In A Better Light: Sc.08


                                            >Changing of the guard happens at sunrise and sunset, every day.

                                            >The Royal Guard – Celestia’s, that is, so also yours as her adjutant – don’t might the slightly longer hours than the Night Watch.

                                            >It’s a point of pride, in fact.

                                            >You don’t mind them either, because work is all you know.

                                            >So what else are you going to do in the evening, when most of the palace staff has retired for the night, than inspect your troops as they come off duty?

                                            >Today you’re going to the Royal Air Patrol’s barracks.

                                            >Again.

                                            >You’ve been there too often as of late, you feel.

                                            >You and Adjutant Anonymous were dealing with the issues surrounding faulty intelligence together.

                                            >Or, you thought so. He often has his own way of doing things, and you stay clear of them so they don’t impair yours.

                                            >Ah, but your thoughts have been turning to him often as of late, haven’t they?

                                            >And his visit just a short while ago…

                                            >…the aftermath of which drove you out of your office for some air…

                                            >…still rankles.

                                            “I cannot help but feel I missed something important.”

                                            >Alpenglow, striding beside you, looks your way. “Like what?”

                                            “Anon had not before spoke to me of non-work matters. But he came to me to inquire about my health.”

                                            >”Seems only normal for your colleague.”

                                            “A situation he indirectly placed me in, by telling me to take the previous night off.”

                                            >”Don’t tell me you’re going to blame him, now.”

                                            “Not at all! I just…”

                                            >Alpenglow patiently waited for you to sort your thoughts, as the two of you walked across the Royal Guard’s mustering grounds.

                                            “He has shown a degree of concern for me I had not expected of one so focused on his duty.”

                                            >”Takes one to know one.”

                                            >You shoot him a flat look, and he flashes a grin in return.

                                            >You cannot tolerate digs from your own personal assistant and guard.

                                            >But from one of your few friends, well, Alpenglow had the right.

                                            >You shake your head.

                                            “Therein lies the problem.”

                                            >”You still haven’t said what that problem is.”

                                            “When I had the chance, I could not return his goodwill.”

                                            >You look back to Alpenglow as the two of you slow in your approach to the barracks.

                                            “Something bothered him badly. When I had a chance to help him, I could not find the words.”

                                            >”I’m sure he understands.”

                                            “He may, but I cannot tolerate it. I must find some way of making it up to him, or at the very least assist him with his burdens.”

                                            >Inside the barracks is the usual commotion, pegasi who just returned from flights abroad stripping their flight gear, others who were on palace duty stowing their armor, different groups checking in so they may check out for the night.

                                            >All of which seemed to have to occupy the central hall at the same time.

                                            >A level of barely-controlled chaos you briefly wondered if the mare-dominated Night Watch had to deal with.

                                            >Whatever may be bothering him, Anonymous had it easy in some respects.

                                            >But pegasi stallions could carry heavier loads in flight, and earth pony stallions were larger and stronger in general.

                                            >Only the magic corps of the Royal Guard had significant maresculine presence.

                                            >Truly, the Royal Guard was in many respects a last bastion of the archaic traditions of Celestia’s time, when stallions were expected to protect herds at all times, in a more uncertain era.

                                            >Thankfully, such a time was history.

                                            >You’re not the kind of unicorn who would be good at fighting, you suspect, and the top of a bureaucratic leviathan suited your maresculine talents of leadership and organization just fine.

                                            >One of the pegasus guards at the check-in desk – which was so buried under a disorganized mass of papers you couldn’t find any identification of who he might be – snapped to attention when you entered. “Adjutant, ma’am, how may I be of service?”

                                            “I wish to follow up on-”

                                            >Hold on.

                                            >Who was that mare?

                                            >A dusty-yellow unicorn sporting a cutie mark of a radiant star stands in the corner, chatting with what looks to be a member of a just-arrived patrol flight.

                                            >If you weren’t so distracted by your earlier failure, it wouldn’t take you this long; you know every member of the palace staff.

                                            >She’s-

                                            >Ah.

                                            >Lumen Aether works in the draconic embassy.

                                            >All embassies have liaisons, of course, to help them with Equestrian culture, along with certain tasks their physiology may not allow.

                                            >Her career began as an assistant studying how their magical gems interact with light.

                                            >She’s worked her way up to be the chief liaison for the dragons’s diplomatic mission.

                                            >So what was she doing here?

                                            >You turn back to the desk personnel.

                                            ”That patroller there. What task has his group undertaken?”

                                            >The stallion looks to the group speaking with the unicorn mare, then starts sifting through the papers covering his desk seemingly at random. “Ah, if you’ll just give me a moment, ma’am…”

                                            >The mare seems to have noticed your presence, and quickly wraps up her conversation.

                                            >She then heads your way at a good clip.

                                            >She’s trying to look dignified, but you’re too observant.

                                            >She does give you a respectful nod as she passes you to head for the door, at least. “Miss Inkwell.”

                                            >You return it, but don’t take an eye off her as she goes.

                                            >”Ah!”

                                            >The desk stallion has apparently finally found the paper he was looking for.

                                            >”That’s a mountain observation group, Adjutant. Just came back in from a three-day patrol.”

                                            >Reasonable enough for the dragons to be interested in the goings-on of mountainous areas. Much of Equestria’s highlands stretches across their mutual border.

                                            >But if it was a matter of routine-information sharing, why was she in such a hurry to leave when she noticed you?

                                            >Any requests by diplomats or functionaries regarding the Guard should be going through you.

                                            ”Thank you. I fear I cannot stay for the usual updates; something has just come up.”

                                            >You give the stallion a stern look.

                                            “And I will not have any gossip about this.”

                                            >A gleam leaves his eyes. “Of course, ma’am.”

                                            “Good. Do keep things orderly around here. This place looks one stiff breeze from falling apart.”

                                            >The stallion looks at the bedlam of the main area, then the paperwork scattered across his desk, and sighs. “Yes, ma’am.”

                                            >You turn to follow the unicorn’s path, exiting the barracks with Alpenglow hot on your hooves.

                                            >But the mare is nowhere in sight, even across the mustering grounds.

                                            “She must have teleported.”

                                            >Shame you had little magical talent.

                                            >Alpenglow, however, is always attuned to your needs. “Should I lift a message to Anon?”

                                            “Yes, please. Tell him to mind Ms. Aether’s movements for the night. If she comes back to the Air Patrol barracks in the night, I do not wish to learn it from the Guard’s robust grapevine.”

                                            >Alpenglow chuckles. “Trust me, it’ll be hard to outfly news of a midnight visitation on the wings of a stallions’ barracks.”

                                            “I hope the Night Watch is up to the task.”

                                            >Alpenglow snorts, but does not make any further comment, lifting off for the tower of the palace that housed Anonymous’ office.

                                            >You continue back to the palace on foot, once more crossing the grounds and through the guard’s own entrance.

                                            >Once you’re in the main corridors, however, a new obstacle presents itself.

                                            >”Raven!”

                                            >Fleur de Lis rushes towards you from the corridor’s far end, shouting your name.

                                            >As with Lumen, you can tell when a mare is trying to hide how rushed she is.

                                            >Fleur may as well be panting like a mutt.

                                            >And her wild eyes don’t do her any favors.

                                            “Surely nothing so important would warrant-”

                                            >«Oui, C’est important! C’est incroyable! C’est fou!»

                                            >Her eyes, you can see now, are wild not with exertion but with excitement.

                                            >You sigh and shake your head.

                                            “Alright, tell me about it as we walk.”

                                            >She falls in alongside you, with her elegant yet somewhat bouncy gait. “The Adjutant Anonymous-”

                                            >Ah, here he comes to intrude on your thoughts once again.

                                            >”-can understand our tongue!”

                                            “The Adjutant’s fluency in Equestrian creole, while still a mystery, has long been common knowledge-”

                                            >”No, Raven. OUR tongue!”

                                            >You can’t hide your shock from your old friend, drawing a laugh from her. «C’est la vérité!»

                                            “Please do not tell me you discovered this after some ill-advised comments you believed he would not understand.”

                                            >”Fine, I won’t.”

                                            >Your shock gives way to dismay, equally evident, and equally drawing a laugh. “Détends-toi, je plaisante. Well, it was just one. And a mild one!”

                                            >You squeeze your eyes closed.

                                            >If she hasn’t been so kind to you your whole life…

                                            >”He took it in stride, I swear. And responded in kind!”

                                            “At least we have that going for us.”

                                            >You continue through smaller side passages, now, towards your office.

                                            >Fleur hasn’t quite lapsed into silence, humming a jaunty tune in time with the beats of her unique stride.

                                            >She probably won’t say anymore until you’re in your office.

                                            >Alpenglow hasn’t yet returned to stand outside it, when you arrive.

                                            >Fleur darts in ahead of you, settling into her favorite of the plush chairs you keep for guests to what is essentially your home.

                                            >You close the door behind you, then move to settle in behind your desk.

                                            “Since it does not seem I can keep you silent, will I have to pay you for this privilege?”

                                            >”Heavens no, this is not for your work.”

                                            “Anonymous’ position compliments my own. I do not see how one can consider him anything else.”

                                            >”Indulge me.”

                                            >You smile.

                                            “I always do.”

                                            >”He says he learned it as a child. The language of a rival nation. French, he called it.”

                                            >Your smile fades to a frown.

                                            “Rivals? I knew his country of origin had some connection to unicorns, but he does not act-”

                                            >”No, no, nothing to do with unicorns. He said that was different.”

                                            “His home did not have magic, if I recall. Unicorns should not relate at all.”

                                            >Fleur shifts in her seat. “I did not pry, I cannot say.”

                                            “A first.”

                                            >She laughs. “Give me time; I’ll know everything there is to know about our mysterious friend.”

                                            >Everything, huh?

                                            >Well, if any mare can pry secrets from recalcitrant minds, it would be Fleur.

                                            >She and her brother were Canterlot’s unofficial domestic intelligence, and you’ve made use of their talents before, even in your official capacity.

                                            >With compensation, of course.

                                            >Never have you leaned on her personally, though she’s always shared with you, when it didn’t involve work. She knew she could trust your silence, and you’ve helped her figure out a few puzzles.

                                            >Maybe you can call in a favor.

                                            “I will hold you to that, and add to it a request, if I may.”

                                            >«Bien sûr!»

                                            “Something bothered Adjutant Anonymous last night. Considering the time between his departure from my office and your arrival to derail my night, it bothered him enough to drive him to make good time through the city, even assuming you teleported directly here.”

                                            >Fleur nods at your last supposition.

                                            >Which would explain why Alpenglow has not yet returned.

                                            >Anon is probably still making his way back.

                                            “I would like you to find out what vexed him so.”

                                            >Fleur pouts. “Raven, my friend, you shouldn’t treat your relationships like your work.”

                                            “He and I’s relationship perfectly embodies a working one.”

                                            >She shakes her head. “I mean treat him like a pony, Raven. You should be figuring this out yourself.”

                                            >Your eyes turn down to your desk.

                                            “I could not, Fleur. I tried and I failed. I do not think I know how.”

                                            >”Well,” Fleur says, after a short silence, “We shall work on that, then. In the meantime, I will try to do as you ask. In return, I have a request of my own for you.”

                                            >You look back to her.

                                            “Anything.”

                                            >”One day, and one day soon – I will help you – you will learn to stop living work, and start loving life.”

                                            >You flash a weak smile.

                                            “I will try to do as you ask.”