Hours later:

Sgt. Clare, Canterlot castle, war room:

“And that’s it ma’am, seven dead and six wounded” Daffodil reported and Luna took note of it. “Dismissed lieutenant” Luna said, Daffodil bowed then left the war room. I turned to Luna who sighed heavily. “It’s time for a vacation” she muttered as she sat down and flopped her head against the table.

I made sure no-pony was inside the war room and sat down next to her and embraced her in a loving hug. “Why is there war?” she whispered, I could tell she had been crying. “I don’t know… people, ponies, we all seem to have some sort of primal instinct that says ‘Kill’” I muttered, ashamed that I to had that primal instinct that said kill but I embraced the primal part of me and let myself loose on the battlefield.

“I want you to take a vacation… come with me somewhere peaceful and quiet” she whispered as she rested her head on my chest. “What do we tell the others? I have this gut feeling that Celestia won’t like me dating you” I chuckled.

She looked up into my eyes, “We don’t tell her. We simply say that I’m taking leave and that you’re coming with me as a personal bodyguard” she told me. “What about your royal duties?” I asked, she shrugged and rested her head against my chest again. “I can still perform my royal duties elsewhere” she informed me.

We sat there and held each other until I looked at my watch and realized it was 6:00pm. “Uhm, I think my shift is over” I muttered and she looked over to the war room clock. “Would you mind keeping guard overnight again?” she asked.

“Sure, why not” I replied as we sat up and left the war room. I had finally been able to get my old duster coat back, I had to have it sent to a dressmaker to have it stitched up after the fall from the bank roof. As we walked through the halls she told me about all the places she’d wanted to go to since she’d been back but hadn’t the time or companions to go.

We walked out onto the castle balcony and watched the sun go down, it was kind of pretty in the spring to watch the sun go down. Luna’s horn flared and soon the moon began to ascend, but very slowly. “Mr. Clare, would you be so kind as to watch the moon with me tonight?” Luna asked, in a voice that made her sound like a younger more lady like teenager on her first date. “Yes ma… I would be delighted to accompany you this evening Ms. Luna” I replied in a gentlemanly voice, it kind of felt weird talking to the princess like this, I mean she was my boss.

“Well I must get changed. Meet me in the royal garden at 7:00pm sharp” she said then trotted away. I leaned against the balcony railing and thought to myself ‘Okay self so… only a few days ago you were contemplating whether or not she liked me and now I’m going on a date with her… alright. But I’m gonna need something more… gentlemanly’.

I walked into the castle in search of some gentleman’s attire, there had to be something.

6:56pm

Sgt. Clare, royal garden:
I looked at myself, “Oh how the mighty have fallen” I chuckled as I looked at the finely tailored suit. Though it was a little loose I couldn’t really complain, at least the dressmaker had something that fit me and that was designed for humans. Black suit jacket, black pants, white undershirt, black tie and… black combat boots, oh well Luna probably wouldn’t notice anyway.

I checked my watch, 6:58. I then realized I hadn’t gotten her flowers. “Shit” I muttered as I looked into the garden. There were some red roses that had been recently planted and despite it being early in the year, the roses had already bloomed and were quite pretty.

‘I wonder if she likes roses?’ I asked myself as I bent over and quickly snatched a few roses. My snatch was so fast that I didn’t realize at first but there were thorns still in the roses. I tried to drop the roses out of my hand but the thorns had poked into my hand and kept the roses stuck to my palm. “Oh for the love of” I began but Luna interrupted me.

“Good evening Clare” said a breathtaking voice. I turned around to see Luna sparkling in the moonlight, well not really but her mane was sparkling. My jaw dropped, she was absolutely… well stunning and I was speechless. “Luna… you’re… you’re beautiful” I said stutteringly.

She had a beautifully woven blue dress that matched her fur and nice glass slippers. She trotted over to me and smiled. “I like the suit, it makes you look… handsome and manly” she told me, she was a real heart taker when she talked like this. “The combat boots are a nice touch too” she told me, ‘Damn, she noticed’.

“Uhm… I uhh got you some roses” I stammered and presented her the roses. She snickered and I realized my hand was bleeding from the thorns. “I think that you’re supposed to de-thorn them first” she laughed and levitated them out of my hand. She looked at my hand. “I’ll be fine, just a scratch” I assured her. She used her magic to de-thorn the roses then placed one in her mane, and the other she levitated over into my jacket chest pocket.

I looked over to her and smiled as we walked into the beautiful garden. ‘Man this looks like something out of a Disney movie’ I thought to myself as we walked to a more secluded area.

Luna, or some-pony, had set up a woven blanket on the ground. Luna sat down and patted the area beside her, “Please sit down with me Clare” she offered. I took her offer and sat down beside her, she was rather quick in resting her head against my shoulder as we watched the night sky together.

The moon was shining very bright and it illuminated Equestria. “Beautiful isn’t it?” I asked, rhetorically, figuring she’d say yes. “No” she replied, I gave her a confused look and sighed. “It was beautiful to me at one time but after my thousand year banishment it gives me a rather… cold feeling” she replied as she shivered, obviously remembering the thousand year banishment.

“I’m… so sorry” I apologized and she shook her head. “Don’t be, it is beautiful if I don’t think about the time I spent up there… forever alone” she told me as a tear came to her eye. I held her face gently and wiped away the tear with my thumb. “Clare… I want to love you but… I can’t” she said with sadness in her voice.

“Yeah… I know, you’re an alicorn princess and I’m a human elite shadow guard. It just doesn’t mix” I said and she shook her head. “No, not that. I am an immortal and you are not. I could never love you because when you pass… I would be alone again” she said as she stifled back a sniffle.

I gently wrapped my arms around her, “Luna I… I have a code of honour to live by. I respect the code with my full dignity but despite it saying that I’m not allowed to have relations with you, I love you none the less. I would do anything for you” I told her, I thought it was kind of cheesy and a bad romance line but I wasn’t really used to talking with women, minus the women I talked to in my old unit but they didn’t count because… well just because.

I could feel tears trickle down from her face onto my shoulders. “I loved once… my dearest Star Gazer. After he passed I was heart-broken and vowed never to love again, and eventually I suppressed my heart-broken emotions for him. But as soon as you started working for me I felt for you and I… I can’t let my heart be broken again” she sobbed. I ran my hand through her mane and rubbed the back of her head gently as I cooed her.

She immediately stood up, tears still trickling down her face, “I’m sorry Clare I just… please take tomorrow off… find someone who will love you and be happy together” she cried as she galloped off. “WAIT LUNA!” I called out but she just kept running, ‘Fuck… I hope I didn’t say something wrong’.