Thwack!

It was that sound that brought forth the emotion that had caused all of this journey to begin. The beating of wood against wood, the heroic cries of a royal guard against the shield of a griffon, One of whom was much too eager to dive into a meal upon spotting weak prey.

Who was this prey, one might ask? Well since you are asking allow me to tell you a story, of a young stallion who wished to explore Canterlot alone, looking back on it. It was definitely a dumb idea for a foal to be wandering the streets before the sun began to set upon the world.

Never mind that, This foal's name was Austere Sapphire Muse, son of Malachite Axe and Diamond Words. Even he could not wrap his head around the names of his parents, even in moments such as these as he watched the mare in front of him work her business around the talons of the criminal.

The royal guard in question, a mare by the name of Malachite Needle, his very own grandmother in fact. Her golden armor beaming with the glory of the sun as her spear clashed against the cloak of the nefarious bringer of evil, in retrospect, he had forgotten the danger he was in to watch the mare work her magic, her spear resounding against the body of her target as if a wolf on its prey.

Forgive me, Every time I tell this story it gets harder and harder to not go on about the trials and tribulations of my Grandmother, she had done most things for me when mother and father passed. Allow me to get back on track.

"Austere! Why are you out here all alone?!" Her voice cried out as she focused on her foe but also on her grandfoal who stood behind her in amazement, she merely shook her head "stay there and do not get in Granny's way!"

The battle between the two was one to remember, well to a foal at least. To any pony in the streets at that time, it was simply a guard doing their work. But to him? He could feel the very pride that hid behind the glamour of that helm, the smiling mare underneath who was glad to be on time.

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"My fiance has requested that I tell her my story from the beginning and yet every time she tells it, she merely smiles and lets me ramble on. But alas Here we are my fellow guards, sitting around a table surrounded by friends. Family. The loves of our lives! The friends of tomorrow!" Austere spoke as he stood from the table lifting a mug in his magical grasp, his horn alight with a lilac aura.

"Would you shut up already and get on with it! I swear! by the time the sun falls, we will all be snoring by the time you are done with that very line!" A voice shouts from across the hall, one of the newer additions to the family, A blue mare with a rainbow streak for a mane, a bearer of harmony. A friend who was met at the worst time of his career and yet his first supporter.

"Very well, since there are few who are so impatient, I will go on. Skip ahead ten years, I was just leaving high school at the time when I had experienced the pain of loss-"
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The sweet summer breeze, the ever-present sound of nobility complaining that their suits and dresses would be ruined by the filth that dared to walk around them, the ponies of the common mare.

It was there that the young foal had become a stallion, His eyes scouring the street to look for the mare who had taken his bit-pouch. It was until he was approached from behind.

"E-Excuse me, are you Austere Muse?" A stern voice spoke from behind while his ears twitched at the sound, a time when he was least expecting a hoof to touch his back, his horn lighting up for a moment as he turned around to come face to face with a stallion.

The white fur and golden plating were enough to tell him all he needed to know, A guard. One of whom his grandmother had helped while serving, one of whom was now about to change his life in a direction he did not expect.

"That is indeed me, might I be able to ask why a royal guard has approached me in mid-daylight, It is kind of suspicious to see even one outside of the palace at such a time." His voice resounded from his throat while he stared down the guard with a curious gaze, his brow raised with a single line of sweat. Had he done something wrong? had Miss Gear finally gotten her revenge on his graduation prank?

"Your presence is being requested, young sir. It concerns your grandmother." The words that had traveled through the air didn't leave his mind as he thought, the eyes of the guard showing worry, nervousness, anxiety.

Of course a pony didn't know what to expect of such a thing until they had found out the cause. It was that day that Austere had to accept loss of one of his own.

The small trip with the guard did not last long as he arrived in front of the hospital, out the front was a stallion, green in tone with a calm grey mane. His father, Malachite Axe.

"F-Father? What's wrong? Why are you here?" Austere asked, His tone beginning to shape from his calm demeanor to something much more worry filled, the tension in the air almost so thick that even the sharpened edge of a knife could not cut it.

No matter how he had asked, the silence as he was guided inside by his father and the guard by his side. Their words that they tried to mumble not leaving their mouths as the stallion was brought into a side room, a patient's room... His grandmother's room.

What had he expected upon the bed, a broken hoof? a simple black eye from training exercises? not as he lived and breathed watching the broken husk of a mare, her body covered in scratches and cuts, her hooves bent unnaturally as he watched her with bated breath.

Anything to wake him up from this nightmare as his mother sat by his grandmother's side, the machines beside her slowly rising and falling along with her chest, the air she was breathing soon to be her last.

What will happen next I wonder, but then again. I have like five more of these chapters to release soon so do be kind and tell me what you think of the chapter.

What happened to Austere's grandmother, Why is he telling his story to his fellow guardsmen?

I would love to hear all of your theories on the matter!