Chapter 8: A visit to Talisman.

"It's nice of you to come with me Defender. I was worried that, in light of the new recruits, you'd find yourself incapable of accompanying me."

Defender and Luna were soaring through the night, Luna blending into the deep blue of the sky, Defender's harsher white colour strongly contrasting it. It had been some weeks since Stonewall and Brave Wing had been recruited and the higher ranking Pegasus had been plagued with nightmares the entire time. It was always the same thing, with only a few changes every so often. Always he found himself in Luna's room; always she reached out to him and requested he join her. Always the same thing happened and she said he did not love her, and that he was but a lowly guard. That he had nothing everypony else had. No matter how much he begged, she would fade from view on her bed and then the scream… always with the scream. If he was honest with her, it wasn't purely to protect Luna that he was accompanying her to Ponyville. It was for his own peace of mind as well. He still didn't know what this was all about, but he didn't plan to leave Luna alone for even a second.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving such an assignment to anypony else your majesty. Besides, I told you that I'd do so, and you also asked that I never leave your side, so here I am. It was a stipulation of my insubordination if I remember correctly."

Luna rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"Defender! We've told you countless times, just call us Luna!"

He smiled as she rescinded to the old dialect in her frustration.

"I know, your majesty. A gentle reminder majesty, of your speech. You returned to the old dialect for a time there."

He looked over to her to see her looking away. He couldn't tell for sure, but he was fairly certain she was blushing.

"Thank you, Defender, for the reminder. Now, we're almost there okay? Doesn't take long by flight."

He nodded, then realising she couldn't see him spoke.

"Of course Princess."

She shot him an annoyed look and shook her head.

"Luna, Defender, Luna!"

He smiled, amused.

"Yes Princess, of course."

---

Celestia sighed heavily, her mane a light pink and hanging down over her shoulders. Without the sun in the sky, her mane didn't have the capacity to shine as it normally would, nor would it flow. The energy given off by the sun's rays is what gave her mane and tail the appearance so many had sought to re-create, much like Luna's mane drew the magic to change it into its starry form from the ambient light of the moon and stars as well as the gravitational pull that controlled the oceans and seas of Equestria. Right now, as she stared out at the beautiful night her sister had graced the ponies of Equestria with, she marvelled at how much more beautiful the younger sister could make the night as opposed to her. Even after a thousand years of practice, Celestia still couldn't pull off a night sky quite like her baby sister ever could. This night she was having trouble sleeping. In fact, she had the past few nights. She had been shocked when an attempt was made on Luna's life, but she had every confidence in Stalwart Defender and his contingency to protect her. However, when Luna had revealed to her the ideals behind the 'New Luna republic' and the 'Solar empire', or council or whatever the stupid notion was, she'd been losing more and more sleep to her thoughts. Although one couldn't tell to look at her, she looked as beautiful as she ever did and no shadows had seemed to form under her eyes.

What had mostly started bothering her is the idea that, within her own ranks, could lie any number of insurgents just waiting to rise to the surface, waiting for the right moment to make a strike against her or her sister, as they had in the given weeks. The attack having been from her own guards rattled her, although it made a certain form of sense. The insurgents had believed that Celestia was meant to rule on her own, so it figured that they'd guard her just as fanatically as they would endeavour to slay her sister. She was going to have to reconsider all of her guards, evaluations to do, choices to make… Such a chore.

So engrossed was she in her thoughts, that she failed to acknowledge the pair of guards entering her room. They moved quietly for guards in full armour, barely making a sound with each step. There was an Earth pony and a unicorn, both of them with the practiced emotionless face of the guard. The glow of unicorn magic encompassed a pair of blades hidden in the armour of the magically endowed guard, the other one taking out a pair via his hooves. The blades made no sound as they exited their compartments. A similar setup to that of which the assassins from the attempt upon Luna's life. Celestia still hadn't moved from her spot. The pair of guards looked at each other and nodded, a soundless signal before the unicorn sent his two blades, circular in shape, spinning towards the solar monarch.

The pair of blades struck their mark… and continued straight through with no visible effect.

The unicorn flinched in alarm, instantly pulling his blades back through the air to beside him, still spinning them. The earth pony took up a ready stance, staring at Celestia in alarm. A voice, colder and darker than the blackest void itself swept its way down their spines, permeating their bodies and minds.

"You thought that, because your competition made an attempt upon Luna's life, that I would not prepare myself for such an event? You are foolish in every sense of the word."

---

"Alright, we're here."

Luna touched down outside a large tree with, and Defender shuddered even considering the possibility of this, windows and a door carved into it. He knew magic could do wonderful things, but this just took the cake and the icing as well. He looked at the tree in astonishment, causing him to miss Luna saying she was going inside. He blinked as she moved past him and he trotted brusquely over to her side, his ears flicking left and right. They were exposed, and he didn't like it. Luna knocked on the door to the… tree… house… thing… and then waited patiently. The door was opened by a nondescript looking brown unicorn with equally nondescript brown hair. He smiled at Luna.

"Right on time Luna, as usual. And uh… Stalwart Defender? You can drop the whole guard thing, you're not going to find any harm here. Anypony stupid enough to tangle with Twilight probably isn't going to survive the encounter with their pride… or much else either really."

Defender was momentarily stunned at the unicorn's seeming blatant disregard for the safety of the princess before he heard Luna giggling. He looked at her and she waved him inside before walking in herself. Still confused, he walked in after her. It took him a moment to realise that he'd walked into a library.

"A… Library Princess?"

She nodded and spoke softly back.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle and Talisman live here. Tal is… well…"

Talisman, walking in front of the pair spoke up, interrupting Luna.

"What she means is that I'm a shrink. A psychologist. I take different things and discern meanings from it and try to use this meaning to help ponies."

He walked them into a large room somewhere in the roots of the tree and turned around to face them.

"Now Defender, before you even bother to get all stubborn on me, yes, Luna is going to be out of your sight for about an hour, no I will not budge on this, no you may not be in the room at any time whilst she is in there, no you may not sit outside the door. You may sit in this room and this room only. Twilight is likely to be down shortly, she'll probably want to talk to you. After Luna has had her turn, then I will bring you in and we can talk."

Luna giggled softly.

"Tal, He's not here for an appointment, he's simply my bodyguard!"

Talisman shook his head slightly and waved the princess into another room, whispering to her before the door closed and Defender was left alone, stunned and still trying to comprehend what just happened.

And so Defender sat, bored and edgy, outside the room. He wasn't particularly happy with leaving the princess on her own with a stallion he'd never met, nor been given the time to get to know at least. Eventually being too bored to sit still anymore, he got up and started pacing. That got old very quickly and he looked around for a book to read. His back was to the door when Twilight entered, two steaming mugs of hot chocolate floating after her. She looked at the guard, slightly confused as to who he was.

"Um, I'm sorry, can I help you?"

Defender whirled around, sinking into a ready stance before relaxing and sinking to the floor.

"Are you okay?" Twilight inquired, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. I take it you're the librarian here?"

She nodded guardedly.

"That's right. Who are you and why are you here?"

He straightened up once more, automatically throwing up the blank façade of the guard.

"Stalwart Defender, Midnight Guardian of Princess Luna. I accompanied her here to Ponyville on her request."

His mask of blankness all but vanished as he wriggled slightly and looked to the locked door leading to Talisman's office.

"However… I do not understand why. If she is so safe here with the other pony, It makes no sense to have brought me along."

Twilight paused, taking in the information, then smiled.

"Oh, of course. You must be the other visitor Tal mentioned then. I trust he wasn't too abrupt? He sometimes forgets that not everypony knows about his unique abilities."

She set one of the mugs before Defender and took a sip of the other herself. The uncomfortable guard nodded in thanks and picked his own mug up. The familiar taste of the brew allowed him to relax a little more and he smiled.

"He was a tad… blunt, yes. If you don't mind my asking ma'am, I'm afraid I don't know your name."

She nodded and put her mug down gently.

"Twilight Sparkle. I guess I'm just a librarian. Nothing special."

Defender frowned slightly. He'd heard the name before in passing, and by the sound of it she wasn't 'just a librarian.' He shrugged mentally. He'd ask around about it later.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Sparkle. You live here?"

She nodded happily.

"Yes, I live here with Tal and Spike. Spike is my assistant and… well, basically my little brother. He's a baby dragon."

That sparked his interest and he peered at her.

"You went to the magic school in Canterlot?"

She started in surprise.

"Well, yes. How did you know?"

He chuckled softly.

"Miss Sparkle, I'm may be one of the few personal guards for Princess Luna, but I'm still just a guard at heart. Intel about the surroundings is important. And that magic school is the only one I know of that demands hatching a dragon egg to enter."

Twilight smiled sheepishly.

"I guess that's true. Sorry."

"Whatever for? It's fine Miss Sparkle, I assure you."

She laughed softly and her smile became more sincere.

"If you say so Mister Defender."

He winced at the title.

"Please, simply Defender will be fine."

Twilight smirked.

"Then 'Twilight' will be fine."

He smiled. The tone was very familiar, as was the trick Luna had tried to play on him many times. It never worked then but…

"Alright… Twilight. I must say, you have an impressive library."

She flushed, embarrassed.

"This? Oh, this is nothing. It's puny in comparison to the Royal library in Canterlot. I could get lost in those stacks, picking up books here and there whenever they interested me."

She sighed, a melancholy smile on her lips.

"I miss that old library."

Defender frowned again. He knew that he'd heard her name before, even if it was in passing.

"So you've been to the royal library?"

She nodded an affirmative.

"I used to practically live there. My studies pretty well demanded it."

Something in his head clicked and he gasped. She looked at him, concerned.

"You alright?"

He nodded and sank into a bow. She looked at him, confused.

"Forgive me Miss Sparkle, I didn't realise I was addressing the student of Princess Celestia!"

Twilight stared at him for a moment before stifling a giggle.

"Defender, please. I'm not royalty and I'm certainly nothing special. There's absolutely no need to bow for me so please, sit back up. You're just embarrassing me."

His hasty reversal of his bow made her giggle quite a bit more.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I swear, I meant no disrespect!"

"And you didn't give any Defender. Honestly, let loose a little! It's not like I'm royalty y'know."

"You… may as well be ma'am. I'm afraid you're a bit of a legend among the guards."

Twilight felt a surge of curiosity.

"Is that so?"

Defender nodded.

"Yes ma'am. Some of the older guards even remember you from your time at the palace ma'am."

"Really?"

The guard nodded silently. Twilight smiled.

"Tell me. Is Stonewall still wandering the halls?"

Defender chuckled lightly.

"Yes ma'am. But he's not a guard for Celestia anymore."

Twilight was surprised at this and it showed in her expression.

"Really?"

Defender nodded.

"He's under my command now ma'am."

"Your command? You outrank Stonewall?"

Defender nodded. Twilight huffed.

"Huh. Figured he'd be at least lieutenant by now."

"Sergeant, actually ma'am."

"Sergeant? Huh, not bad."

---

"Alright Luna. What's really going on with the guardsman?"

Luna looked up at Talisman from the couch, slightly shocked at his blatant tone of voice.

"I don't understand… what do you mean 'really going on' Tal?"

Talisman fixed her with a withering look.

"You take him in from his rather serious injuries, induct him as a personal bodyguard despite his background of instigated criminal records, then when he disregards a direct order you 'punish' him by making him stay by you whenever it's possible. Luna, be honest with me. Are you really so attached to this stallion that you'd not only refuse to discipline him as guards are meant to be disciplined, but that you'd keep him closer in the wake of these events?"

Luna felt her temper rise and had to force down the urge to use the full force of her voice on the unicorn.

"You forget your place Talisman! I am here voluntarily, but I am NOT here to be interrogated! He is MY guard and I will deal with his insurrections as I see fit! AND you're forgetting that, in disobeying my orders, he saved my life! This session is over."

She rolled off the couch and marched to the door. Talisman stared out after her as she continued march right out of the room before sighing and following her.

Looks like I hit a tender spot.

---

"Defender! Talisman wants to talk to you now. Please hurry it along; I want to be home before sunrise."

Defender looked over at Luna in surprise. It wasn't like her to be this short. Something must have happened. Something she didn't like. Talisman stood in the doorway, looking a bit unimpressed to be honest.

What happened in there?

---

"So Defender. Personal bodyguard to Princess Luna. Must be a hell of a responsibility."

Defender looked at the couch, decidedly unimpressed, and then looked at Talisman.

"I'm not lying on that couch."

Talisman shrugged.

"Suit yourself. Sit, stand, whatever. Now. There has to be another reason you came down here. I felt it when you arrived. Now you can either talk to me or I can take the information. Either way, I will be treating you as a patient Stalwart Defender, so you may as well do it on your own terms."

Defender paused. Someone confident enough to say that to a personal bodyguard had to be either very cocky, or very powerful.

"Alright, fine. So be it. I've been having… nightmares… for some time now. Are you that kind of doctor, Talisman?"

Tal smiled wryly.

"You're in luck, Moonlight Guardian."

---

He was in Luna's room again. He recognized it well. Very well. The light streamed in through the window and a groggy Princess Luna awoke from her slumber and smiled upon him.

"Defender, mine knight. Come, comfort thy princess, remind her how much more satisfying it is to sleep accompanied by thee, a strong stallion rather than a mere soft toy."

Why not? Tis but a dream is it not?

He reached out to her as she reached out unto him. However his hoof was insubstantial, and passed through hers as Air passes through a grate. And her face was saddened.

"Thou dost not love thine princess, so thou canst never join her in such a way. Besides, thou art but a lowly guard, what dost thou have that others do not?"

"No… My Princess…"

As he watched, the Luna of his dream faded slowly, hoof still outstretched.

"No, please don't leave..."

In time, she faded completely from view, torturously slowly, inciting tears from the wayward Pegasus guard, reducing him to begging.

"Oh Luna, please don't go... please..."

There was a gut wrenching, heart breakingly terrified scream and...

---

"Defender! Wake up!"

He jolted out of his sleep, sitting up explosively, gasping.

"Luna!"

Talisman stood by him, a concerned look on his face.

"She's safe Defender. She's in the next room with Twilight, they're catching up on things is all. That dream is pretty intense Defender and… well, it has some pretty clear cut meanings, if you ask me."

Defender looked at the plain unicorn curiously.

"Oh really? Care to explain this to me then?"

Talisman smiled wryly.

"Promise not to hit me?"

Defender nodded wearily.

"Yes, I promise."

Tal smiled.

"It's simple really. My first realization is that you, Stalwart Defender, have a very big crush on your employer. Might be more than that."

Defender almost bristled at what he saw as a blatant accusation, but held his tongue to let the psychologist explain himself.

"Her asking you to come to her, that's your subconscious mind's way of letting you know that you care deeply for Luna. Much more deeply than most. However you have doubts, you don't see yourself as worthy, or you believe she does not. That you haven't proven yourself yet. This is a damning thought that may or may not be true. I cannot be sure."

He stopped and frowned.

"But that last part… her fading away firstly can be interpreted in a number of ways. You losing your chance with her completely, you seeing her as unreachable… or losing her. The scream… well, that's something else entirely."

Defender frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can't puzzle it out Defender. I can't puzzle it out at all. It just doesn't seem to fit into context."

"So… what do I do?"

"I'm not sure. I can't say what would happen if you told Luna how you feel, and don't try to deny it. I think it's fairly obvious now."

Defender bit back a retort and considered the unicorn's words.

"If…" He said cautiously, "Even if what you say is true, and I'm fairly certain it's not, even if I wanted to, I couldn't reveal anything of the sort to her. For one thing, I am merely a guardspony. I'm charged with defending her, and falling in love with an employee is not only cliché, but fairly likely to make her laugh at me as well. It's simply not done. And the scream… That scream just chills me to the bone Talisman. I never see anything past that scream."

He shuddered at the memory.

"Do you know what happened to make Luna and I consider more guards? And attempted assassination. Public execution."

Talisman nodded.

"I know. I got the story from Luna."

Defender nodded.

"I chose two I could trust. I don't know who to trust anymore. And I'm worried. Tal, if they've come after Luna, you can bet there's going to be somepony going after Celestia too. But I can't protect both monarchs."

Tal felt a wry smile touch his face.

"Don't count out Celestia just yet. Forgive me when I say she's much more competent than her baby sister, only because she's had that extra thousand years practice. She's probably perfectly capable of keeping herself safe."

"Even so…"

"It's your job to defend Luna, and you've done a stellar job so far."

Talisman smiled.

"You'll do just fine."