A glance to the side at any point would have revealed to him a subtle honour guard keeping a respectful distance as the pair moved through the city. It was courteous, he supposed, rather than a full brigade having to meet him at the conning tower to guide him to the palace. They were easy to make out with their calm, measured, disciplined demeanours and synchronised movements in relation to Handy and Spike, very at odds with the more sporadic and erratic emotions of all the ponies they passed.