NOW WITH MOAR LUNA!

Chapter Three

In the morning, you wake to an incredibly upset looking guard captain staring at you in the barracks. Recognising this look, you immediately climb out of your bunk and snap to attention, one foreleg thrown into a precision salute before returning to the ground.

“You. My office. Now.” he says, turning and leaving. You follow him into the cramped workspace just off of the main hall of the royal guard tower. He takes a seat behind the desk before hauling out the main rota for the personal guard for the next month.

“It seems that someone has taken a liking to you.” he says, retrieving a battered pipe from the draw of his desk and filling it with shredded leaves, delicately dropping a match in the top and sucking on it, “Her Majesty, Princess Luna, has requested that from now on, you are part of her... personal bodyguard... I’ve had to reshuffle duties for the other guards because of it. I also understand the two of you are meeting in the gardens later today?”

“Yes Sir, I promised to show her the new arrangements, sir.”

The Captain’s face softens slightly and he raises an eyebrow, the angry look being replaced with what you’re sure was genuine concern.

“The gardens were destroyed last night. There was... an incident. I can however recommend that you try the botanical gardens in the city below; they’re nice this time of year.”

“Uhm... Thank you sir.”

“You know,” the captain said, sucking thoughtfully on the pipe again, golden eyes watching your every move, every twitch as he studied you, “One would say that something going on between a member of the royal protectorate and the very princess he is meant to protect is a bit inappropriate. Something happened between you two last night.”

You open your mouth to explain before he raises a hoof to motion you to be quiet.

“I’m not going to tell anyone. Fortunately for you, Her Majesty is capable of giving me executive orders that not even Sir Duke himself can over-rule. Just be careful with her. Princess Celestia would slaughter anypony who would even consider harming her dear little sister.”

“Sir, may I ask?”

“No. I’ve never been involved with either of them. If you must know, I’ve recently started seeing an old friend. We’ve been working through... a rough patch, letters that didn’t make it causing bitterness whilst we were out of contact, that sort of thing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry sir.”

“Don’t worry about it, kid.” The Captain says, smiling. “We’ll be fine. Now, you should run along, you wouldn’t want to keep your date waiting.”

“Aye, sir.” you reply, saluting the stallion in front of you.

“Also, Plate Mail?”

“Yes, Sir?”

“You have purple lip-stick all over your face. Get it washed off.”

fin.