once more, your majesty."

A messenger streaked around the corner to the room Defender was in and stopped in the doorway, stiffbacked.

"A Message for Her Majesty Princess Luna, Princess of the Night!"

Luna sighed and turned to the messenger.

"Spit it out then."

The messenger stomped his right forehoof.

"Another urgent matter awaits you My Lady. They await your presence in the throne room!"

She turned back to Defender, an apologetic look on her face. Defender smiled.

"Your subjects need you Your Majesty."

Luna looked to the Messenger and dismissed him with a wave of her hoof. He left just as suddenly as he'd arrived. She smiled at Defender and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you again. I owe you."

Defender nodded.

"You're very welcome My Lady."

"I told you! Call me Luna!"

Defender gave a wry smile.

"Not likely to happen My Lady."

Luna sighed.

"I'll see you later okay?"

Defender nodded.

"I look forward to it Your Majesty."

With that, Luna left the room, heading for the Throne room and Defender laid his head on his pillow. Night wasn't over yet and he'd taken to becoming nocturnal so he could fully enjoy Lunas' company, so he wasn't tired. Nor could he move. He sighed, waiting impatiently for her return.

---

"Oh, and send for the two families bickering over that plot of land will you? I've got an answer for them."

Luna was in the throne room. Her throne, smaller than her sisters', but just as beautiful was of deep blues and purples, carved from the remnants of a meteorite that had fallen many ages before. The spells weaved into it would make it grow as she did; making it fit her as she aged. Yet another reminder of her eternal solitude. Just as she was thinking of that problem, the representatives of the families were shown into the hall.

"Ah, excellent. You're here now."

The two representatives nodded and bowed, shooting evil looks at each other as they did so. Luna almost had them thrown them out then and there.

"You will be civil in MY court! No more of these glances!"

The two started and nodded quickly, not wanting to anger the princess.

"Now then. Neither of you have changed your position I take it?"

They both shook their head. Luna sighed.

"Then I have a solution."

The two looked at her, both of them hopeful.

"I shall split the land in half, and so there are not territory feuds, at the centre I shall take a half acre from both sides."

One of the stallions smiled gratefully.

"Thank you your majesty. You rule fairly."

Luna smiled gratefully at him. The other was not so accepting.

"But that is MY land! You can't just give HIM half of MY land!"

Luna fixed the offending stallion with a glare that could freeze lava.

"I can, and I will. You try my patience and almost sway me to give him all of the land."

The stallion became further enraged.

"That's preposterous!"

"Preposterous!"

Lunas' voice was ice cold as she spoke.

"Preposterous is you believing you can order ME around!"

It was time for the sun to rise, and Luna really didn't want to argue this close to her bedtime. She was tired and more than drained. The stallion snorted.

"You're not the real princess! Let me talk to Her ladyship Celestia and we will sor-"

There was a blast of light and Celestia was standing in front of the offensive stallion.

"Why is it you believe my sister commands less respect than me?"

The stallion cowered back as the other members of staff in the throne room bowed, minus Luna, who was wide eyed in shock.

"T..Tia!"

"Answer me!"

The stallion whimpered, then stood tall.

"You are the princess, not her! She's been gone for far too long t-"

"ENOUGH! You remember this and remember it well!"

Celestia leaned close to the stallion, her face a mask of rage.

"PRINCESS Luna has just as much authority as I do and if you fail to obey her orders again and I will have you imprisoned for treason!"

---

"I had that handled Tia! I did!"

Celestia smiled at Luna.

"The situation? I know dear Luna, but they need to learn to respect you as much as they respect me."

"And they won't do that if you keep interfering! You don't understand Tia!"

Celestias' gaze turned concerned.

"I worry for you Luna."

Luna sighed in frustration.

"Be that as it may sister, if I look to you to solve all confrontations I enter, they will not learn to respect me as much as to fear you..."

Celestia pursed her lips in thought. Luna was right.

"I... I see what you mean."

Luna nodded.

"And that not only lowers their opinion of you, but it reinforces their tentative beliefs about me."

Celestia looked her sister in pleasant surprise.

"You've really thought about this haven't you Luna?"

Luna blushed and looks at her hooves.

"W..Well... Not really... I brought it up with Defender... I.. I know I shouldn't have Tia but, I can't help it!"

Celestia smiled at her.

"Don't worry so much sister. If it helps you, then I'm quite alright with it."