4 o’clock draws ever closer, and you’re almost giddy with anticipation, your mind still buzzing. In the span of one afternoon, you’ve offered guidance and comfort to two best friends whose relationship had turned rocky, given one of the most entitled ponies in Ponyville someone to talk to, and perhaps helped her turn her life around, and had experienced emotions you hadn’t felt in a long time, making the last session feel just as much for you as for the pony it was meant for. Each time, you wondered what could happen to top it, and now, as you approach the final session for the day, you hardly know what to expect at this point.
The clock chimes 4, and as the last note fades away, somepony knocks at the door.
“Come in!” you call.
The door opens, and a pony you don’t recognize steps in. Whoever they are, they’ve enveloped themselves in a dark-red trench coat that extends to the hooves, keeping their cutie mark obscured as well. A broad-brimmed hat hides their mane, and a pair of dark sunglasses covers their eyes. You can’t help but stare in surprise, as you’ve never seen somepony go to such lengths to keep their identity hidden. However, you shake it off, clear your throat, and say, politely,
“Good afternoon. Your name is...Cadenza, I believe?”
At least, that’s what it says on the appointments sheet. The mystery pony gives a soft laugh.
“That’s right,” they say, in an unmistakably female voice, “though my full name is Mi Amore Cadenza.”
There’s a flare of bluish light, and the coat, hat, and sunglasses are whisked off in a twinkling. You give a start at such an abrupt disrobing, even though ponies tend to go around without clothes in the first place.
That, however, is nothing compared to the shock you receive upon recognizing the pony underneath the disguise. Your jaw feels ready to drop straight to the floor, and quite possibly even further down. You can’t believe your eyes.
It’s none other than Princess Cadance herself!
An alicorn princess, the Princess of the Crystal Empire, at that, is standing in your very office!
You’ve never been granted an audience with any of the princesses before, never having a pretext for it. Well, of course, there’s Twilight, but she’s very casual about her status as a princess, and never insists on others treating her any differently, so that it’s often easy to forget she’s even royalty. You’ve also thought you had caught glimpses of Princess Luna while you were dreaming, but these moments have been very fleeting, and never distinct. As for Princess Celestia, you’ve only caught glimpses of her, and have never met with her in person. Twilight had been the one to handle the affairs surrounding your therapy license with her. You’ve never been given the indescribable honor of having a princess of a whole kingdom standing before you, let alone going to the trouble of coming to you in disguise.
She’s closer to your height than any pony you’ve ever met, except perhaps Big Macintosh. She’s also quite thin, even more so than the slimmest mares you’ve ever met, making them look a bit chubby in comparison. As an alicorn, she, like Twilight, has both the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus. Her coat is pale pink, with the feathers on her wings turning purple at the tips. Her long mane and tail are violet, dark pink, and pale yellow, and end in delicate curls at the ends. Her eyes are a light shade of purple, and unlike most mares, who have a rounded muzzle, hers is squared. Her cutie mark is a heart made of blue crystal, surrounded by golden brackets. However, her royal finery, including her crown, necklace, and shoes, are missing.
While you’ve never met Princess Cadance, you have heard a few details about her, mainly from Twilight. After all, who would be a better source of insight on a princess than another princess, especially when they’re in-laws?
Cadance used to be Twilight’s foalsitter when she was a filly, and is currently married to Twilight’s older brother, Shining Armor, the former Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard. The two rule the once-vanished Crystal Empire, after it was liberated from the menace of King Sombra, and are most recently the proud parents of the first alicorn born in Equestria, making Twilight an aunt. You’ve seen pictures of this baby, named Flurry Heart, and have personally concluded that she is absolutely adorable, though her wings are very large compared to the rest of her. Besides that, Twilight never failed to stress that Cadance was one of the prettiest, kindest, and most caring ponies she had ever known.
You find yourself standing up very abruptly from the couch, only to sink onto one knee, bowing your head low. To all appearances, you’re getting ready to be knighted.
“P-Princess Cadance!” you splutter. “I...You...This...I-I don’t know what to say!”
“Shhh!”
You look up. Cadance casts a quick look at the door, as though she’s worried somepony is eavesdropping. She looks back at you with a slightly anxious expression, not so much annoyed as wary.
“Not so loud, please,” she says, quietly. “I don’t want anypony overhearing that I’m here. I came in disguise and used a pseudonym for a reason. Princesses don’t exactly go waltzing down the street in broad daylight on a normal day.”
She has a point there. She also has a very lovely, soothing voice. Not only that, but you can see what Twilight meant about her nature. She has a very kind, gentle face, the face of a devoted caregiver. Well, she was one for Twilight as a foalsitter, and now she is for her new baby.
Somehow, the combination of her face and voice eases the tension of being in the same room with a princess, and your brain jumpstarts back into semi-working order. You stand up, though your legs are still a bit shaky.
“D-Don’t worry,” you say, still stumbling a little over your words. “This office is m-magically soundproofed, to provide protection from distractions as much as possible. Your s-secret’s safe with me..”
Cadance smiles.
“That’s good to hear,” she says. “Very considerate for your clients. Twilight’s work, I’m guessing?”
“Y-Yes.”
“She always was a genius when it came to tricky spells,” says Cadance, fondly.
You can’t argue with that. Still, the most pressing question of all is still on your mind, and you feel that it needs to be asked.
“T-To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence, Your Highness?” you ask, unable to refrain from giving another bow. “Having a princess visit is an indescribable honor, but very unexpected.”
Cadance giggles. Apparently, she’s finding this awkwardness amusing.
“You’re very kind,” she says, “but please, just call me Cadance.”
“As you wish, Prin- er, Cadance. Please, have a seat.”
You gesture towards the couch, then stand beside it without sitting down. As Cadance approaches, you hold out your hand. With a gracious smile, she lays her dainty hoof in your palm, and you help her ascend the couch before sitting beside her. Her gaze falls upon the treats still sitting on the table.
“Ooh! Cookies and cupcakes?” she says, intrigued. “You really do know how to spoil your clients.”
You grin bashfully.
“Well, I only brought the cookies,” you mumble. “The cupcakes are from Mrs. Cake.”
“Oh, really? How wonderful! That was very generous of her to send you some.”
“I quite agree.”
“May I?” she asks, pointing to the treats.
“Oh, yes!” you say. “Please, do! As much as you like!”
Smiling, Cadance levitates both a cookie and cupcake toward her in her magic. She takes a dainty bite of each, as though to test their flavors, and when it’s apparent that they’re both much to her liking, she finishes them up with gusto. She licks her lips to get the crumbs and frosting dotting them, then uses a napkin to get the rest.
“Delicious,” she says. “I had no doubt the cupcake would be, if it was from Mrs. Cake, but you’ve got some excellent cookie skills.”
“Thank you,” you say, humbly. “It’s Pinkie Pie’s recipe.”
“Ah, of course,” says Cadance. “She’s quite the treat-maker herself. I’ve always loved sweets, though you probably can’t tell just by looking at me.”
She puts a hoof to her flat belly.
“Celestia and Luna are the same, really,” she says. “They’ve both got pretty big appetites. You need one when you attend royal feasts and banquets, not to mention all the cake Celestia eats, but they never look like they gain a pound afterwards. I guess alicorns are just meant to be tall and skinny when they get old enough. I think Twilight feels a little envious about it, honestly. She told me she feels fat looking at us, but I’ve told her she shouldn’t worry about the shape she’s in. She’s perfect the way she is.”
“She certainly is,” you say.
You’re definitely feeling a lot more at ease around Cadance now that she’s made herself comfortable. It’s still a wild feeling to be talking so casually with another princess, but the shock has begun wearing off little by little.
“So, Cadance,” you say, “you’re interested in affection therapy?”
“I am!” says Cadance, brightly. “Twilight told me all about it, how she was helping a human start a revolutionary new practice in Ponyville. Celestia confirmed it with me when she said she’d given her royal approval to appoint Equestria’s first-ever affection therapist. In her last letter, Twilight said that that same therapist would be starting at the Ponyville spa. The opportunity seemed perfect, so I decided to sign up, under a pseudonym, of course. Nopony would believe I was here for anything but important business if they saw me as I was. Such is the way of royalty, I’m afraid.”
“I suppose so,” you say. “I’m afraid someone like me wouldn’t know what that feels like. No one exactly comes running to greet you when you’re a human surrounded by ponies. I’ve certainly never had that happen to me.”
You try to say this as casually as possible, and yet the slightest hint of bitterness seeps into your tone as you say this. Cadance gives you a quizzical look, but doesn’t say anything.
“I have to say,” you continue, “I’m a little surprised that a princess like yourself would choose something as simple as affection therapy. I was under the impression that you already had royal masseuses or the like to ease away the stress of a day on the throne.”
“Well, I do,” says Cadance, “but I was in the mood to try something different. I love living in the Crystal Empire, but for me, life’s become a little…”
She pauses, waving her hoof vaguely as she tries to find the right word to use.
“Tiring?” you ask, helpfully.
“That’s one word for it,” says Cadance. “Tiring, predictable, even, dare I say it, downright boring. Everypony thinks the life of a princess is full of glamor and splendor, being able to do whatever you want, sitting in the lap of luxury, as whatever you decide what to do for your kingdom becomes law the second you speak it. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy being a princess, and it greatly warms my heart to know that ponies look up to me, but there’s days when I just want to be a pony, and not just a princess. I have a life outside the throne room, with my amazing husband and darling foal, and I feel like I don’t get to indulge in that life as much as I’d like.”
Hearing her speak so frankly about the caveats that come with a royal life is rather surprising, and yet quite refreshing. She may be one of the rulers of an entire empire, but she’s also a wife and mother who just wants to have some measure of domestic normalcy in her life. It really does remind you a lot of Twilight.
“Sure, I think I can understand that,” you say. “I’d imagine anyone would feel overwhelmed from living the life of a celebrity for too long. I guess I never really thought about it at great length, and it’s just one of those things many of us tend to take for granted when we fantasize. The only celebrities I’ve ever known are Twilight and her friends, and to all appearances, they all live normal lives, apart from the adventures they go on.”
“Exactly,” says Cadance. “Twilight’s told me before that she was lucky to have me as a foalsitter, and now feels even luckier to have me as a sister-in-law, but in all honesty, I’m the one who feels truly lucky to have her in my life. She’s never let the fact that she’s a hero of Equestria go to her head. She’s remained as kind and as humble as she was when I foalsat for her, when she thought she was just a ‘regular old unicorn’.”
Well, you’ve never known Twilight when she was a unicorn, but you find it both astonishing and amusing that any creature blessed with magical powers could ever think to consider themselves ‘regular’. The glowing praise Cadance has for her, as well as the fondness with which she brought up Shining Armor and Flurry Heart makes you feel pretty warm inside as well.
“Oh, but, listen to me just ramble on like that,” says Cadance, sounding slightly embarrassed. “I came here to try out a new type of therapy, not talk my therapist’s ear off.”
“Nonsense,” you say. “Nothing wrong with wanting to talk. It’s your session, after all. I had one client in here earlier who only really needed someone to talk to, along with a hug. So, whatever you want done during your time here is up to you.”
Cadance smiles at you. It’s a very kind, sisterly smile, and makes the warmth inside you redouble.
“Well, the first thing Twilight mentioned when talking about affection therapy was ear scratches. I’d love to start with that and see what it’s like.”
“Certainly,” you say, brightly. “And please, make yourself comfortable, if you’d prefer to have it while sitting or lying down.”
Cadance settles herself more comfortably against the back part of the couch, giving her shoulders a cute little shimmy as she snuggles in deeper. Reaching up, and still hardly believing you’re doing this for a princess, you start gently rubbing the base of her ear. She doesn’t display the look of surprise, followed by the dreamily slackened expression that ponies normally show at the sensation. Instead, her eyes close gradually, her smile becomes a little more pronounced, and she sighs softly.
“That feels wonderful,” she murmurs. “All of the trips I’ve made to the royal spa, and I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
Nopony ever seems to have felt anything like it before. That’s why the sensation always comes across as a surprising yet pleasant feeling for them. You’ve yet to meet a pony who doesn’t like the feeling of a good scritch behind the ears. Not yet, anyway.
As Cadance soaks in the feeling as you continue, you reach up with your other hand and stroke her chin. Her other ear flicks, and she gives a soft ‘mmmm’. Then, her head tilts, not upwards, as ponies usually do when given a chin scratch, but sideways, so that her cheek is resting against your shoulder.
This is a rather rare reaction, as the only other pony who’s ever done that outside of a hug is Rose, and that was from the first time you gave her a chin scratch. You’re a bit wary of her horn, but she seems conscious enough to make sure it doesn’t poke you, even if it is rather close within your field of vision. Unprecedented as it is, you decide to roll with it, and continue to rub beneath her chin. She snuggles in deeper, one hoof draped over your free arm. Her voluminous mane gives off a very sweet scent, something that reminds you of both flowers and candy, though it’s hard to pin down which one distinctly.
Eventually, you ease off, and almost as if that were the trigger, she slowly slides down until she’s lying across your lap. The jolt seems to have awakened her, as her eyes flutter, and she turns until she’s on her back, looking up at you with her hooves tucked to her chest. No matter how many times you see ponies in this pose, it never gets any less cute, even if it’s from a princess.
“I hope I didn’t startle you by stopping,” you say.
“Oh, no, not at all,” she says. “I’m feeling in the mood for a belly rub anyways.”
“As you wish, Your Highness,” you say, grinning, punctuating it with a tap on the nose.
She giggles, scrunching her muzzle up, then boops you in return, not just with one hoof, but both, one after the other.
“What was that?” you ask, laughing.
“A royal double-boop,” says Cadance, playfully. “Shining Armor came up with it one day when he was playing with Flurry. He booped her nose, and she booped him with both hooves, so we named it the royal double-boop.”
“Very cute,” you say, approvingly, and she smiles.
You lay your hand on her slender middle and began gently rubbing up and down. She is, by far, the skinniest pony you’ve ever given a belly rub to, even compared to ponies like Rose or Rarity. However, there’s a very soft, almost downy feel to her smooth coat, which leads you to wonder what kind of beauty products royals use to keep them looking so pretty and clean. There are several ponies here in Ponyville, especially those who frequent the spa, who seem to have softer and brighter coats than other ponies, though the distinction is only just visible.
Cadance’s eyes close as you begin rubbing, and she nestles in deeper across your lap. Once again, the fact that the pony displaying this foal-like behavior is the princess of an entire kingdom is astounding. It’s true what she said: at the end of the day, princesses are ponies like any other, and they want to be able to enjoy some more modest and humble comforts than the extravagances that are heaped upon them. It makes more sense than ever why she’d want to come in disguise, and hide the fact that she was attending an affection therapy session. You can only imagine what the public would say if it was reported that the princess of the Crystal Empire had come down to Ponyville for ear scratches and belly rubs. The press would have a field day.
As you continue to rub, she gently shifts over to her right, so that she’s nestled more snugly against you, rather than simply lay stretched across your legs. She seems to derive more comfort from being in close contact than from a distance. While it gives you the adorable impression of a foal settling in while having a nice dream, it also puts you in mind of something else Twilight has told you about Cadance.
Her magical talent involves spreading love and happiness to others, especially those in great need of it. If two friends or a couple were arguing, she’d use her magic to reaffirm the bond of friendship or love between them, and remind them of the bond they share with each other. It isn’t controlling what ponies are thinking, per se, but simply giving them a little nudge to remind them that they shouldn’t jeopardize their relationship over petty squabbles. It’s a very compassionate power to possess and use for others, and it's a small wonder why Cadance is also known as the Princess of Love. She’s been a foalsitter, a princess, and now she’s a wife, a sister-in-law, and a mother.
A mother…
A mother’s love...
Your hand briefly pauses. Once again, unbidden, a memory long thought forgotten rises to the forefront of your brain, and your eyes start to sting, your throat tightening.
“Mom...I’ve been writing to you every week to tell you what I’ve been learning in Equestria...Every letter you send back, I read and reread at least a dozen times. It makes me remember what I left behind, where I left you...This is the first week where I’ve written, and you haven’t written back...Maybe the post pony got delayed or something. I’ll still be waiting for your reply, Mom. I’ll wait as long as it takes, for that, and for the day when we can all live in Equestria together…”
And then, with a sharp, jarring pang, you hear his voice again.
“You’re still thinking about that? Just let it go. She’s never gonna write to you again. That’s a fact, so accept it. It’s what everypony here has to learn eventually, to let it go and move on with their lives. If you can’t even do that, you’ve got no business being here. And you call yourself a therapist…”
You don’t recall if you shouted out loud or not. At the very least, you heard your own voice inside your head. All that you know is that when you regain your senses, you’re sitting stock-still, your hand still frozen from when you were rubbing Cadance’s belly, tears stinging your eyes and dotting your cheeks.
Cadance!
You give your head a shake to try and clear it. Why did that have to happen now? It was bad enough when you lost yourself in front of Mrs. Cake, but now you had to go distracted in front of a princess? What must she think of you? Would she think you ruined her session by getting weepy?
When you see her, however, she doesn’t look angry or annoyed. On the contrary, she’s sitting up so that she’s more or less on eye-level with you. There’s deep concern in those light purple eyes of hers, a motherly concern, not unlike what Mrs. Cake showed you when you blanked out on her.
“Are you all right?” she asks, gently.
You hurriedly wipe at your eyes, but you know perfectly well she’s already seen, and that it’s pointless to try and hide it. You want to say ‘I’m fine’, but you know she won’t buy it. Mrs. Cake didn’t.
“I’m...sorry about that,” you say. “I’ve had...a lot on my mind lately. I’m terribly sorry about that, if I’ve spoiled your session.”
“Oh, no, no,” says Cadance, shaking her head. “You haven’t done anything wrong. I felt you stop, and when I looked up, you looked like you’d been mesmerized, and you were...you were crying.”
She places her hooves on your shoulders, looking you straight in the eye.
“I know it’s not my business, but if there’s something troubling you, and you need somepony to talk to…”
She doesn’t finish, but you know what she’s offering. It’s exactly what Mrs. Cake had put in your mind before she left: to find somepony to confide in. Was Princess Cadance that pony, however? Could you confidently reveal what’s been bothering you to a princess you only just met? You’d never even told Twilight, or Rose, for that matter.
“I...I don’t really know,” you mumble. “It’s nothing to do with you, Cadance, It’s just that my...my personal problems shouldn’t bleed into my job. This is about other ponies, after all, not me. It’s very...very unprofessional of me, and I-”
Before you can finish, you feel a pair of soft but strong forelegs wrap around you, enveloping you in a warm hug. Then, a pair of soft and fluffy wings surround you, adding to the warmth. You feel Cadance rest her chin on your shoulder, her cheek resting against yours.
“Shhh,” she whispers. “It’s all right.”
Your eyes start to water anew, but you say nothing. Automatically, you put your arms around her in return, and the two of you sit there, in a close and quiet embrace. You can feel her gently rubbing your back with one hoof.
“You shouldn’t be afraid of being unprofessional,” she says, softly. “You have feelings just like anypony who comes to see you. You’re...well, you’re not ‘pony’, but you are ‘human’.”
But how can you be the counselor ponies need when you have worries of your own? What kind of therapist needs a therapist themselves? These questions bounce in your head, but you’re unable to give voice to them at that moment. You just sit there, almost entranced by the power of the hug.
“I know what it’s like to feel like your duty always comes before yourself,” Cadance continues. “Ponies expect you to act a certain way, and they expect a lot from you that often puts what you want and what you need to the side. It creates this unrealistic image of who you are and what to expect of you. That’s why you need to find the right balance between what others want and what you want.”
“And...how do you do it?” you ask, croakily.
“It hasn’t been easy, knowing where to draw the line,” says Cadance, “but it became easier once I had Flurry Heart. It’s why I came down here, actually. I decided that this was something I wanted to do, even if it meant putting aside royal duties for the day. I still have an obligation to my subjects, but I also have an obligation to myself. The same applies to you and your clients.”
You have no reply to this. You’re stunned by the wisdom in Cadance’s words. She’s clearly speaking from experience, being a princess, a wife, and a mother all at once. The fact that he could so easily compare the life of royalty to the life of a commoner like yourself is quite astounding as well. She truly sees you not just as a subject, but as an equal.
You take a deep breath, strengthen the hug ever so slightly, and say,
“I...I can’t promise I’ll have the strength to tell you everything, but...but I’ll try.”
You feel Cadance nuzzle you gently.
“That’s just fine,” she says. “Do the best you can.”
You take another deep breath, let it out slowly, then continue.
“It...it doesn’t feel easy, being a human among ponies. Ponyville has been nothing but wonderful for me, and it’s been more than I feel I deserve, since moving from Manehattan.”
“Has anypony made you feel undeserving of appreciation there?” Cadance asks.
You pause. That kind of question really hit home.
“...You could say that,” you say. “Ever since I came to Equestria, I’ve had...certain ponies making me feel...discouraged, unwelcome...Like I’d never amount to anything…”
You feel Cadance’s grip strengthen.
“It’s been a long time since I left that kind of...toxic environment,” you say, “but...it still haunts me, along with...other things...Certain voices taunting me in my head...And memories of...of someone dear to me…”
Your voice catches at the end of this. Cadance stays silent for a moment, then she whispers,
“I’m so sorry.”
She gently pulls away from you to look you in the face, her own full of gentle sadness and compassion.
“Did I remind you of this someone?”
You feel your throat tighten again. You don’t want to make her feel guilty by saying ‘yes’, but she doesn’t sound like you were accusing her of anything.
“...You did,” you mumble. “You and Mrs. Cake did.”
Cadance looks a little startled at this, no doubt wondering where she and Mrs. Cake both fit in. Then, it seems to click in her mind, and her eyes widen in shock. She puts a hoof to her mouth, and you see the beginning of tears in her own eyes.
“You poor thing…” she whispers. “I’m so, so sorry…”
“It’s not your fault,” you say, hurriedly. “I was just blown away, you see. Blown away by the bond ponies like you and her share with the ponies in their lives: your husbands, your friends, your families, and your children. It reminded me of that...when I still had it…”
Cadance continues to look at you with compassion and pity in her teary eyes. You feel like there’s more you could be saying, but you feel like you’ve already done more than enough, letting your personal problems override what was supposed to be her therapy session.
“I’m sorry,” you say. “This was meant to be your affection therapy session, and here I am, letting my own worries interfere with it. You don’t deserve that.”
“Don’t say that,” says Cadance. “You’ve done nothing wrong, and I’m not angry or disappointed. This was clearly something you needed to get off your chest, and I feel glad that you felt confident enough to confide in me as much as you felt you could. That’s one of our many duties as princesses: to hear out ponies’ problems and offer the help we can.”
She says this with a smile, and you can’t help but feel one come to you as well.
“I do think you need someone to fully confide in, though,” says Cadance, a bit more soberly. “I might know somepony who knows a thing or two about battling inner demons, and I can ask for her advice on your behalf, if that’s all right. Of course, the best time she’d be able to reach out to you is in the evening. I hope you don’t mind.”
You blink in surprise. She knows somepony like that? Who could it possibly be?
“S-Sure,” you say. “That’s very kind of you.”
Cadance’s smile returns.
“Good,” she says. “I’m just glad I was able to be here for you, and you did make me feel very relaxed during that session. I might have to convince Shining Armor to come for a session himself. He’s a lovable goofball, but he overworks himself sometimes, like a certain somepony we both know.”
The two of you laugh. You know exactly who she’s talking about. You definitely feel more at ease now, after that little episode of yours.
The clock chimes the five minute warning, and the pair of you look up at it.
“I’d better get back in disguise,” says Cadance. “‘Cadenza’ walked in, so ‘Cadenza’ has to walk out.”
“Right,” you say. “Listen, Cadance, I’d be more than happy to give you another session one day, hopefully one where the patient doesn’t have to counsel the therapist.”
You say this last part a bit guiltily, but Cadance just giggles.
“It’s fine, really. Like I said, I’m just happy to have been able to help.”
Her expression becomes noticeably more tender, and, to your surprise, she gives you a gentle kiss on the forehead, followed by a warm nuzzle.
“Thank you, and take care,” she says. “I hope you find the help you need. You deserve it, for all the help you give others.”
You feel at a loss for words for a moment or two, and by the time you manage to stammer out a ‘thank you’, Cadance has already put on her disguise and headed for the door. She pauses, nudges her sunglasses down so you can see her eyes, gives you a wink and a smile, then steps out of the office, shutting the door behind her, leaving you to yourself and your numerous thoughts.