//------------------------------// // The Princess and Her Knight Part Two // Story: Stories of True Love // by MiraculousDragonMaster //------------------------------// Stories of True Love The Princess and Her Knight Part Two "Okay, we knew that part." Fire Spark said. "And that was when Mom and Dad started to become friends." "When did they start to fall in love?" Starling asked excitedly. "Somewhere along the way." Celestia answered with a chuckle. "And they just didn't know it yet until much later. Your mother keep denying your uncle's suggestions of having a full guard, saying that just having your father was enough." "And let me guess." Midnight said, crossing his hooves. "Uncle Shining Armor started to act all overprotective." "Well, a little bit, that was after they learned that Twilight was getting requests for courtship from other nobles. Especially from Prince Blueblood, my wayward nephew." "What!?" Fire exclaimed. "That pompous stuck-up stallion wanted to date Mom?!" Starling and Midnight stuck out their tongues in disgust. "That's just wrong." The youngest pony commented. Celestia chuckled again. "I can't imagine how your mother and father reacted to that news when they found out themselves." Twilight and Flash were visiting the Crystal Empire for a couple of weeks. When they had arrived, Princess Cadence had wanted to speak with Twilight alone. So the younger princess complied, and they left Shining Armor and Flash to play with a four-year-old Flurry Heart. Flurry was ecstatic to see Flash again. Apparently before he was transferred to her aunt's castle, he was the only guard who would watch over her if her parents couldn't, so she attached to him fairly quick. Soon, Twilight was in her sister-in-law's personal chambers. "What is this about, Cadence?" She asked. "What's been going on?" Cadence took a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you this here because I don't want your brother to explode again." Twilight tilted her head in confusion. "Why?" "It seems that there are some noble stallions that wish to court you." Cadence explained. "WHAT?!" Twilight shrieked, her mouth dropping. "But I just recently became of age!" She said. "I know, Twilight." Cadence assured her. "But you know that word travels very quickly in Equestria. And the most persistent suitor is Prince Blueblood." Twilight felt her jaw drop again. That snob and pompous prince who mistreated Rarity all those years back wanted to court her? "Excuse me?" She said, starting to feel her blood boil. "I know about you and your friends' brief history with Blueblood." Cadence said, trying to calm her sister-in-law. "And you might know the reason why the sudden interest in you." "Yes!" Twilight shouted. "He only wants to get as close to the throne as he can! Obviously, Celestia and Luna are out of the question, and you are already married. So that only leaves me!" "That's right." Cadence said. "But you know that you can't avoid it forever." "But there has to be a way!" Twilight pleaded. "Well, unless you are already seeing somepony, then you might have to face it." Cadence said. Twilight remained silent. Well, technically she was already seeing somepony: Flash. Once they started to connect and become friends, they would hang out in secret as just two normal ponies, and not a princess and a guard. During that time, her feelings for the orange pegasus had increased to a much deeper extent. But the reason why they are keeping this somewhat complicated relationship a secret was mostly because of how her older brother might react. Twilight knew that he wasn't really the overprotective type, but he can get on her nerves. And Flash trained under him. Second, Flash wasn't quite ready to let their relationship known to others. She didn't blame him, though. Until they had full confidence of their feelings and how others will take it, they best keep it on the down low. Later, in her room on the bed, Twilight was still pondering on what Cadence had said. A knock on her door brought her out of it. "Come in." She said. Flash Sentry entered the room, double-checked to see if some pony was watching or might be eavesdropping, and closed the door. "Is everything okay, Twilight?" He asked. He noticed that Twilight wasn't really happy after she had returned with Princess Cadence. He had glanced over at his old mentor, Shining Armor, and saw that the white unicorn stallion was glowering slightly. The lilac princess shook her head. "No, I am not!" She almost shouted, but quieted down when Flash placed a hoof over her muzzle. "Sorry." She said a bit quieter. "It's okay." He said, taking off his helmet and sat down next to her. "So what happened?" He asked. "Cadence told me that there are already offers of courtship for me." Twilight explained. "What?" Flash whispered-yelled, doing that to prevent himself from speaking too loud. "And that snobby Prince Blueblood is the most persistent." Twilight continued. "Oh, I remember him." Flash said. "The apple fell pretty far away from the tree, considering who he's related to." "You think?" Twilight agreed. "He's just interested in me because he wants to get closer to the throne through me." Flash glowered. "Well, that's great." He said sarcastically. Knowing Twilight, if she ever married, it would be for love, like with Shining Armor and Cadence. And she deserved some pony way better than that gloating show pony. Twilight groaned loudly and flopped down onto her bed. "There has to be a way to get out of this." She said. "And I'm not considering telling everypony that we are- um..." She trailed off, not sure how to word the next part. Flash knew what she was trying to say. "Dating?" He suggested. Twilight sat up. "Are we?" She asked, a small red blush on her blush on her muzzle. Flash rubbed his hoof nervously, a similar blush on his own face. "Well, I guess so." He said, looking down at the floor. Twilight smiled nervously and scooted a little closer to him. "Well, I'd like that." She said. "If anything, I would rather date you than Blueblood." Flash chuckled slightly, feeling a small twinge of pride at her comment. He then felt her timidly put her hoof over his own. He looked over at the princess and once again found himself lost in those amethyst eyes. "How about this?" Flash suggested. "We can't make Blueblood leave right away, but we can try to push him away. When does he get here?" "Tomorrow." Twilight answered. "Then, we can both make up excuses so that we can hang out more, and you can ditch that Blueblood at the same time." Flash said. Twilight beamed, and threw her hooves around his neck. "Flash, you're a genius!" She exclaimed. The orange pegasus stiffened a little in surprise, but then melted into the princess' embrace, returning it with his hooves around her back. Twilight felt so secure in Flash's embrace, like she would never want to leave them. And Flash felt like he could never let her go. Everything then went according to plan. Blueblood had arrived the following morning, greeting Twilight a little more courteous than necessary. But when they were out for lunch, Flash had came by and told the prince that Twilight had a study session right then. Then, the two would hang out in the library or go out for some smoothies in disguise. So it went like that for the next few days. Blueblood was getting more frustrated that his plan to woo Twilight kept getting de-railed. So soon, he had begun yelling at Flash to leave them be, but Twilight would yell back at him, telling him that he was her personal guard. In fact, one time she had stormed out on him to follow Flash after he shooed him off. So he didn't do that again to stay on Twilight's "good" side. One night, after Twilight had dinner with her family and Blueblood (the only bright side to that evening was when Flurry Heart threw some food at the pompous prince when she saw that her aunt didn't like him and sent him scurrying to his room to clean himself up), she was surprised to see that Flash wasn't in her room waiting for her. Instead, when she peered into her room, she saw a note on her bed. She levitated it over to her and read it. Meet me over at the hill where we would have lunch. I have a surprise. Don't forget to wear your disguise. -Flash. Twilight smiled fondly. Well, maybe this night won't be so bad. She magically placed the note inside one of her drawers and went over to her closet. She brought a royal purple cloak with silver trim out. This cloak had come in handy when she and Flash went out. She kept it in her hooves as she went outside to her balcony. Twilight then closed her eyes and concentrated hard. With a blast of magenta magic, she teleported from her balcony down to the courtyard, her cloak still in her hooves. She then put on the cloak, pulled the hood over her head, and galloped out of the courtyard. A few minutes later, when the sky had turned pink and purple, giving her namesake, Twilight had arrived at the hill. She pulled down her hood once she was sure that nopony was around, and quietly gasped in awe at what she saw. There was a picnic dinner placed there, on top of a red and white plaid blanket. Candles were placed in small lanterns all placed around in a circle, all decorated with red roses. Twilight smiled softly at the beautiful sight. Just then, a dark gray cloaked pony came up to the picnic spot. The figure removed its hood to reveal Flash. The orange pegasus then saw Twilight and smiled brightly. "What do you think?" He asked. The purple alicorn came down to him. "Flash, it's beautiful." She said. "I'm glad you like it." Flash said. He then was taken a little aback when Twilight gave him a big hug. "I love it." She whispered in his ear. Flash returned the hug, relishing in the feeling that he would always get whenever he was around the princess. He just hoped that tonight would go as he had planned. "Come on." He said, guiding Twilight over to the picnic blanket. Soon, a few minutes later, everything was eaten. "That was delicious." Twilight said. "I couldn't really eat during dinner earlier." "Regent Snob giving you a hard time as usual?" Flash asked before catching a grape with his teeth. "Of course." Twilight said. "The only good part of that was when Flurry used her magic to dump her food on him." Flash swallowed the grape and laughed. "I love that little squirt." He said. Twilight giggled as well. "Me, too." She agreed. "She is my niece, after all." She then levitated another grape with her magic. "You think you can catch?" She asked with a challenging smile. "I know I can." Flash said confidently. Twilight smirked and carefully tossed the grape, and Flash caught it in his mouth. "Oh!" He exclaimed victoriously. "Beautiful!" Twilight complimented. "Yes!" Flash said, pumping his hoof and swallowing the grape. "You want to try?" He asked. Twilight shook her head. "No thank you." The two of them then laughed for a little while, lying down on their backs. Soon, after their laughter died down, they turned over on their backs, looking over at each other. Sapphire blue eyes became lost in amethyst purple, and vice versa. Soon, Flash sat up with Twilight following. He took a deep breath in his mind. Here goes nothing. "Um... Twilight?" He began. She turned over to him. "Yes, Flash?" She asked. Flash calmed down his nerves. He can't abort now. "There's, uh, something I've been meaning to tell you." He then looked over at the beautiful princess beside him. "From the moment we first met, I was drawn to you for some reason. I couldn't understand what it was until I was transferred to you and we started to become friends." His hoof then went over hers. "At first, I didn't want to tell you because of what you have been dealing with, but now, I don't care. Princess Twilight Sparkle, I... I love you, with everything I have, and I always will, no matter what." Twilight felt her heart soar as her cheeks went red at this proclamation. She then scooted closer to him. "I love you too, Sir Flash Sentry." She said, making him slightly gape in surprise as he listened to her words. "I too was drawn towards you when we had first met. When I had returned from that alternate world I told you about, the feeling only grew. I was at first hesitant to tell you because of our professional positions, and because I didn't want to make you feel like I was choosing you because you reminded me of your counterpart. I fell in love with you, in this world because of who you are. If my brother and Cadence found love, then we can, too." Flash beamed at her, and Twilight returned it just as bright. The two of them then hugged each other once more. When they slightly broke apart, they looked into the other's eyes, getting lost in them. Slowly, they began to incline closer to the other, their eyes fluttering closed. Then, their lips touched in a slow and gentle first kiss. Twilight wrapped her hooves tighter around Flash's neck, while he brought her closer to him, keeping his hooves around her back. Soon, they broke apart, gazing into each other's eyes again lovingly. Twilight then nuzzled into Flash's neck, while he softly played with her mane with his hoof. Minutes later, Twilight and Flash were back in the castle courtyard, wearing their cloaks with the hoods over their heads. Twilight leaned against Flash, while he placed his chin on top of her head. When they reached the doors, they maintained a professional distance side by side, removed their hoods, and Twilight opened the doors with her magic. No sooner did the two of them entered the main foyer, crystal guards came up to them. "Princess Twilight, your presence is required in the throne room." One of them said, possibly the lead guard. He then turned to Flash. "You as well, Sir Sentry." Twilight and Flash exchanged a brief worried glance. Did they get caught? They couldn't get a word in between each other as the guards surround them and began escorting them to the throne room. When they entered the room, they saw a worried Cadence, a smug yet infuriated Blueblood beside her on the left, while Shining Armor on her right with an unreadable expression. Twilight felt her blood run cold as she gestured to Flash to stay behind while she went up to talk with them. "I think we need an explanation from you, Twilight." Shining Armor said, his voice devoid of any emotion, postive or negative. Twilight felt her knees wobbling as she went up to her brother and sister-in-law. "We just want the truth, Twilight." Cadence said, coming up to the younger princess. "Are you and Flash Sentry seeing each other?"