Honour Bound

Just when things were starting to settle down under Canterlot Mountain, they went and got dangerous again.

If the old mage's curse and Sergeant Ebonshield's sudden panicked demeanor hadn't made it abundantly clear already, the herald's loud proclamation -- made from somewhere out in the hallway -- confirmed that this visitor was not to be trifled with.

Corporal Bound’s batpony guide quickly trotted out in front of her group. "Sheathe or drop your weapons and line up, here, behind me, flanking the Royal Engineer, facing the entrance. Quickly, now; we must be in position before her retinue enters!"

It didn’t take more than a few seconds to sort the positioning out: Anonymous in the middle, with Glamerspear on his left, Bound on his right, and Sparkshower on the outside beside the corporal. That was the traditional ordering for a quaternion retinue: the most experienced soldiers adjacent the VIP and the juniors further out.

Honour noticed that the two attendants, 'Carto' and 'Águila,' had already dropped what they were doing and scurried over to line up behind her, instantly prostrating themselves towards the entrance. Behind her, even the musicians appeared to have put away their instruments and bowed themselves in advance of the Reverend Mother Superior's arrival.

Once assembled, Ebonshield fixed her gaze at the moon-and-stars decorated opening, whispering over her shoulder. "You must all be silent unless specifically bidden to speak. You must also bow when I bow, and do not rise until commanded to."

Not really a big deal for Honour considering what VIP duty normally involves -- except that her tone gave her some very bad vibes. After a quick, worried-looking double-check to make sure that they were all in place, with hoofsteps sounding just outside the chamber, the Sergeant concluded: "...Treat the Reverend Mother Superior as if she was the Princess Luna herself, because in her mind, she is."

‘That's quite a claim.’

Just then, the noise of hoofsteps stopped, and Ebonshield snapped her head back forwards. "She's here! Everyone, down!"

In the blink of an eye, she was hunched down low on her forelegs, and the rest of them get down as well, with the Royal Engineer dropping to his knees and bending over forwards, his hands on the ground -- though not hunched over so far, Honour noticed, that he couldn’t look up and see what was going on.

‘Strange that the hoofsteps stopped, though…’

‘What were they waiting for?’

As if to answer her, a tremendous chant echoed into the room from the hallway.

Strongly recommended background music: Elliot Goldenthal - 'Victorius Titus,' from 'Titus' [1999]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tAT_A71WOs

Dressed in white robes with great pointed white hoods and carrying candles in their forehooves, two columns of batponies fluttered slowly into the Grand Hall of Stars, singing as they came. They scarcely reached the main staircase when the percussion section following them picked up as well: more batponies, hovering in the air, banging cymbals and beating huge drums like a parade band. And then the horns further back joined in, blaring out an anthem that would wake the dead, to say nothing of the sleeping ponies whose rooms had entrance off that hallway.

From underneath her helmet's short brow-visor, Honour watched the majestic procession of white-clad ponies proceed inwards, the singers floating down the stairs while the band split off to the left and right, the horn-players, cymbalists, and drummers taking up positions around the inside edge of the outer ring.

There must have been almost eighty of them in all, and it seemed like more of the robed figures were still coming, clad from head to hoof in what appeared to be just a white-colored version of the Night Guard cloak, but with a much taller peak to its hood.

As the music built and the choir kept coming, one particular pony fluttered forward to land at the top of the stairs, clutching a long silver rod topped with a half-moon crescent, and flanked by two candle-bearers separate from the main columns. And unlike the others, she appeared to have her hood thrown back, though there was scarcely any difference -- her muzzle, head, and mane were completely bleach-white, such that it was difficult to tell where the cloak ended and her body began.

While the music built to a crescendo, the unhooded figure landed, surveying the sand-pit below and before her. Finally, a great clattering of cymbals and banging of drums announced the end of the processional, and the exposed batpony forcefully clanged the butt of her rod against the floor, whereupon the entire group of musicians and candle-bearers landed, then sat at attention.

Never mind the Reverend Mother Superior thinking she was Luna -- she must think herself even higher, because not even Princess Luna had this much pomp and circumstance when she visited the Royal Engineer. In Equestria, this kind of ceremony would be reserved for truly special public occasions. Not just barging in on an unauthorized training session by an ostracized member of society.

Apparently satisfied with her retinue's performance, the white-on-white pony fluttered up into the air, her cloak billowing out as she silently flapped her wings and then coasted forwards, trailed from behind by the two mute hooded candle-bearers who had yet to alight on the ground, hovering just behind her like cherubs.

With an elegant grace, the white pony landed just in front of Ebonshield, and Honour found herself trying to squint up at the batpony’s face without making it obvious that she was staring.

There was something very strange about her white color, but she just couldn't put a hoof on it...

Meanwhile, the candle-bearers remained aloft.

After surveying the group before her, that same mare's face broke out into a slim smile, and she waved a forehoof in their group's direction, clutching her silver moon-rod in the other. "Oh, please, do rise; there's no need to bow. This is an informal visit, and we are here incognito."

‘'Incognito'?’

‘With a twenty-piece band and hundred-colt choir announcing her presence?’

‘Is that supposed to be a joke?’

Whatever it was, Honour saw Ebonshield lift her head up and then, after receiving an approving nod from the Reverend Mother, rise up on her forehooves to stand on all fours.

"...There you are, Stellar. And the rest of you, by all means, make yourselves at ease."

Honour waited a half-second for any sign either way from the sergeant, but when none came, she decided to just go through with it, and stand at attention.

Anonymous rose up too, and it was then that it hit her...

‘This white batpony has no accent whatsoever!’

‘She speaks perfect Equestrian -- with a slight Canterlot accent, even!’

Honour Bound could scarcely believe it, given the occasional difficulty that her assigned quaternion-mate had with the tongue, but there it was.

Once the corporal was on her hooves and able to look the Reverend Mother in the eyes, however, she had another revelation. She was completely covered in white face-powder! Her mane, her coat, her lips, her ears, her eyelashes...

Everything!

The only actual color visible anywhere on her was the black of her slit pupil and the faint violet of the iris around it. Even her mane was held back behind her head by a white-powdered headband. Honour didn’t wear cosmetics normally, but she could recognize when someopony had absolutely caked themselves in the stuff. She'd applied so much powder foundation that her blanched-white head reflected the room's lights like...

Well, like the full moon reflects the sun, the earth pony supposed.

And maybe that was the point, if she’s a 'Lunar.'

With a flutter of white-painted eyelashes and another gentle smile behind white-caked lips, the Reverend Mother Superior glanced up at the Royal Engineer, then looked around at the rest of the group.

Honour couldn’t help but notice that Ignacio had done absolutely nothing the whole time, neither bowing nor standing, simply sitting where he was, leaning on his crutch.

Her survey complete, the Reverend Mother fixed Anonymous in her gaze. "We apologize profusely for this interruption, Lord Engineer Anonymous of Equestria, but you understand, we could not simply allow you to depart the Rookery..."

She spoke sweetly, with a smile on her face, but something about her words still had Honour feeling on edge.

Tilting her head back slightly, the Reverend Mother looked down her muzzle at the Sergeant. "... Not without a formal introduction at the very least." The white priestess looked back up at their VIP. "After all, one favored by the Mother-of-Stars must be well-received by her most trusted advisers and attendants, the Lunars."

Closing her eyes, she gave the very slightest of bows, flattening her ears against her poll. "I welcome you to the Rookery of Canterlot, Royal Engineer Anonymous of Equestria. I am the Reverend Mother Superior Carmen, and these Children of the Stars are my flock, kept in trust for the Mother-of-Stars."

‘Well, that's a mouthful.’

It wasn’t the corporal’s job to respond -- and ordinarily, she’d be thankful for that. She was a bodyguard, not a diplomat, after all. But this whole situation was so unnerving that she genuinely wished to freeze time and take a moment to consult with her VIP. She didn’t know exactly what she’d want to tell him, but she had been around enough diplomats that maybe something useful would come out.

That wasn’t happening, though.

The best she could do was just stay firmly at his side, serving as silent reassurance that if anypony tried something, they wouldn't be getting through.

A quick glance up at her VIP showed him appearing to be calm and collected, though his delay in responding made it obvious to Honour he was probably a little flummoxed. His reply, when it came, was accompanied by a short bow at the waist. "Thank you, Reverend Mother Superior. I'm very honored by your welcome."

Before he finished speaking, she'd opened her eyes again and lifted up her head, accepting his words with a slim smile. "The honor is all mine, I assure you. And you may do me the privilege of addressing me as Mother Carmen."

Anonymous gave another short bow. "Of course, Mother Carmen."

The white-powdered Reverend Mother looked over the Royal Engineer’s panoply. "May I say that you are most impressively outfitted. Have you come to the Grand Hall of Stars here today for battle?"

"Only for the purposes of training."

"Ah, of course. And what an entourage you have brought with you! A Valkyrie, a sorceress, and an honor guard as well."

She was less right on that first one and more right on that last one than she realized.

Mother Carmen looked almost disapprovingly down at Sergeant Ebonshield. "...And, of course, our own renowned Purity Ebonshield, of the Stellar school. I take it was her idea to make use of the Rookery's facilities for your education?"

Anonymous nodded. "Yes, Reverend Mother... I hope there's no trouble with that."

Still staring sternly at the sergeant, Carmen shook her head. "Oh, no... No trouble at all..."

Abandoning her stare for a smile, she looked back up at their VIP. "...The honored guests of the Mother-of-Stars are welcome to visit the Rookery and to avail themselves of its services and hospitality at any time."

There was another respectful mini-bow from Anonymous. "I'm most grateful for your generosity."

Beneath the subtext of pleasantries, there was almost a cool sparring of words going on there -- a kind of jockeying for position, a situation which was both familiar and alien at the same time. Familiar, because it's what every other noblepony Honour Bound had been assigned to as a bodyguard seemed to do all day long whenever they weren't exclusively in the presence of brown-nosing toadies or colloquial chums. Alien, because it's a situation that she hadn’t seen Anonymous in. So far, he was handling it well, if perhaps being a bit terse and restrained. Still, as best Honour could determine, it was better to be a bit tight-lipped than to babble away incoherently.

And she’d realized something about the Mother Superior as well: she was old. As impossible as it was to see any wrinkles under all that white makeup, from the burble in Carmen’s voice alone, Honour had to imagine she was at least in her late fifties, if not her sixties.

That drifting-downwards-from-the-stairs act of hers was remarkably well-done for a sexagenarian. Most pegasi started to lose their flexibility by that age; this bleached priest must have been stunningly graceful in her youth.

The Reverend Mother Superior took a breath, her powdered mane bobbing slightly and releasing a few specs of white dust as she moved her head. "I hope you are finding the Stellar useful. It is unusual for a member of her school to serve in this capacity."

Before the Royal Engineer could reply, she gave another thin-white-lipped smile and looked down her muzzle at Ebonshield once more. "Still, one supposes a pony with their skill set is, perhaps ironically, uniquely qualified for such a role. I, for one should certainly prefer to have a Stellar's daggers at my side rather than the more traditional alternative."

There was a whole lot of subtext in that sentence that Honour was certain she didn't get. Anonymous, perhaps equally confused, didn’t seem to know what to say, either, and Carmen pursed her white eyebrows apologetically as she looked up at Honour’s alien colt.

"...At the very least, I hope your Lordship is finding the Stellar adequate in bed."

Honour barely resisted the urge to choke on her own saliva.

‘Have batponies no shame whatsoever about sex?’

‘Do they even have social taboos at all, or is everything permitted?’

Anonymous noisily cleared his throat, though thankfully Sparkshower and Glamerspear managed to keep their composure. From behind, Honour couldn’t see Ebonshield's face, though she could see her gaskin-muscles tense up -- not the sign of a relaxed pony.

Despite the fact that the sergeant herself propositioned the Royal Engineer, the corporal got the impression that Ebonshield was staring daggers at the Reverend Mother for making that comment.

Well, with a word like 'adequate,' it was hardly intended as a compliment.

Heedless to her fury, Carmen continued on. "I understand that the members of her school train in the art of seduction, but I was under the impression that the curriculum can be sadly deficient in the follow-through."

‘What kind of fighting school would teach sex?’

‘She must be just making things up now.’

The Royal Engineer stammered out a response. "I.. uh... I can't say that we've, er, interacted in that manner."

Scandalized by his answer, rather than by her own question, the Reverend Mother turned to the sergeant with a look of shock on her face. "Shadows! I cannot believe what I am hearing! Stellar Ebonshield, surely there must be an explanation for your failure to provide hospitality to the Mother-of-Stars' honored guest!"

The Sergeant bowed her head, and when she spoke, her batpony accent stood in stark contrast to the Reverend Mother's pitch-perfect Equestrian. "Reverend Mother, the offer of hospitality was made."

Carmen furrowed her brow -- at least, Honour thought it did; it was hard to tell under all the powder -- and she scowled down at their comrade. "Clearly, not well enough! This reprehensible act will reflect poorly on the Rookery as a whole!"

Anonymous cleared his throat again, and instantly the Mother Superior's purple eyes snapped up towards him. "Mother Carmen, the Stellar speaks the truth. I, um, appreciated her offer, but respectfully declined."

The same thin smile reappeared on her face. "A choice which was entirely yours to make, of course..." Carmen shook her head, looking at Ebonshield with a certain fondness reminiscent of a mother admonishing a young foal. "...But, since you declined her own services, the Stellar was remiss in failing to find you a suitable alternative."

‘Wait, because he turned her down, the Sergeant was supposed to find him someone else to buck?’

‘Just what kind of 'ancient traditions' do batponies cling to?’

"After all, a colt's strength can be measured by his appetites; indeed, a colt's strength flows from his appetites. And we should not wish an honored guest to go famished." Inhaling deeply, Carmen looks wistfully off to either side. "...Alas! It is as I advised the Mother-of-Stars: you should have been given one of the diplomatic Lunars as a retainer, and not a Star."

That actually didn’t sound like a terrible idea, especially if Princess Luna expected Anonymous to help serve as some kind of bridge between Equestria and the 'Children of the Stars.' And at least a batpony diplomat could have explained some stuff about what was going on down here in the Rookery!

Perking up, the Reverend Mother opened her mouth and smiled, and at least her not-quite-blindingly-white teeth provided some contrast to her bleached face. "The Stars are simply too single-mindedly focused upon the martial arts; it really is a scandalous shame how few of them volunteered for service when the Great Mother made her request. Her Majesty selected one of the finest of those who presented themselves, of course, but the offerings were slim."

The thin white lips closed up again, and Carmen looks up almost seductively at the Royal Engineer. "There are a great many fine mares in the Lunar Phase here in the Rookery, and among their number, I am sure, several nubile candidates could be found whom your Lordship would find appetizing." Lifting an eyebrow, she leaned slightly on her crescent-moon staff. "Please, will you allow me to make up for our past failure by presenting several of them to you at your earliest convenience? Tonight, perhaps?"

Talk about being put on the spot!

Anonymous swallowed, cleared his throat, and took a deep breath -- he did just about everything he could do to get himself a few moments of extra thinking time.

"That's very generous of you, Mother Carmen-"

Honour knew there was a 'but' coming after that, and she probably did, too, yet she interrupted him anyways. "Oh, no. Anything to efface the stain of dishonor which one of our own has sadly painted on us."

To his credit, the Royal Engineer managed to continue on. "-but I must respectfully decline, and I assure you that although I also declined the Stellar's offer, it was entirely for my own, personal reasons. Please, consider the matter settled."

Throughout his refusal, the Reverend Mother looked at him with wide, disbelieving, almost saddened eyes. The kind of look you would give a poor injured little puppy while waiting for a veterinarian.

Well, to be honest, a colt would have to be a bit crazy to turn down an offer like that.

Free sex, no strings attached?

If not with Ebonshield -- who, even if she was almost old enough to be Honour’s mother, was certainly in good enough shape to be her sister -- then with some young filly who believed that servicing one’s needs was a matter of honor, and maybe even a divine obligation, too? That was a far cry from saltines like Glamerspear, who at least expected a form of payment for their services. And, if Honour remembered her history books properly, the batponies wouldn't be the first ones to have 'religious prostitutes' as part of their society.

...They were just the only ones still clinging on to it.

Then again, after providing the Royal Engineer with such a 'gift' as part of their hospitality, wouldn't the batpony Lunars perhaps expect something in return?

Some kind of political influence?

Honour sighed internally. It was becoming obvious to the corporal that the Lunars weren’t just the diplomats and priests of the batponies -- they were the politicians, too.

The Reverend Mother took a moment to digest Anonymous' refusal, but that thin smile returned to her face fairly quickly, and she gave a faint bow. "Oh, of course, of course! I shouldn't wish you to feel pressured in any way..."

The way she said that made it seem like she absolutely would like him to feel pressured, and she was upset at being shut out.

That thought was further reinforced by what she said next. "... Although I must say, if my duties to the Rookery did not occupy so much of my time, I would have been overjoyed to make the initial offer myself."

‘Does that mean what I think it means?’

Carmen smiled at the quaternion. "But I can see that you have already selected a favorite among the previous gifts offered to you by Princess of the Sun. Equestrian attachments are so much different from those of we Children; it is a shame that so much of what is natural and healthy is considered taboo among their kind."

An interesting counterpoint to Honour’s shock that so much of what was private and personal was considered open and public down there.

Licking her lips -- and taking studious care to lick only the barest inside of them, lest she wipe off her white powder -- Mother Carmen seemed to examine the three of Anonymous’ guardsponies. "I must commend the Sun Princess for the selection; they are outstanding exemplars of their kind, and I do not begrudge any of them for having captured your heart before you could sample the Great Mother's finest delicacies."

Honour was really not sure how she felt about being part of that particular culinary metaphor.

The Reverend Mother looked back at Anonymous with her starkly-contrasted purple eyes. "But despite your polite refusal, I shall hold open the prospect that you may perhaps visit us again, desirous of some dessert."

Her almost invisible, self-satisfied smirk melted away into a collected visage of serious diplomacy. "And on that note, I understand that you encountered some difficulties in entering the Rookery."

Princess Luna's writ was literally batted out of Ebonshield's hoof, and they were collectively threatened with violence.

‘Yeah, you could say there were 'some difficulties'.’

Anonymous handled her question diplomatically. "There was a little confusion, which Stellar Ebonshield managed to clear up."

This time, Carmen didn’t even afford Purity a glance. "Of course she did -- but, alas, in the usual brutish way of a Star."

The Reverend shook her head, allowing a few more white flecks of dust to break free from her held-back mane. "Such dark and violent ways are alien to we Lunars, I'm afraid." Closing her eyes and bowing her head slightly, she continued. "I deeply regret that you had to witness such an unfortunate misunderstanding. You should know that the instant news reached my ears of that event, I issued appropriate instructions to ensure it will not happen again."

With her eyes open again, she surveyed the whole group of them. "Rest assured that the next time an honored guest of the Mother-of-Stars attempts to enter the Rookery, they will find themselves welcomed with opened wings..."

Turning to Ebonshield, she raised her eyebrows. "... If only your escort had thought to provide advance notice, this mix-up could have been avoided. Why, your visit is not even recorded in the schedule for the Grand Hall of Stars -- a sloppy omission."

Once again, the sergeant bowed her head and answered. "Reverend Mother, given that the Grand Hall is rarely used at this time of day, I felt this omission would best suit the Great Lord's desire for informal anonymity."

The white pony smiled. "A laudable goal, Stellar. I do not need to guess at where you obtained your assistants, but I am surprised you requested the orchestra's services outside of official channels. Despite being a Star, you must learn to respect the ways of the Rocks. The Guild of Musicians has rules governing their work, and this clandestine operation breaks several of them." Shaking her head, she frowned at the sergeant. "Did you not think of the undue burden you imposed upon them? The hour is late, after all."

Before Ebonshield could reply, Ignacio piped up behind the Corporal. "Not so late that jou could not be roused out of bed to come and preach to us, eh, Reverenda Madre?"

There was a momentary flash of anger barely visible under all that white powder, before the Reverend Mother collected herself and turned towards the heckler. "Ah, Ignacio, our noble Balladeer. I didn't see you back there."

Unlikely, given his exposed position and obviously distinct getup.

Looking the mage up and down, she lifted her eyebrows up high in disbelief. "I am surprised to see you up so late. You are so very fond of your naps."

With a grumble and a twitch of his upper lip, the blind old mage adjusted himself on his crutch. "I am willing to serve at any hour, if the need is genuine."

Carmen nodded disdainfully at him. "Indeed? I shall remember that for the future."

Turning back to Honour's group, she continued with a smile. "Rest assured that I will, of course, smooth over your bodyguard's breach of protocol. We cannot allow her unfortunate failure to affect relations between the Phases."

‘She's really laying into Ebonshield.’

‘And the sergeant is taking absolutely all of it.’

Are the lines between social classes really so clearly drawn that she could barely say two words in her own defense? If an Equestrian noblepony dared to talk down this way to a commoner on the street, they'd probably get a hoof to the jaw for their troubles. Only gentleponies could duel, true, but try and catch a commoner for an assault when the mob protected its own against one of society's upper crust. Not that anything like that happened with any kind of regularity 'upstairs' -- but it did still occasionally happen.

After a moment's pause to allow her words to sink in, the Reverend Mother casually changed her moon-staff over to the other forehoof, then smiled up at the Royal Engineer. "Nonetheless, I should encourage you to come and visit our blessed Rookery during our regular hours of activity -- the evening, and the night. You will find it a far more friendly and inviting place if you but refrain from arriving during the sacred hours of rest."

Anonymous replied with a nod. "I appreciate the offer, Mother Carmen, but I wouldn't want to disturb the Rookery's busy schedule."

Broadening her smile and shaking her head, the Reverend Mother was insistent. "It is no disturbance whatsoever. Why, since you are so enamored with our Grand Hall, I shall speak to the Majordomo of the Stars this very evening and arrange things to provide you with a regular time slot in the early hours of the night. Shall we say seven o'clock?"

That was about when the Royal Engineer usually went for an evening after-dinner jog. It would probably make a more convenient time slot for him than the early morning, which could be better-spent meeting with other members of the Court. And it was true at Sergeant Ebonshield preferred the evening shift, as well, which really lined things up nicely.

Still, Honour would be reluctant to accept anything the Reverend Mother had to offer, for worry of the hidden price tag that might be attached.

Standing next to him, the corporal could hear Anonymous swallow. "You are too generous, Mother Carmen. Seven o'clock would be extremely comfortable, and I cannot refuse your offer. But I fear I will be unable to make use of the time every day, so I beg you to allow the Majordomo to suggest a more relaxed schedule."

Appearing pleased -- for having gotten Anonymous to accept something, maybe? -- the Reverend Mother tilted her head back and resumed her thin smile. "Certainly; I'm sure he will be understanding of your situation."

Taking a deep, satisfied breath, she took in Honour’s group. "Well. This has been a most pleasurable visit, but I should not wish to further interrupt your calisthenics." Still smiling, she bowed. "I look forward to the joyous occasion of our next encounter, Royal Engineer."

Anonymous returned her gesture. "The feeling is mutual, Mother Carmen."

Exiting her bow, she looked each of them in the eyes. "In the exalted name of the Mother-of-Stars, I bid each of you good-day."

From underneath her white robe, she flapped her wings and hovered into the air, flanked by the hooded candle-bearers who elevated themselves above her. Halfway through turning to leave, however, she twisted back around and looked down at Ebonshield.

"...Oh, and Stellar Seven -- it is still only Seven, isn't it?"

‘'Only' seven?’

Didn't Ebonshield say that the only rank above her was the master of the school?

The Sergeant bowed. "Yes, Reverend Mother."

From above, the white-powdered, white-robed old batpony mare smiled down at Honour’s dark-purple escort. "I trust you will take my admonishments in stride, and strive to improve yourself accordingly."

Ebonshield bowed again. "I will, Reverend Mother."

With a polite nod and another smile, the religious, diplomatic, and political leader of the batponies of the Canterlot Mountain Rookery fluttered delicately away towards the staircase. When her shadow left the sandpit ring, the enormous choir and band suddenly stood at attention, then took flight to hover in place.

Out in the hallway, Honour could hear the herald's cry: 'Make way for the Reverend Mother Superior!'

Then, once the painted mare reached the staircase, the choir repeated their 'flying march' entrance in reverse -- except in a dead silence that was almost more impressive than their thunderous entrance.

It really was startling just how quiet these ponies were in flight. Honour hadn't really noticed Ebonshield being particularly loud or quiet, but then again, any noise she might have made around her would surely have been drowned out by Sparkshower's heavy plate.

In a few moments, the Grand Hall of Stars was emptied of the whole mass of candle-bearing, white-cloaked, white-hooded figures, and the herald's repeated cries echoed off in the distance, becoming faint and indistinct. It's when they finally became completely inaudible that the sergeant collapsed to the ground with a heavy sigh.

"Bendita Madre de Estrellas!"

She turned around to face Anonymous, and written across her face was utter exhaustion mixed with complete defeat. Shaking her low-hanging head, she looked up at the corporal and sighed again. "I must apologize for this. I had hoped to shield you, Great Lord, from the necessity of conducting the interactions of this kind. My belief was that by entering the Rookery at this time of day, we could avoid the confrontations."

Sighing one more time, Honour saw her even allow her wings to droop down to the ground -- dragging the sharp silvery blades in the sand. “But clearly I have been most mistaken. And I should have foreseen this interference from the Reverend Mother."

One final sigh, and she continued. "...After all, I have disobeyed her instruction when I selfishly accepted the request of the Princess Luna to enter into your service."

‘What?!’

Sorry about that folks, we were missing the first several paragraphs when I hit the "Publish" button. Fixed!