34 - Round
By the next morning, Cadance was normal again. She fell occasionally into thought but never as deeply as she had that night. It was simple moments of contemplation, staring off into the middle distance that she would snap out of after a minute or so rather than something that consumed her hours.
A week and a half later, the incident was all but forgotten. Sunset had far more important things on her mind. In this case, a date.
Spring meant the opening of one of Canterlot's cultural staples: the Bright Star Theater Company, who ran productions every year on an outdoor stage. Situated in a park off of Tranquility Way, their first show had become as much a sign of spring as Winter Wrap-Up itself. The amphitheater had a ramshackle quality to it despite having stood for three generations now: worn wooden planks and beaten metal poles seemed ready to give way, but layer upon layer of paint from set changes and a papier mâché constructed of a thousand playbills were thick enough to support the structure. Divots were worn into the grass on the hill beside the stage, marking where pony after pony had sat to watch. Noble and commoner mixed freely in one of the few activities that didn't care for status or blood - tickets were by donation only. Any common pony could attend, yet no noble would dare be seen to not support the institution.
After all, Princess Celestia did. She never attended, but in the rear beside the control booth was the theater's lone true seat - the Royal Box. Eternally empty, but a good excuse for the Crown to make an annual donation large enough to keep the rest of the seats free of charge.
Tonight, however, it was not empty. There was a new Princess, after all.
Sunset leafed through the day's program - not that it told her much. Half of the little booklet was ads for businesses that sponsored the theater, but it did at least list the cast. A few of the names sounded vaguely familiar but nothing more. "So. Poneo & Fillyet. Don't they both die?"
Cadance rolled her eyes. "Just because it ends in tragedy doesn't mean it isn't romantic."
Sunset grunted but couldn't disagree.
Eyes kept looking their way, confused that the wooden box was occupied for the first time in history. Glances at the alicorn and her unicorn companion (and the hints of nearby bodyguards) were only second to the whispers that everypony seemed to think couldn't be heard.
But one thing stuck out to Sunset as odd: Cadance wasn't looking nervous. The looks, the whispers - they had always rattled her a little. They were reminders of the status she hadn't internalized and for months Cadance had responded to the attention with uneasy squirming. Sometimes even with a little embarrassed blush and that cute thing where she chewed her lip. But this time? Nothing. Just a pleasant smile and an easy laugh.
Sunset liked it. Maybe Cadance was finally getting comfortable in her royal skin. It had to happen eventually.
The murmurs quieted as one of the actors - a slate blue stallion with a brown mane - stepped to center stage. "Thank you all for coming on this opening night," he loudly announced, bringing all attention to him. "The Bright Star Company is pleased to launch our seventy-fourth season here in Canterlot with one of the best known classics of Equestrian theater." He paused for a round of quiet applause. "Speaking on behalf of all of the cast and staff, thank you all for your attendance, your donations, and your moral support, both this year and in all past years. Without you, events like this wouldn't be possible." Another pause, this time with more enthusiastic applause. "And of course we also would like to welcome Princess Cadance to our performance for the first time!" He motioned towards the box and every head in the amphitheater turned to them.
Even Sunset Shimmer - well experienced with crowds - froze up for a moment. So did Cadance, but she still managed to smile brightly and wave back to the crowd.
"It is our honor to finally have the Royal Box filled and we are thankful for her presence." The stallion bowed his head slightly and much of the crowd did the same. "However, I have been asked to remind everypony that the Princess is here to watch the show just like the rest of you. Please hold off any questions, comments, or requests for autographs for her until after the show is done. Be respectful of both her and your fellow audience members." He let that sink in, eyes sweeping the crowd before he waved a hoof in the air. "And with that, let us begin tonight's performance!"
"I still don't see the romance," Sunset complained. "They were barely together before everything went wrong and then they died."
Cadance lightly laughed. "Just because something ends doesn't mean it isn't good while it's there." Her wing reached over and poked her marefriend.
Sunset grumbled more. "They died stupid."
And Cadance just kept laughing.
The play - despite Sunset's objections - had been great. An excellent production they had both enjoyed, followed by a quick half hour of meet and greet with the eager crowd. Cadance had held herself high, signing autographs and shaking hooves just as Princess Celestia had taught her. (Sunset, meanwhile, had been largely ignored. Which hurt even if she insisted things would be different once she got her wings.) They had moved on as the sun dipped below the horizon, encouraging everypony to start heading home.
Now guided by street lamps and stars above, the pair leisurely wound their way back towards the Palace. The crowds had thinned, going their own ways and dispersing into the city. There were still others going in roughly the same direction, but also space enough that the two lovers could simply laugh and smile as night came.
"Anyway." Sunset moved past her complaints - the author was five centuries dead, after all - and into the moment itself. "You seemed pretty put together earlier. What happened to the nervous little filly who didn't like being a princess?"
Cadance gave Sunset a hip bump. "I'm two years older than you! You can't call me a little filly!" They both laughed. "And I'm still nervous and I'm still not sure I like being a princess. But you were right that I can't pretend this didn't happen. I have a horn now. I have to cope with that. But I realized that I don't have to do things the same way as Princess Celestia - I can be myself while being a princess. It was the comment about her being a gardener that started me thinking about--"
She was interrupted by more laughter as a pair of rambunctious foals stampeded between them with their father in hot pursuit. Cadance smiled as she stepped to the side to make room, her face lit up with joy at seeing the children.
The next sixteen seconds passed very, very slowly.
The presumed father of the foals - a large red-gray earth pony - lurched to the side as he passed between them. It could have been a stumble on the uneven cobbles, but whatever the cause he barreled directly into Sunset's side. More than twice her size, he plowed Sunset away from Cadance.
She fell to the ground, wind knocked out of her. More than that, in fact - she gasped for air, still not fully healed lungs screaming as her mind processed that she'd been hit. Pain radiated from the spot where a steel-shod earth pony hoof had punched her in the chest, adrenaline fighting against the feeling of her ribs buckling under a hit that was assuredly not an accident.
In the same moment there was a prickling feeling in the air as magic was built - then released. A lance of cyan light shot out down from the roof of a nearby house and there was no doubt in anypony's mind who it was aimed for.
Weeks of education and drilling paid off. The dome of Tritone's Projection snapped up around Cadance just like she'd been taught. The baby blue shield intercepted the cyan beam, letting off a flash of light and a loud G sharp note. The force was heavy enough that it knocked Cadance to her knees and left the shield quivering.
Around them, ponies started screaming. Some threw themselves flat to the ground, some ran wildly in blind panic. The four disguised bodyguards leapt into action - only to find themselves tied up. The unicorn moved to support Cadance's shield, only to be tackled. One of the earth ponies suddenly found himself in a knife fight with a pegasus, while the other earth pony guard was intercepted by the stallion that had laid out Sunset. The only guard who was able to get free was the team's pegasus - faithful Spearhead. He juked a hostile pegasus that was coming for him, getting past and charging the unicorn on the rooftops. (Somewhere in the mess, the two laughing foals disappeared around a corner. They would never be identified.)
A second shot hissed downwards and struck Cadance's shield. The unicorn obviously knew their basic spells - beam struck shield and both let out a loud tone. The shield rang at G sharp, while the beam's impact hit an A. Not enough to match the harmonics and pierce through, but close. The next shot would almost certainly go right through.
Sunset struggled to try and stand, wobbling as her knees failed to obey.
The unicorn's third beam was interrupted by Spearhead. He hurled himself in the path, ruining the caster's aim and causing the unicorn to rear back. The beam - humming at a perfect G sharp - slashed through the air, scorching roof tiles and clipping the guard's torso. Spearhead replied with a yelp of pain before the pegasus guard tumbled into the side of a building.
One of the earth pony guards had gotten free - the stallion that had rammed Sunset was missing now, vanished into the chaos - but he was too far from Cadance to physically shield her and had several ponies from the crowd in the way.
Still unable to find her hooves, Sunset gave up standing and settled for magic - her horn flashed as she teleported. Cadance's shield prevented Sunset from getting next to her, but she could place herself beside that bubble to project her own. The fourth and final cyan beam crashed into a wall of teal as Sunset threw up her casting of Brilliant Brocade's Barrier. A lesser unicorn might have folded from the power of the strike - but she was Sunset Goddamn Shimmer. The beam deflected away, screaming a G sharp into the sky.
Then as suddenly as it started, it all ended. The unicorn guard managed to get free enough to fire a red flare of magic into the sky, signaling a call for help. One of the attackers - Sunset couldn't tell which - screamed "SCATTER!" and the four (Five? Six?) of them all took off running. One of the earth pony guards started after them but came to a halt after only a few strides, unwilling to abandon the princess.
Sunset's head was ringing. Her entire chest - inside and out - was on fire. But Cadance was there. She was in a tight ball under her barrier spell, but she was there, she was unhurt, and she was frantically humming the mnemonic for her shield. The aura around Sunset's horn brightened slightly, her own shield extending over top of Cadance's.
Under that shelter, Cadance's own spell finally ended. The bubble evaporated, leaving behind a buzzing in Sunset's ears and the scent of Cadance's magic: espresso, dried fruit, and fresh baked bread. She dragged herself over to Sunset with a grunt, one wing protectively laying across the unicorn's back. "Are you okay?"
"I don't think he broke anything." Sunset tried to chuckle, but her bravado was as crushed as her ribs were and laughing hurt. "You?"
"My head hurts." Cadance leaned a little harder into Sunset. "I'm just glad you were here to--" And something clicked. Her head suddenly shot up as she realized the guards were there. Her eyes flicked around the scene - all four of the guards were standing, though each also bore wounds. The unicorn had a blossoming bruise over one eye; one of the earth ponies had several cuts from a knife; the other was walking with a pronounced limp in his back left leg. The worst of the lot was Spearhead, who was leaning against a lamppost to keep pressure on the bloody jacket turned makeshift bandage that covered his side.
Sunset was left behind as Cadance rose and rushed to help them - and was stopped by the teal bubble they were in. "Sunset, take it down! They need help!"
"Tartarus no." Sunset grimaced as she put more magical effort into the shield just to be sure.
The limping earth pony stumbled over to the side of the bubble. "We're fine, Your Highness. Stay there where you're safe."
"But--"
"Please, Your Highness."
Cadance drooped by the edge of the shield bubble as a fully armed company of the Royal Guard came surging on to the scene, surrounding her with a ring of steel, fresh magic, and healthy bodies to block any more blows.
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Magic having a specific smell is such as beautiful little tidbit of world building.
I love me some good meta humor.
Also, to reiterate something I said a few chapters back - Sunset is so, so blind. Princess Celestia has been constantly mentioned to never attend any event (in fact, I donʼt think sheʼs left the palace at all since the story began). Iʼm pretty sure she wants to, but canʼt. Sunset can see that, and yet, she still thinks becoming royalty is the best thing ever.
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This has actually come up before, too! Princess Celestia's is mentioned as far back as chapter 15, and it has a different scent in chapter 18 when she uses Luna's. It's a little detail I wanted to add to imbue a bit more environment into things - I'm a very visual person, but I know my wife talks a lot about how scent is a big part of the environment for her.
Well I don't think Blueblood would do this, so I have zero clue who sent these assassins.
Well, that was a left field turn relative to the focus of recent chapters, and one that, right now, I don't know where it's going or what it's for. But knowing you, I have little doubt it will serve a purpose!
A shorter chapter than usual lately, but I'm not complaining, the assassination (…?) attempt was high on kinetic energy, and the bits before that as effective as your chapter openers branching the time gap since the last chapter as ever.
Not quite stating that the best romance are invariably tragic, but that elemental truth would be a bit too rough to expect from the Princess of Love.
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There will be at least some information about this next chapter. Or at least, who certain Princesses think did it.
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I've been hinting that somebody was going to try to take out Cadance since Chapter 6.
Had to set of Chekhov's Gun at some point. (And yes, it serves an important purpose in the story. Though perhaps not the one people will guess.)
I admit, I got a little heavy-handed with that but the opportunity to wink at the camera was just so good I couldn't help myself.
Whoag! Two chapters in one month? U spoil us.
My first thought was that Sunset was the target here... But then I remembered she's not nearly as important as she thinks she is. But I can't think of anypony who would want to kill Cadance, or why they would want to.
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We should be going every other week from here out - I finally managed to build up a satisfactory buffer, and I'm too impatient to hold off any more.
I fell like you are going to make Sunset cross that Mirror at some point and I will cry and I will blame you a lot.
hahahhahahhahhahahaaaa oh im gonna cry so much
Huh, damn. now I'm curious who ordered the hit.