It should never have gone this far.

Nobody was supposed to get hurt.

As Princess of Equestria, Celestia had always maintained a degree of control over situations. Every action was carefully calculated with options weighed against the experience of a thousand years of rule. A dozen lifetimes had taught her the virtues of compassion and benevolence. And yet as Celestia sat on her throne, guards and advisors standing before her, all she could feel in her heart was rage - at her own blindness; her own foolish actions; and her impotence at protecting that which was her sacred duty. Shining Armour, her most trusted officer and Captain of her guards, looked up at her in stunned silence. Even Twilight Sparkle seemed to be reeling in shock.

“Celestia, you can’t be serious!” Twilight said as the first to realize the implications of her mentor’s orders.

“I am serious, Twilight,” the Princess replied as she rose to her hooves. A steely gaze fixated on the Guard Captain before she directed at him with her hoof. “Send out the call. Rally every guard that is available and prepare them for battle.”

“But your Highness,” Shining was quick to respond, “the Royal Guard is charged with the protection of Equestria. They’re not trained to be used as part of an invasion.”

“Then train them!” The resonating crunch of Celestia’s hoof stomping at the floor was loud enough to make every pony jump back an inch as well as leave a small crater in the floor. “Send out recruiters to every town in Equestria. I want an army ready to march before the month is over!” Every word of hers was laced with her hate and frustration. It was so completely alien to every other pony in the room that many of them were hesitant to act upon her commands.

But while Shining and the other guards were reluctantly agreeing to their instructions, Twilight Sparkle remained stubborn in her objections. “You can’t do this, Princess!” she insisted, taking a step forward when every other pony was stepping back. “I know you’re upset, but we can’t let this derail everything we’ve achieved. This isn’t right...it isn’t fair!”

“Fair?” Celestia repeated. “There was a time, Twilight, when a citizen of Equestria could walk from one end of the world to the other without fear of harassment. So certain and universally understood was my devotion and dedication to the protection of my people that not a single living soul on this world would dare bring harm upon even one of my subjects.” Slowly, the Princess descended down the steps with her voice growing ever louder with each hoofstep. “But it would seem that the many years of peace and goodwill have made folks forget this. They seemed to have forgotten that I was waging war when they were still carving their homes out of the mountains!”

Twilight visibly recoiled when the Princess leaned down and addressed her face-to-face, which amounted to little more than being yelled at, point-blank-range. “Please, Princess...don’t do this,” the unicorn whimpered. “They’re just scared. They don’t know what they’re doing.”

“They knew exactly what they were doing! This was not the knee-jerk reaction of a scared child, but a cold and calculated act of hatred.” When the Princess turned and began walking towards the balcony, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a small tinge of relief that the anger wasn’t being directed at her any longer. But that still didn’t solve the greater dilemma. “I will not brook these insults any longer.”

“And you think conquest will do that?” Twilight rebutted as she pursued the Princess.

“No, Twilight Sparkle, not conquest,” Celestia responded. “I want them gone; I want them annihilated! I want their fields burnt to ashe, their homes leveled, and that mountain they call a fortress turned into a memory. I want them to be crushed so completely and so utterly that every living soul that is and shall ever be will look upon that scar of the land and know that I will never, ever, allow my kingdom and my subjects to be made victims again!”

Clattering china and hollow hoofsteps echoed down the empty halls. Beneath the pale white luminescence of the wall-mounted crystals, a lone guardpony journeyed through the royal castle with slow, cautious steps. Upon his back and supported by outstretched wings, a small tray of fine china was balanced with great care and delicacy. Faint wisps of steam wafted from the spout of the floral-patterned teapot, leaving behind a serpentine trail as each step jostled the precious cargo. As the Royal Guard reached an intersection in the hall, the gold-adorned pegasus came to an abrupt halt. With his eyes never swaying from its forward-fixed gaze, he crossed his front right leg ahead of his left, and his rear-left ahead of his right. With three hooves in position, the pegasus made a swift, split-second pivot that threw his entire orientation to the left that didn’t even raise the slightest clatter from his cargo.

Taking no time to reflect on the machine-like precision of his march, the guardpony continued forth. Though his task and payload may seem trivial, the Royal Guard carried himself with all the dignity and pride one would expect from Canterlot’s finest. His dedication was singular; his focus unwavering. Though his outstretched wings ached from repeated cramps, the guard’s stoic visage did not betray his discomfort. His journey through the castle took him from the lower levels of the castle to the top of the main spire. Past fellow guards and through winding corridors, the pegasus guard moved with military precision and speed.

And then came the final great obstacle to his mission - the stairs. A lesser guard might have called for a unicorn to make the final leg of the journey, but to admit defeat was not the way of the Royal Guard. To keep his back perfectly parallel to the horizon, the pegasus stooped low at first. Step-by-step, he crept his fore legs up the stairs, keeping his hind legs on ground level and his back level. Only until his hind legs were completely straight did the rest of his body continue up the stairs. And so the guard continued his climb, step by precarious step, with his fore legs three or four steps ahead of the rest of him and his chin low enough to almost kiss the steps. Though an awkward position, it allowed the guard to make good progress. When every second meant a colder product, time and efficiency were crucial.

After innumerable steps, the guardpony at last reached his destination. The opulent gold-trimmed doors, its contours and etchings outlining the ubiquitous solar heraldry of Her kingdom, called to him like the sweet melody of an awaiting lover. The thump of a steel-plated hoof against the massive door resonated through the spire and the chamber on the opposite side. The guard held his posture as he awaited the response. One...two...and...

“Come in.” The Princess’ response came as reliably as the morning sun, which wasn’t due for another seven hours and fifteen minutes by the guard’s last count. A subtle yellow aura enveloped the brass handle and the door eased open with the dulled groan of centuries-old hinges.

“Your tea is ready, your Highness,” the guard stated as he walked into the room. It was a needless statement to make as the state of her tea was apparent from a casual glance. Even without looking, Celestia would have known as the arrival of her tea at half-past ten was so routine that one could set their watch to it. The Princess found a small bit of comfort in the routine - a pot of tea at the same time, delivered to her by the same faithful and punctual guard. It brought about a sense of solidity and familiarity to a world that could so often be random and chaotic.

“Thank you, Dust Off,” the Princess replied from her spot on a couch at the far side of her bedchamber. There were few guards who were allowed into Celestia’s chamber after night, but Dust Off and his penchant for brewing tea had managed to garner him enough favour for that particular honour.

“A hard day, I take it?” Dust Off asked in a casual manner that seemed improper for a Royal Guard. It was, however, a part of the rapport the two had built through this nightly routine. He was observant enough to notice when the Princess had a bad day or a good one or whether it was busy or sparse. Celestia was still in the process of removing her ceremonial jewelry, setting them aside on the nearby vanity, which meant that she had only recently retired to her room. The tea she requested was also a good indicator of mood, and her order of virgin white lotus tea was her usual when she wished to relax. Thus with having spent only a few seconds in the room, Dust Off could deduce that the Princess’ day had been long and strenuous.

“More so than usual,” Celestia answered with a weary smile. It was moments like these that made Dust Off feel particularly proud of his task. Seeing the Princess’ spirits uplift with his delivery was a source of self-gratitude that none could deprive him of. The Princess moved aside several scrolls to clear the table for her tea. She set all but one aside, unfurling the one that remained levitating.

“Another letter from Twilight?”

“Actually, this one is from her friend, Applejack,” the Princess answered. “Apparently she had a little bit of trouble organizing an event for her family.”

“Since when has accommodating family ever been easy?” Dust Off commented as he continued arranging the tea set.

“I imagine your eight brothers and sisters taught you that lesson quite well.”

“Also taught me a hundred different ways to get stains out of your uniform,” the pegasus added with a small chuckle.

“How is your family, by the way?” The tea was not the only thing that provided a means to relax for the Princess. Dust Off had often proven to be worthwhile company, and he always had something new to report about his sizable clan.

“Innumerable and about to get even bigger,” Dust Off reported. “Looks like I’m going to be an uncle again. My Hearth’s Warming shopping list is almost as long as my wing now.” To be honest, Celestia had lost count of the number of nieces and nephews the guardpony had, and she was too polite to admit that the detail had slipped her mind. With the tea set properly arranged, Dust Off’s duties for the night had concluded. “Have a good night, your Highness.” Another night, another pot of tea, and another job well done, which meant it was back to the monotony of patrolling the second floor’s southeast sector.

However, just as the guard turned and headed for the exit, Celestia spoke up, “Could you stay for just a moment?”

The unusual request caught the guard by surprise. Given that the Princess’ day was spent surrounded by guards and ponies, her evenings were often spent in seclusion. “I really should return to my rounds,” Dust Off insisted.

“I’m sure the kitchen will be safe without you for a little while,” Celestia said. She was persistent, the guard had to admit, but castle security was important even if the Princess thought otherwise. “You can take a short break, Dust Off. Come and have a bit of tea with me.”

“It...it wouldn’t be proper, your Highness.”

“Please don’t make me order you to.” The Princess’ ultimatum was enough to coax the guardpony to return. It wasn’t that he was afraid to defy the Princess’ order if he felt it was warranted, but rather than any situation that compelled her to pull out the trump card had to be of great importance.

The relief was visible on the Princess’ face, though the guardpony still did not know what troubled her. He took a seat on the floor on the opposite end of the table, and before he could object, Celestia used her magic to materialize a second tea cup and began to pour the pale amber brew. As duty dictated he accept anything given to him from the Royal family, Dust Off took the offered cup. The faint aroma of the lotus flowers was carried upon the small wafts of steam, and filled his nostrils with the sweet fragrance.

“Tell me, Dust Off, where did you learn to brew such lovely tea?”

“Trial and error for the most part,” he answered modestly. Perhaps if he had been younger, he might have earned his cutie mark in tea brewing and opened up a fancy cafe in town. But at the same time, it was the many long nights patrolling the castle that gave him the time to practise his hobby. “Mostly error, of course.”

Dust Off knew that this sudden desire for company was more than just a curiosity for his tea brewing habits, but he said nothing as he waited patiently for Princess Celestia to get around to the real reason. “So...did you hear about the big news?”

As a low-level Royal Guard, ‘big news’ rarely reached Dust’s ears and he answered as such. “If by big news you mean the sous chef’s recent spat.” Once again, he doubted that his joke was anywhere near the truth.

“King Ravenfeather died last week,” Celestia answered. The Princess didn’t appear to be distraught over the news, but her listless stare out the nearby window hinted at troubled thoughts.

“Did you know him well?” Dust Off hid his surprise behind his beverage. He didn’t pay much attention to gryphon politics but he had always figured news as big as the death of the Gryphon king would have made it to his ears sooner.

Celestia slowly shook her head before taking a quick sip of her tea. “I met him once during a trade negotiation some years ago,” she answered. Truth be told, Celestia doubted that she would even be able to pick the aforementioned king out of a line-up. When one lived as long as she had, memories of faces had a tendency to blur together into unrecognizable messes. “He had only just become king and he was asking me for advice,” she continued as the memories brought a faint smile to her lips. “He asked if me he should focus on siring an heir, and I told him that he’d have plenty of time and opportunity to worry about romantic dalliances. And now he’s gone...”

“I take it he had no heir?” the guard inquired. A quiet nod confirmed his suspicion. While he had little inclination for understanding political machinations, there were plenty of examples in history stressing the importance of clear lines of succession. “Do you think this will become a matter of concern for Equestria?”

“It’s possible,” Celestia said but did not appear to be worried about that particular matter. “I trust the gryphons will be able to find a quick resolution.” Once again, Dust Off got the impression that the Princess’ casual dismissals of such matters meant that this was just more preamble to other concerns. “You have a son, correct?”

The child question. Dust Off almost felt silly for not seeing it coming given the previous remarks. “That’s correct, your Highness.”

“And how did the birth of your child make you feel?”

“Relieved,” Dust answered tersely.

“Really?”

“My wife had been in labor for almost thirty hours. By the end of it, I was ready to go in and get that kid out myself.”

“I...hadn’t thought about having children in a long time,” Celestia admitted before letting out a tired sigh. Given that this was sounding more like what the Princess had been leading up to, Dust Off kept silent and lent an attentive ear for her Majesty’s musings. “I’ve spent so many years putting all my effort in taking care of the kingdom that I had never given much thought to the idea. After my sister was...banished, I had so much work assuming both of our responsibilities that I just had no time for it. If I ever met somepony interesting, I would ignore it and tell myself to worry about it another time. But then the next thing I knew, decades had passed and the pony I had found interesting was now long-dead.”

Dust Off wasn’t sure what support or advice he could offer the Princess. The only other pony in the castle that could even relate was Princess Luna and, for whatever reason, Celestia had decided not to raise this concern with her.

“Well, your sister has proven capable of assuming a number of your duties,” Dust Off commented despite his suspicion that he wasn’t saying anything that the Princess wasn’t already aware of. “Have you considered allowing yourself more free time to pursue such...dalliances?”

“And do what, exactly? Should I take out an ad in the Canterlot Chronicles? ‘Single white princess seeks like-minded companion. Must be comfortable with millennia-wide age difference.’” Sounded as though the Princess had given it some thought in the past. She let out a quiet, self-depreciative chuckle. At least she saw the humour in her less-than-ideal situation. “I’ve led a long life, and I have accomplished much. Yet, I look back and I wonder how much living have I actually done? I always tell myself that I have time for it later, but...I imagine that is what King Ravenfeather kept telling himself as well.”

“You can’t go comparing your life to that of an old king.”

“He was half your age, Dust Off,” Celestia corrected.

“Ah.” There went all the basis for his counter-argument. In the end, the guard resigned himself to the fact that the Princess was not going to find answers in one evening to something she had contemplated for many years. He didn’t want to say that she’d have time to think things through because that was half of her argument. There was one thing that came to mind. “Love isn’t something you can force just because you want to find it,” Dust Off said. “Like death, great moments tend to fall upon you in an instant without warning.”

Celestia could only manage a somber nod in response. She once again turned to her tea for comfort and relaxation, only to find that her cup had but a dabble remaining.

“Here, let me refill that for you,” the guard offered before picking up the teapot. Dust Off rose to his feet with the teapot held delicately between his teeth.

As Dust Off had said, most life-changing events came in the blink of an eye without a moment’s notice. It started with a subtle crack, sharp in nature but dulled by distance. Yet even before their minds had a chance to process the sudden noise, the teapot burst open in a shower of porcelain shards and hot tea. It wasn’t until the solid lead projectile shattered the vanity's mirror that Dust Off realized what was transpiring.

Years of military training sprang into action. “Down!” he shouted. Spoons and china scattered in all direction as the guard launched himself across with such force that he upended the couch in the process of tackling the Princess to the ground.

“What is going on?” Celestia demanded while still sprawled beneath the guard.

“Shooter. Now keep your head down,” Dust Off instructed.

“You mean somebody is trying to kill us?”

“Good heavens no,” the guard retorted. “I’m nowhere near important enough to be worth killing.”

Princess Celestia and Dust Off remained motionless on the floor for one of the longest, most agonizing minutes of their lives waiting. Neither knew what they were waiting for; perhaps another shot or some dagger-wielding assassin to enter through the nearby window. But nothing would ever emerge and the only noises either of them heard were those of other Royal Guards. Once additional guards had arrived to the scene, Princess Celestia was ushered to safety.

“Sister! I came as soon as I heard the news! Are you hurt?” Princess Luna’s arrival to one of the castle’s deepest inner chambers was the final component of securing the premises. Though the small chamber offered little in terms of comfort, with only a small number of seats around an elongated table, or a decent view, but its location made it arguably one of the most secure rooms in Equestria. More than a dozen Royal Guards and officers surrounded the surrounded, where at the head sat a very restless Princess Celestia.

“As I’ve told this doctor a hundred times already, I am fine,” Celestia insisted. The aforementioned doctor, however, was undeterred as he continued to examine a red mark just above the Princess’ left eye. “If you should be worried about anypony, it should be Dust Off. They won’t listen to me.”

“Your well-being is paramount, your Highness,” Dust Off commented from his seat off in the corner of the room.

“You’re the one that’s bleeding!” Celestia said as she waved a hoof at the guard whose face was half-stained crimson. Much to her chagrin, no other pony in the room even reacted to this revelation other than a brief glance over to Dust Off. “Nevermind,” she murmured under her breath in resignation.

A choking silence overtook the room. Only faint murmurs between guards and the subtle creek of the overhanging lights provided any kind of reprieve from the tension. Hidden away in a labyrinthian chamber deep in the bowels of her own castle, with dank and stale air and without a hint of natural light, Celestia felt more like a prisoner than a princess.

“Lieutenant Fletcher, what do we know?” Luna asked in order to break the silence.

“Only that about twenty minutes ago, an unknown assailant fired a shot through the north-east window of Celestia’s bedchambers,” Fletcher, a tall and slender unicorn officer, answered. “The bullet struck a teapot and shattered a mirror, but no major injuries reported.”

“I liked that teapot,” Celestia murmured bitterly. Once again despite being the most important pony in the room, Celestia was ignored save for a brief glance in her direction from a few of the guards who were expecting something more poignant.

“We’ve got search parties out in full force,” the unicorn officer continued, “but thus far we’ve found no sign of the assailant.”

In other words, they had absolutely nothing that they didn’t already know from the broken mirror. Luna knew that the second the journalists from the Canterlot Chronicles caught wind of this, the headline would be all about how a teapot did more to save the Princess that the rest of the Royal Guard. Equally embarrassing was the fact that this meant the assailant was still on the loose.

“Please tell me we have some clue as to the perpetrators of this foul deed,” Luna said with an exasperated sigh. Sadly, all she got in response were a bunch of blank or puzzled stares. “Really? Nothing at all? Someone makes an attempt upon my sister, your Princess, and you have nary a clue?” A few of the younger guards recoiled as the Princess stomped a hoof in her disapproval; however, her elder sister displayed the patience that came from a thousand years of rule.

“Luna, please, there’s no need to get upset,” Celestia said before her sister’s voice rose to pre-banishment levels. She understood the younger sister’s grievances, but getting upset with the guards was not going to magically yield answers. Though Princess Celestia had remained quiet for the most part, she had been contemplating a number of possibilities. Her experience in the political fields allowed her to parse between the reasonable and the paranoia. “I would like somebody to get in touch with the gryphon ambassador.”

“You believe this may have something to do with King Ravenfeather’s passing?” Luna asked with a concerned look.

“The gryphons are the foremost experts on firearms, and their ability to fly would make breaching our security unnoticed far easier,” Celestia explained her rationale. She wasn’t so brash as to make any accusations but it was a likely scenario and the recent death of a gryphon king made it too coincidental to ignore. Whether this was a lone assailant or a part of a grander scheme was another important question to answer.

“And you believe the ambassador would just tell us if they were trying to kill you?” Luna’s skepticism was understandable, but it also reflected her inexperience with the finer workings of politics.

“To catch your quarry, sometimes it is better to let them think you know more than you actually do,” the elder sister explained with a knowing smile. “We’ll fire a shot into the air, and see if anything scurries out of the woodworks.”

“In the meantime,” the unicorn guard officer spoke up again, “we should focus our efforts first on securing the castle, which might be a bit of a problem.”

“Shining Armour is still in the Crystal Empire,” Celestia said with an affirmative nod. She hoped that her Captain of the Royal Guard wouldn’t take the news of an assassination attempt as a personal affront. He took his job seriously, as a Guard Captain should, but his new duties meant he couldn’t be the royal protector that he used to be. “Send a messenger to the Crystal Empire as soon as its possible,” she instructed. Knowing Shining, a formal request wouldn’t be necessary and he would race back to Canterlot the second he heard the news of his own accord. Celestia made a mental note to send a ‘sorry for stealing away your husband’ gift to Princess Cadence when this ordeal was over. “And who is acting commander of the Royal Guard in Shining’s absence?”

“That would be I, sister,” Luna replied. In retrospect, Celestia should have clued in to that fact by virtue of the ceremonial armour her sister was wearing. She had been preoccupied with other matters than who was assuming whose job temporarily. “And I’m afraid resolving this matter will not be as simple as recalling Shining Armour.”

“Why not?”

“Because, sister,” Luna began in a stern tone, “this isn’t some vague threat against Canterlot, this is a very real and very specific threat against you. And the threat could still be in the city so an energy shield would render us no aid.” Plus a city-encapsulating shield caused problems for public morale and business. As much as Celestia didn’t want to admit it, her sister was right. Nonetheless, she still wanted her captain back doing his job.

“Well, Luna, as acting Captain what would you suggest?”

For a moment, Luna was surprised to see that her sister appeared to be asking for genuine advice. There was a moment’s hesitation as she scrutinized the elder sister. Perhaps this was just a test, she thought; an opportunity to see how much Luna had matured into her role as co-ruler of Equestria. Before doubt could set in, she straightened her posture and calmly strode to the opposite end of the table.

“I believe the castle is no longer a safe haven for you. You should be transported immediately to a safer venue,” Luna recommended. Her straight-forward forward took most of the guards by surprise. Even Celestia was a bit intrigued by the assessment, though her only reaction to the proposition was a single raised eyebrow.

“Could we not just increase the guard patrols along the perimeter walls?” Celestia asked. Her question, however, sounded less like a genuine inquiry and more like a challenge to see if her sister could defend her decision.

“Sister, this castle is more than a thousand years old.” If it was a challenge, Luna was swift to answer its call. “These fortifications were not designed to deal with the threats that we face today. Once upon a time, an assassin would have to be within a few feet to pose a threat. Today we almost lost you to an assassin from a hundred feet away. A century from now, these walls shall be be naught but for aesthetics.”

It had been a long time since Equestria faced a threat from an army. As of late, threats to the kingdom had come in smaller and deadlier packages. Gone were the days of marching grand armies across the landscape and laying siege to towering fortresses of stone. Luna might have been inexperienced, but she offered the perspective of somebody who didn’t have the gradual changes of a thousand years influencing her decision. Celestia had to admit that her way of thinking was slow to change, as opposed to her sister who returned from a thousand-year absence and was forced to make radical changes.

“So we should overhaul our security procedures.” The fact that Celestia was made it sound more like an order than a suggestion gave the impression that she was reaching the same conclusions as Luna was.

“Correct, and in the meantime, you should not remain in the castle.”

At first, Celestia said nothing. The Princess tapped her hoof against the ground with her lips pursed in deep thought. Her eyes scanned slowly from one side of the room to the other before settling back on her sister. “I would like a moment in private with my sister,” Celestia finally spoke. As it was less of a suggestion and more of an order, the Royal Guards filed out of the room one-by-one until there was only Celestia, Luna, and a heavy oak table. The contemplative look upon the Princess’ face soon changed a defiant frown. “I am not going to slink away and hide every time somebody threatens me.”

“It is only temporary,” Luna insisted as she stepped out of the role of acting-Captain and into that of the younger sister. “It’ll only be until we’ve put a stop to this current threat and secured the castle against future ones.”

“And what of you?” Celestia’s voice grew louder as she rose to her hooves. “What if this assailant returns and picks you as his target?”

“That is a risk I am willing to take for you.” Luna matched her sister’s volume in kind. “Your safety is what is paramount here and you are no longer safe here!”

“It is my life, Luna, and I shall dictate the terms of it!” Celestia was beginning to put concerted effort into her voice now, which rattled the table ever so slightly.

“It is not just your life, but that of the kingdom. Equestria lives and dies with you, sister!” Fortunately for Luna, she was able to match her sister’s volume decibel for decibel. It was also lucky for the both of them that the walls surrounding them were quite thick and kept their argument from spilling into the hallways.

“I will not jeopardize the lives of others just because it is convenient for me!” In her growing frustration, Celestia slammed a hoof against the tabletop, which silenced the room with a resonating crackle as fissures split through the wood. Her temper had apexed and realizing the damage she had just done, Celestia fell back to her haunches with a sigh. “I won’t do it...not again.”

Luna quelled her own temper and instead trotted over to her sister’s side. She remembered the last time she saw such anger in her sister’s voice, and going on that hunch she asked, “You still think about Crystal Hills, don’t you?”

“Wouldn’t you?” came the answer after a brief lull.

“That was a thousand years ago, Celestia,” Luna said as she placed a supportive hoof upon her sister’s shoulder. “No one blames you for it...especially not I. You did what had to be done.”

“It’s hard to put that much death behind you,” Celestia answered in a barely audible whisper. As sordid memories swirled in her mind like a violent storm, the princess took a deep, calming breath to restore tranquility to her spirit. “Where would you have me go?” she acquiesced at last. “I don’t want to be shoved into a broom closet at the far corner of Equestria.”

“Wasn’t it you who said that sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight?” Luna said with a knowing smile. “Do you still remember Dawnflower?”

Dust Off had always considered himself to be a steadfast and loyal member of the Royal Guard. He followed his assignments to the letter even when it was something as mundane as bringing the Princess tea late in the evening. He was always punctual when reporting for duty, and his superiors all had good things to say about him. He rarely, if ever, complained about his work even when it was tiring or even painful to endure. Anypony with good sense would not have considered it to be an unfair request to at least have a few hours of rest after almost taking a bullet to the head.

But apparently even that was too much to ask for. Not even twenty minutes after being shuffled off to see the castle doctor to get his head patched up, Dust Off was summoned by the Princess again. He half-expected another order of tea to be requested, but instead all he got was a rather cryptic message asking for him to report to Celestia’s bedchamber. The location was just as curious to him since a few trickles of his blood were probably still wet on the floor.

Thankfully, without a load of tea to carry, the pegasus guard was far more prompt in his arrival.

“Come in, please,” a voice replied after Dust Off knocked upon the chamber door. He noted that it didn’t sound like Princess Celestia, but he just shrugged it off as a side-effect of his head injury.

Stepping inside, he noticed that a few precautions had already been taken to keep the room safe. Most notably the lights were dimmed and the curtains were drawn, which would make it hard for anybody outside to get a visual. The most stark change, however, was the unicorn standing in the middle of the room. She was tall and slender, lithe for want of a better word, with a coat that made her look as though she was sculpted from ivory. Beneath a rather unkempt mop of auburn hair were eyes as wide and blue as the sky, and for a brief instant the pegasus guard found himself captivated by them. Fortunately for him, guard instinct kicked in soon afterwards. She appeared to be helping herself a number of the Princess’ possession and he would have none of that.

“Stop right there! Identify yourself immediately,” Dust Off warned as he took an aggressive step forward.

“Calm down, Dust Off, it’s just me,” the unicorn replied with an oddly familiar genteel tone.

“Wait a second,” the guard muttered as he took a few steps closer. “Is that...you, Princess Celestia?”

The unicorn responded with an amused giggle as she continued packing things into a small suitcase. “Technically, I went by the name Dawnflower when in this form,” she explained. “I haven’t been out like this in...oh, four hundred years. Feels like slipping on an old dress.”

While the Princess seemed to be content as always, Dust Off was still having trouble believing his eyes. He knew that Celestia had magical abilities that she rarely displayed in public, but such a radical change in size and appearance was remarkable. Granted, being a pegasus what he knew about magic couldn’t even fill up a cocktail napkin so anything was possible. The possibility of an imposter crossed his mind, but a changeling would’ve taken the Princess’ form and no other pony would’ve had the sheer bravado to pretend to be the most important pony in Equestria. Besides, who else would’ve been able to identify him so easily?

“I take it a plan has been decided upon?” Dust Off inquired as he trotted over to help the Princess pack.

“Until the current crisis is resolved, I shall be staying in Ponyville,” Celestia explained. She stopped her packing abruptly when she realized she was about to place her jewelry into the suitcase as well. To her, it felt strange to put her crown and crest aside, but it defeated the purpose of going incognito if she wore the telltale signs of her true nature.

“I wouldn’t consider Ponyville to be a very safe place, your Highness.”

“If you were trying to kill me, would you look for a humble little unicorn living in a quaint little village?” Celestia proposed. The process of packing her things was quick and simple as there was little she could take that wouldn’t make her stand-out. She had packed away some basic writing supplies, a few simple outfits if need be, and a few random baubles to help her adjust to living like a common pony. There was, however, one last thing she’d need to make her relocation more comfortable. “I have no desire to wait this matter out cowering in the dark corners of my own castle. In Ponyville, I’ll be able to carry out some of my duties, and I’ll be close enough in case my presence is needed at the castle.”

“You should still take some means of protection with you.”

“Of course I will,” Celestia insisted. “That’s why you’re coming along too.”

“A wise deci-wait! What?”

The guard’s startled response proved to be source of amusement to the Princess. Her guards were typically so stoic that it was hard to get any kind of a rise out of them. She laughed his surprise off. “You can’t expect me to go without my favourite tea, now would you?”

“O-of course, not, your Highness,” Dust Off stammered in a hastened attempt to regain his composure. “But wouldn’t having a guard with you defeat the purpose of hiding?”

“Only if you go dressed as a guard.” Without warning, Celestia used her magic to pull off the guard’s helmet, revealing a flattened mat of blue hair. Like a colt suddenly parted with his favourite toy, the guard made a desperate attempt to grab his helmet back. Alas, it was lifted beyond his immediate reach and tossed aside. “Tussle up your mane a bit, and nopony will be the wiser.”

“Guess I’m not going to get a chance to see the missus tonight,” the pegasus murmured under his breath.

“Shining Armour and Luna will have this matter resolved in no time,” the Princess reassured him, “and then we’ll be back to enjoying tea just like before.”