Two day later, a fully restored Shining Armor stood in the officer's shower, eyes shut tight as water beaded off his back and mane. After a very thorough checkup from the doctor came back all-clear, he had wasted no time gathering his uniform and heading to the showers. He’d been cleaned in the meantime of course; a nurse had come by every morning since he’d been placed on bed rest. He wasn’t ungrateful for that; after all, he needed to be cleaned and his dressing changed, and the nurse had been perfectly helpful but... well, a grizzled stallion wasn’t exactly what Shining had in mind when he’d found out he would be receiving sponge baths for a week.
He took a deep breath of steam and licked his lips, tasting the salty droplets that had collected in his whiskers. Whatever water-purification charms they were using needed a tune-up. I’ll mention it to the captain when I see him. Assuming he doesn’t already know. And that he cares.
Shining had to admit, there were probably more urgent things on the captain's mind at the moment. If his initial calculations were correct, the Ambassador should have reached port early this morning. She was still sailing, so obviously they hadn't been, but even so. We can’t be too far from port by now.
He opened his eyes and watched the water drip off his barrel, forming hypnotic swirls as it pooled and drained into the square catch in the middle of the shower floor. Between the heat and flow of the water on his back, combined with the rhythmic beat of the water drops, he’d been in a trancelike state of blissful existence.
It was for this reason that he ignored the door to the washroom opening and the sounds of hooves walking over to stand outside the shower. Seeing how the wash room was communal, it wasn’t all that unusual for someone to come in, do their business, and then leave without comment. However, after a few minutes, Shining felt his hackles rise, a sign that usually warned him something was off.
When the sensation didn’t go away, he poked his head out of the shower and came face-to- face with a tall, peach-colored earth pony with sapphire eyes and a frown as pointed as the tips of her spectacles. Her magenta mane, which had been wrapped in a tight bun on top of her head had started to unravel from exposure to the dense steam cloud filling the room. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite remember where he had seen her before.
The two stared at each other for long moment before Shining’s mouth caught up with his brain. “Uhhhh… can I help you?”
The mare gave him a long look up and down. When her gaze returned to his eyes, she frown was deeper. “The Princess has requested you attend to her at your earliest convenience.”
Shining Armor’s ear twitched. Her voice was surprisingly deep for mare of her small stature, definitely not what he expected. More troublesome was that irritated frown on her muzzle. Could this not have waited till I was finished? “Thank you for informing me, miss...?”
The unspoken question hung between them. When the mare failed to provide an answer, an awkward silence began to grow. After a few seconds, he let out a sigh. “Alright, just let me finish my shower, and I’ll-“
“You have been in here for over an hour at this point,” she said briskly. “More than enough time to steam clean your withers. I will do you the courtesy of informing you that coming now would be far more convenient for you then forcing the princess to wait on you any longer.”
Shining Armors face flushed. He’d enjoyed being in the water so much, he’d completely ignored the passage of time. Still, her barging in here and demanding his presence like this grated on him. He stood a little straighter, making the most of his considerable height advantage over her. "Can I at least get dressed first?”
“Quickly, if you please.”
Shining Armor nodded and closed the wicker partition, his ears twitching in annoyance as he listened to her leave. Shaking his head, he turned the water off and picked his towel up off the shelf next to the stall. As he unfolded it, a knife, still in its sheath, fell to the floor where it bounced off the point and hit the side of the stall with a *Bang*. He winced at the noise and silently chided himself for forgetting he’d tucked the knife in there to begin with.
The weapon was an heirloom passed down from his great- Grandmother, the last member of his family to serve in the guard, but the knife itself was far, far older than she. Attempts over the years to have it dated had come up empty, other than determining that it was “old” which had been remarkably unhelpful. Still, whatever magic or metallurgy had gone into its construction had kept it just as able to slice through flesh and bone as the day it had been forged. By all rights it should be on display on a wall, not dumped unceremoniously onto the floor by some foal of a stallion.
He picked it up and examined it, looking for any signs of damage and considered the silliness of his situation. A month ago, he’d never have brought a weapon with him to the bathroom, or worried about always having one within reach. In fact, he’d have been much more concerned that the other guards would think him paranoid or even unstable. Now he couldn’t care less what they thought of him.
No damage, at least not on the sheath. He slid the knife out just enough to check the blade. No damage there either.
Satisfied, he sheathed the weapon and set it back on the shelf, then finished drying himself off. Once that was done, he slipped on his uniform and belted the knife to his hip, taking an extra second to ensure it would not bounce around and slap his side as he walked. That should do.
He opened the door to the hall and stepped out. Outside stood the familiar mare stood silently, the same frown upon her face. “Are you ready?”
He nodded. “Lead the way.”
With that she turned and walked down the hallway with him in tow. As they walked, he tried to engage her in small talk, but his few attempts fell flat, creating an increasingly awkward silence. After the third one, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.
What’s with all the dramatics? If Cadance needs to speak to me, I know where to find her. She’s either in her room or on the main deck watching her ponies, and she’s not exactly hard to miss. The two of them rounded a corner and began walking towards Cadance’s and his staterooms. I know they added a passphrase to her security measures. Maybe they added a secret knock? It would be on brand right now...
The mare walked past their rooms without so much as a glance. He stopped, looked at the door the Princess Suite, then back at her. Huh. He shrugged, then continued to follow her as she made her way through the Ambassador. After a few minutes, she came to a stop in front of the large double doors that led to the Mess Hall, the same ones he had fled through in shame at the start of their journey.
I’ve never seen Cadance anywhere near the mess before. What in Tartarus is going on?
The mare turned around looked at him, her expression solemn. “The Princess is waiting for you inside. Prepare yourself.”
Shining Armor’s mind raced. “Prepare for what, exactly?”
“Your final test.” The doors swung open of their own accord, and he saw inside. The Mess Hall was usually lit by two dozen massive chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, keeping the giant room at a consistent level of harsh lighting. Now, the room as almost pitch black with a single point of light in the center of the room. In his mind's eye, he imagined that he stood at the mouth of a massive, unknown cavern. He took a step back, trying not to let the sudden fear that gripped him show. Instinctively he reached for the small vial of Liquid Light that he kept in his pocket whenever he left the confines of the city and stopped when he remembered that he had left them in his barracks back in Canterlot. Damn. I need to put in a request to have to have some brought on the first supply shipment from home.
“Ah.” He paused and gave a silent prayer that his voice wouldn’t betray the panic that was rapidly growing within him. “So, I just go in there?”
“Yes.” He could hear the derision in her voice. “That is why you are here, after all.”
“Right.” He walked up to the entry-way, hesitated, then looked back at the mystery mare. “Thank you.” He knew he was stalling, and he suspected she did too, though hopefully the reason for that was less obvious.
The mare cocked an eyebrow. “Your gratitude is entirely unnecessary. I am merely following the Princess’s commands.” She nodded towards the light in the middle of the room. “As you should be.”
“Well, thanks anyways.”
He took a deep breath and concentrated his magic, putting everything he had into creating a mage-light. The magic coalesced and manifested as a bright sphere at the tip of his horn, covering the point like a bright red tennis ball. Well, here goes nothing.
He stepped into the room. To his dismay, he found that his light was doing far less to push back the darkness then he had anticipated. Perhaps, rather than putting out each and every chandelier they had opted to cast a Darkness spell in the room? But then why turn out the light at all?
Even with the light suppressed as it was, it didn’t take long for him to realize that the usual arrangement of tables and benches were missing. That made his walk easier, but he still took his time to ensure that he didn’t embarrass himself by running headlong into something or tripping over his own hooves.
Don’t stumble, don’t stumble, don’t stumble-
At last, he reached the edge of the circle of light. The light, which had been almost blinding from the doorway, had softened considerably. He dismissed his own light with a flick of thought and stepped into the circle.
Now that he was close, he could see the massive orb floating above an ornate table set for two guests. Cadance sat in the chair on the opposite side of the table from him, engrossed in a book as she gently stirred a cup of tea on the table in front of her. Her mane had been done up in some kind of complicated braid that Shining had never seen before, but looked like the kind of thing young mares spent hours practicing at sleepovers.
He checked that his uniform was still prim, then bowed and cleared his throat. “Your Highness, I believe you summoned me?”
Cadance looked over the edge of her book in a comical, if unintentional, impression of his sister. “There you are!” She set the book aside. “I was beginning to wonder if the doctor had been a little too optimistic about your recovery. Come, sit and tell me how you are feeling.”
Shining stood and looked up at Cadance, who smiled as their eyes met. Personally, he’d always thought that Cadance had a smile that could light up a room. Literally, in this case, as he felt the darkness pressing in from outside the circle of light lessen ever so slightly.
He smiled back. How could he not? “Much better, thank you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. I went to take a quick shower-”
“-And ended up taking a little longer than you expected.” Her eyes twinkled in amusement. “An hour grooming, and you could not find time to put on any cologne? We really need to work on your daily routine.”
He pulled out the chair and sat down. The cushion was absolutely delightful on his haunches. “Is this a date?” he asked in a serious tone.
“No.”
“Then why would I need to wear perfume?”
Cadance rolled her eyes. “Cologne isn’t perfume, Shining. It’s an olfactory advertisement for single stallions. Honestly, does no one take courtship seriously anymore?”
Shining’s smile faded. “Well, when I’m looking to get back into dating, I’ll keep that in mind.”
There was an awkward pause as Cadence realized what she had said. Her hoof covered her mouth, and she blushed in embarrassment. “I‘m sorry, I didn't’ mean to-”
“It’s fine, Cadance. Let’s just pretend you never mentioned it. Okay?”
She nodded once. “Very well.”
He glanced around, searching for a way to change the topic and found one immediately. “Cadance... what happened to all the lights? I get that I’m about to be tested, but I didn’t realize it would involve an actual interrogation.”
“Oh, that. I had this portion of the room darkened and muted to avoid any distractions for you. There are still some preparations to be made for our arrival, and the kitchen still needs to keep everyone fed while we work.” She pointed in the rough direction of the cooking section. “I expect there's a herd watching us just a few paces away.”
The message was clear: We’re in public. Act like it.
He dipped his head in silent acknowledgment. “Are they able to hear us too?”
“No, I want our conversation to stay between us.”
“Of course.”
He eyed the crockery laid out in front of Cadance. Whoever had set the table had gone all out, with the full complement of saucers for the food dishes laid out in the traditional Roaman fashion. Be nice if there was some actual food to go with them.
Cadance clapped her hooves twice, and half dozen servants suddenly appeared next to them carrying a plethora of Zebra dishes. Before he knew it, they had laid out an array of colorful (if somewhat small) salads. Instinctively he started to reach out with his magic for a fork before recalling that Zebras didn’t use cutlery like the high-society unicorns of Canterlot. Instead, they ate out of bowls the way the more rural earth ponies often did. He smiled to himself as he thought of how his mother had chided him for doing so when he was young. “Little colts who don’t use their horns to eat proper don’t learn magic,” she'd say, usually as she was wiping oatmeal off his muzzle.
Jokes on you, mom. Turns out I was eating like a prince the whole time.
He selected one of the dishes and gave it a little tug with his magic, tugging it over to him. He was about to empty its contents into a larger, deeper bowl in front of him when Cadance gave a little cough. He looked up at her to see a slight frown on her face. Without taking her eyes off him, she reached out and took one of the bowls in booth hooves, then tipped it slightly and gently poured the salad into her own bowl.
He felt heat rush to his face, but maintained composure and followed suit, being careful to get every piece of the salad into the dish. When he looked back up, he was relieved to see her smile had returned. She lifted her tea cup and took a sip, then placed it back on the table.
“Excellent. Now, perhaps we could start by you telling me everything you know about King Heffer the Cloven?”
So began the longest, most intensive verbal test that Shining Armor would ever take in his life. Cadance was relentless in her questioning, from geography, to politics, to simple table manners which were acted out over a highly formalized seven-course meal. Everything they had ever discussed, no matter how briefly, was quizzed for a flaw in his knowledge. When the last crumbs of desert had been devoured, and every topic thoroughly exhausted, his command of all things Roaman had almost impressed her.
Almost.
Shining Armor groaned as he massaged his temples. Hours of questioning had given him a throbbing headache. Worse still had been the injury to his pride. In his week of studying, he’d convinced himself that he knew everything there was to know about Roam; A few hours with Cadance had shown him the error in that.
She still sat across from him, now surrounded by a pile of books and scrolls that had been produced over the course of the dinner. The way she had taken notes on his answers made him feel like a school-colt, giving a presentation in front of the class, only far worse.
"So... How bad did I do?"
“Not as poorly as you seem to think." She jotted a few more notes down, then set both pen and paper down. “Admittedly, you are lacking in a few areas, but given the situation I think we can work with this.”
Shining Armor ceased his massaging and glanced up at her, feeling ever so slightly less crestfallen. “What areas?”
“Well, for starters, your grasp on current events is not what I hoped it would be, given how we are living one of the most significant political moments in Roams’s history. Knowledge about important political figures is all over the place, you kept confusing historical individuals for current ones. On the other hoof, you know the history of the Empire backwards and forwards, and your geography was impeccable.
"As far as etiquette is concerned, your skills are… passable, though we will want to continue to work on them. As long as you don’t talk to anyone too important for a little while, we should avoid any international incidents.”
Shining tilted his head. “That sounds dangerously close to a failure.”
Cadance cocked an eyebrow. “Are you challenging my assessment?”
“No.”
“Good.” She poured the last bit of tea from her teapot into her cup. “I know you are eager to rejoin the bodyguard, but perhaps you would like to sit and rest a moment?”
Shining Armor considered her offer. On the one hoof, he was ready to get back to his troop and check on Barrel Roll and Stone Wall. A week might be a short absence in the grand scheme of things, but when he’d only had the command for a little over a month it felt like a lot longer. On the other, Cadance sounded eager to talk, though that could just be his fatigue making him hear what he wished. Then again, if I'm tired enough to be hearing things, I should probably rest a minute. Besides, who am I to say no to a Princess?
“They’ve made it over a week without me-" he said with a shrug, "-they can wait a few minutes more.”
Cadance beamed. “My thoughts exactly. Besides, it’s been some time since we were able to just talk.”
“That’s not your fault.”
She shook her head. “Perhaps not, but I still feel bad about it. Preparing for our arrival has taken up quite a bit of time. Between that and…. Other considerations, I wasn’t able to pay a visit.”
“And by ‘other considerations’, you mean-“
She nodded. “Not feeding the rumor mill, yes."
His smile faded. That explains why she did this in public. “My apologies for the role Storm played in starting those rumors, your Highness. It will not happen again on my watch.”
Cadance giggled. “Don’t make promises others can’t keep, Shining.” She took a sip of her tea. “While it is unfortunate that it happened, it wasn’t surprising to hear that talk about us had started.”
Shining Armor blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
Cadance gestured to herself. “Shining, I am the Princess of Love. Everypony I spend a lot of time with comes under scrutiny as a potential paramour. Guards, servants, friends, one magazine even claimed I was having an affair with Celestia! Can you imagine?”
I can now… Stars Above...
She shook her head in disgust. “I mean, we’ve been close for decades, and certainly she’s always doted on me, but ew! No. No, no, no. She’s like a second mother to me.” She noticed his glazed-over expression and cocked her head. “Are you alright?”
Shining’s attention snapped away from the pair of Princesses in his mind to the one sitting before him. “Uh, yeah, gross,” he said quickly. “I can’t believe anybody would publish that.”
“You’d be surprised how often that sort of thing happens. One of my hobbies is reviewing literature for Canterlot Daily, under a pseudonym of course. A lot of erotic fiction features a thinly veiled reference to me or Celestia as the main love interest.” Her nose scrunched in annoyance. “Honestly, they could at least try to be subtle about it.”
Shining Armor stared at her in shock. “And you allow them to depict you that way?”
Cadance shrugged. “It’s the way things are, you get used to it after a while. All that to say, the fact that we spend a lot of time together, even though you are my bodyguard, meant rumors were bound to spring up around us eventually.”
“That doesn’t really help much.”
“Consider it a tidbit of wisdom from someone with a longer perspective.”
He wagged his eyebrows. “A bit of elderly advice, eh?”
Cadace cocked an eyebrow. “You know, it’s not too late for me to fail you.”
“Worth it.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “Jerk.”
He smirked. “Grandma.”
“You know-” a familiar voice pierced the darkness surrounding them, “-If I hadn’t known you two for so long, I'd start to wonder about you myself, the way you both carry on.” From the side of the table, Barrel Roll stepped into the light. “Honestly, it's no wonder ponies are starting to talk.”
Cadance, who had been visibility startled by Barrel’s sudden intrusion, blinked a few times and smiled. “Hello, Barrel. Come to take your own test?”
“Hardly,” he snorted, “I’m more than happy to leave that to Shiny. No, I’m here to tell you- excuse me, to ask you to wrap it up.”
“And just how long were you standing there listening to us?” Shining Armor asked pointedly. “Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose of telling us to hurry up?”
Barrel Roll made a mock gesture of offense “I wasn’t listening, I was being patient,” he said defensively, though it was clear from his eyes that he didn’t mean it. “You can’t just swoop in and interrupt a conversation; you have to time it just right or it completely destroys the drama of the reveal.”
Shining Armor rolled his eyes. Cadance shook her head slightly, but her smile became a little less forced. “And that reveal is...?”
“We came within sight of Roam half an hour ago.” He paused. “We made it.”
The three of them were silent. Shining’s mind started to race, his own feelings a confusing mix of relief, anxiety, and anticipation. Across the table from him, he caught a momentary glimpse of the same cocktail in Cadance’s eyes, before she put on her “princess face” and nodded. “Very well, then.” She said, her voice steady and authoritative. “Let’s begin our final preparations. Lieutenant Roll, I want you to led our parade formation. Lieutenant Armor will be handling security when we dock, and I want you provide as many Guards as he needs to ensure the Ambassador’s safety.”
He nodded. “Can do.”
“Good. You’re dismissed.” With that, Barrel turned and plunged out of sight.
“I should get going,” Shining said as he stood up out of the chair. “I still have too much to do and not enough time to do it.”
“Indeed.” Cadance stood gracefully, almost floating out of the chair and stretched. Shining’s eyes followed her body for a moment before he caught himself and looked away, hoping the heat he felt in his face wasn’t showing. When she finished, she turned back to him. “I’m glad we had a chance to talk, even if it was just for a few minutes.”
He nodded. “Me too.”
Cadance gave him a soft smile. “See you soon, Lieutenant.” She turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
Shining let out a sigh. Too soon. He looked around at the inky blackness around him, then back up at the single point of light above him. Guess I’ll take care of this. He reached out with his magic and touched the magelight, taking a moment to study the warm, soothing feel of the magic fueling it, then closed his eyes and extinguished it. The darkness it had been holding back rushed in and for a second, he imagined he could feel it crawling over him, trying to find its way inside. Fear swarmed him just as quickly, threatening to leave him petrified. He let out a growl and steeled himself, then opened his eyes. While it didn’t help him see any better, the terror he felt receded ever so slightly. Thus, once again resolute, he took a step forward. Then another, and another, each one coming quicker than the previous, and made his way into the light.