//------------------------------// // The handsome unicorn that should know better (or… no, he should) // Story: The thing he lacked // by WiseFireCracker //------------------------------// “C-Cadence?” He had asked, stunned. “Cousin Blueblood!” She jumped forward and, protocol be damned, gave him a solid hug. That behavior, on the other hoof, did not actually surprise the prince. His kind hearted cousin had always been one for display of affection. It made sense, considering her special talent. “It is so good to see you again!” She smiled. “It has been a while.” At that, Blueblood let out a feeble, embarrassed, laugh. “Father forbade me from coming back before my military service was finished.” She punched his shoulder teasingly. “It is a good thing that I was traveling nearby then. Knowing you, at least another year will have passed before you are released from duty.” He gave her a flat look, which, combined with his overly intricate uniform, failed to impress the alicorn. In fact, she turned around, her mouth hidden behind one hoof. He could only surmise as to why she had suddenly snorted instead of repenting. “Don’t be such a stick in the mud, cousin.” She rolled her eyes. “I am certain military school is not nearly as bad as you make it out to be.” “Cadence, it is positively dreadful! The instructor is a complete brute, with all the grace of a cheesecake and the intelligence of a tea pot,” he started ranting in a whiny voice. “Can you believe he does not even allow us to take a shower before the morning routine?! How am I supposed to look regal in these conditions?” “I am fairly certain that is not what you came here for.” “…doesn’t mean I shouldn’t look the best…” he grumbled under his breath. Feeling another rant coming and fearing for her ears’ well-being, Cadence promptly enticed her cousin’s assistance, in the form of giving her a tour of the campus. To this day, he still regrets agreeing to her demand. After all, she met Shining Armor during that tour. He entered the room without knocking, making her jump a few feet in the air, wings spread and dress effectively wrinkled. “Blueblood!” She yelled, throwing him a dirty look as she hovered to the ground. “Knock before entering!” Instead of replying, the prince eyed her dress with disdain. The beautiful design did not sway him over. In fact, it made him grimace. “So it is true...?” He said so quietly Cadence almost did not pick it up. “Hum… sorry. What are you talking about?” She frowned, obviously still displeased with his unpleasant behavior. He congratulated himself for his self-control. His blood was boiling so much that he had surprised himself for not yelling at all. “Your wedding…” She looked taken aback, eyes widened and a hesitant tone to her voice. “Oh… Yes, it is true.” “Why him? Why did you choose someone like Shining Armor?” “What do you mean ‘someone like Shining Armor’?!” She stepped forward, an angry look on her face. The prince backed down almost instantly. He knew what she was capable of. Not to mention Shining Armor actually was a decent enough fellow, but he simply was not good enough for his cousin. He wasn’t even a lesser noble! “I mean, you could have literally anyone in the world. Why him instead of another?” “Because I love him?” She pointed out like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Because Shining Armor is loyal, kind, caring, hardworking, skilled… handsome.” Blueblood’s mouth fell at the last one and Cadence blushed shyly. “What? It’s true.” His eye twitched, but he said nothing. Yet. Before saying something that might alienate her, he had to calm down. “There are many stallions that are just like that among the Canterlot nobles, Cadence. I can introduce you if you want. Or I could arrange a meeting with Mr. Street. I hear his first born son, Wall, is of marrying age and-” “Blueblood, stop.” She cut him off. “I know what you’re trying to do and it will not work. Those kinds of political alliances are not for me. There would be no love involved in those unions and I cannot spend my life like this. It is not me to do so.” “There might not be love in the first place, but it could still happen. All you would have to do is cast your spell.” She closed her eyes wearily, as if she was trying to rein in the pain. Sometimes, her cousin was really a pain. Sometimes, she had no idea why they were still on talking terms. She wondered that a few times too many these days. “I already told you, it does not work that way and even if it did, I would not use it like that. Do you really think so little of me?” Him? Thinking little of Cadence? The first alicorn born in more than a thousand years? The first pony to be adopted in the royal family and completely deserve it? He’d sooner marry that mare than think that! “Of course not!” He replied, showing just as much indignation as she had, seconds ago. “What I’m saying is that you’re the first of a new alicorn lineage! You have a responsibility toward Equestria!” She looked at him as if he had grown a second head. “Yes, I know.” “Not enough then.” He frowned. “What of our allies that wished us to marry one our nobles to them in a show of good will? Your marriage could have been the biggest proof of the complete sincerity of Aunt Celestia and secure our borders once and for all. Or what about Fancy Pants, a stallion with more money than even me, who rightfully deserves a place among the nobles, even with his unsightly association with commoners? As a princess of Equestria, you are expected to marry someone of high standing for the good of our subjects!” Through his speech, Cadence had looked saddened, more and more, until she seemed on the verge of tears. She never allowed herself to succumb to this display of emotion, but she came close. “Blueblood, Shining Armor is Captain of the Royal Guard, brother of Twilight Sparkle, heroine of Equestria, and the strongest barrier mage in recent history. Not only is he the pony that allows you to sleep well at night, he is also a great diplomat that have participate in negotiations with the griffon warlords themselves. Not only will his inclusion in the royal family allow him even more freedom in keeping Equestria safe, it will also strengthen the bonds between us nobles and our subjects, what’s with me marrying someone of ‘lower birth’ as you so eloquently put it.” He shook his head sadly. “Cadence…” “Don’t you ‘Cadence’ me, cousin!” “What will Aunt Celestia say of all this when she hears the news?” There was no way she would allow this to happen. It was simply wrong. He just wanted to save his cousin the heartbreak. She sneered. “I pleaded my case with her and she gave us her blessings. She even offered to preside the ceremony. Do you really think that I had made that announcement without at least consulting our aunt on this?” His protest died in his throat. That was impossible! How could his aunt allow such a thing?! “W-what?” “That’s right, cousin. Our aunt does favor love over political interests,” Cadence said, looking exasperated by his obnoxious behavior. His eyes fell to the ground, who was decorated superbly with the most beautiful piece of rock carvings he could be bothered to notice. Not that he did. His mind was on other things. What was Princess Celestia thinking?! Couldn’t she see the scandals? The tabloids? The complete disgrace of the nobility when the journalists would be down dragging Cadence’s name through the mud for her rejection of her status?! He had to talk to her, but… he could not… he couldn’t go against… how could he think of opposing her decision? She had to know what she was doing? Perhaps it was all a plan to make Cadence see the truth? Yes, that was probably it. She allowed it and would let the media go wild, giving Cadence time to realize her mistake. After that, she would put her hooves down and cancel the whole thing. Well, he wanted no part in this farce. Cadence may be a stubborn mare, but he did not want to participate in her humiliation, even if it was needed. There was something else he could do. “I… I don’t think I’ll be present for your wedding.” He missed the way she recoiled in shock. Had he looked up, he would have seen the pain in the alicorn’s eyes. “I-is it the day? If it really is that bad, maybe we could have it happen sooner…?” Blueblood shook his head. That was the last thing they needed. If she moved the ceremony ahead of schedule, then she might not understand how bad her decision was until it was too late. He looked her in the eyes and he did not need to fake his sadness, or even overplay it. “No, it’s… not that. I simply can’t attend your wedding…” By showing his disapproval so blatantly, with so little subtlety for a stallion of his standings, then he could have her understand how dangerous it was for her to go through with her stupid impulsive decision. She would not have to go through the trial his aunt had prepared for her. She would be much happier in the long run… “Trust me, Cadence. It’s for the best.” Cadence’s sob reached deep inside his chest, causing a cold paw to tighten around his heart, but he steeled his resolve. He had to do this for her… He had to grit his teeth when he heard her mutter sadly: “Maybe it is for the best…” The prince did not look back, not realizing he had lost a beloved cousin. The wedding turned out to be a complete disaster, but not for the reason he had predicted. Even Blueblood had not expected a changeling invasion. “ ‘Oh, don’t worry, Shining Armor will protect us.’ RIGHT!” He sneered. “I TOLD YOU SO, CADENCE!” No one answered. He was alone. Cadence still hadn’t talked to him, even after he was proven right. She had left for the Crystal Empire without exchanging a single word to him. “A mare?” He repeated dumbly. What would a mare be doing in such a place? More importantly, did she just buy him? He almost smirked to himself. He knew he was too devilishly awesome for his own good. Even when taken prisoner, he was a real stud. Someone pulled on his chain, causing him to stumble forward and letting out the most undignified yelp. “To the back! We’ve got more business to do, ‘Prince’!” One of the griffon snarled. Blueblood sniffed, raising his nose high in the air. Mockery or not, they better not stop using his title now that they knew about it. Besides, if they so much as touched him, they would have a lot to answer to, especially after he had been sold. …He hoped so. The part he was being led to was not that far from the auction room itself. The noise had been cut rather abruptly and had been followed by the slamming of a door. He would have to be an idiot not to realize that they had simply brought him to a back chamber. Seconds later, there was a creaking noise – the door, no doubt about that – and a bunch of new scents. One of them was… strongly… reminiscent of Channeling six perfumes. Blueblood could not help but be terribly surprised at detecting such an elegant flagrance in a Tartarus hole like this place. “Ah, Miss Incognito, it is a pleasure to be doing business with you,” somepony said as they entered. “Yes… likewise.” That voice, high pitch, honey-like, had to be the mare’s voice. She moved closer to him, the sound of her footstep considerably lighter than that of any other beings in the small chamber, denoting what Blueblood interpreted as grace and refinement. His heart leaped in his chest at the perspective. His head was feeling light with hope. She had to have recognized him, her prince, and she had bought his freedom from under the nose of those barbarians. Oh, he would simply kiss her if he could actually see where her lips were. “As you noticed, milady, item 27 is quite an example of a hardy stallion. I am certain you will be perfectly satisfied with him.” Even those compliments could not make Blueblood happier. He could taste his freedom already. “Yes, I noticed,” she replied slowly. It seemed that she was pensive and, if he was not dreaming, excited. A moment of silence passed, during which the unicorn prince stayed uncomfortably still. His imagination had started acting up again, this time bringing him a monstrously dreadful scenario. She would change her mind. She would declare that he was not worthy of her and, in that obscene rant, she would throw him out back into the timber wolf’s jaw. As such, Blueblood could not held in a startled jump when she spoke again. “Leave us, Seller,” she ordered. “B-but milady…” “Your payment will be given as soon as I had a moment alone to examine my purchase.” She sneered, dismissing him not unlike he would have a servant back in Canterlot. “…Yes, we will be waiting outside.” Blueblood froze. This was not how servants replied, never. There was something much more dangerous underneath the apparent submissiveness of that stallion… For a few moments, he heard nothing but the sound of the slavers scrambling around and leaving the room, while the mare did not move, nor did two other beings – stallions, if his nose was not fooling him – stayed right in place. Prince Blueblood, prisoner extraordinaire and superbly arrogant stallion, dared not make the first move. He was once more completely at a stranger’s mercy and even if his heart was singing to him that this was the end of his hardships, he could not translate that into actions. Finally, it was the mare that acted first. Her new acquisition had to fight the reflex to jump backward when her hooves landed on each side of his face, just under his blindfold. “My prince…” she said sweetly, with as much crazed hope as he was feeling himself and he knew, through his entire being, that she wanted nothing more than his wellbeing. “It is you…” Slowly, she removed the piece of fabric that was obscuring his vision and he was treated to the a stunning sight. After hours of treating with monsters and darkness, the prince laid his eyes upon an angel. She was beautiful, a golden pegasus with a pure white mane, in pure contrast with his own coat and mane. Her eyes were shining brightly, even in the badly lit chamber, glowing with true adoration. And something completely unexpected happened to him, that he never did experience before. He got tongue-tied, blushing like a schoolfilly. “Eh…y-ghe…I ow-eee…” He stuttered ridiculously. She chuckled and her laugh was music to his ears. “Oh, my prince, are you truly so happy to see me?” With great effort, he managed to push a single word out. “Yes.” ‘What is happening to me?!’ Blueblood thought wildly. ‘My chest feels like it’s burning and that mare is so…’ To add to his trouble, she wrapped her forelegs around his shoulders in pure delight. “I knew you would remember me! I just knew it!” Stunned, he froze in her embrace and not for the reasons he would have liked her to believe. He had actually met this angel before? That was not possible. How could she have slipped through his mind if he had?! “My prince, I am so glad. I could not believe my eyes when I saw you on stage. I know it was fate that I came here today!” She cooed. Panicked, Blueblood shot a glance toward the stallions – two robust bodyguards with dark brown and blue coat, respectively – but neither reacted in the slightest to the scene before them. “Y-yes… truly we were destined to be reunited…” He replied, ignoring the growing unease in his stomach. Her close physical contact was making him very nervous. So much for the infatuation… “There is no time to lose!” The golden pegasus declared, separating herself from her beautiful prince. “My prince, you will have to pretend to be my slave.” When she saw the look on his face, she frowned, though it did not make her any less stunning. “You cannot be-” “Prince Blueblood,” she hissed seriously. “If they find out about my intentions toward you, they will kill us right now. They know that if you are free, they are through! You are too important.” His breath hitched and the next intake of air was freezing. He could not be killed after supporting this torture for so long! “T-tell your bodyguards to-” “No!” She shook her head. “They are too numerous. Please, I beg you, my prince. Play along…” Gulping down nervously, Blueblood nodded. The mare smiled at him and, without knowing why, the prince felt himself shiver. She pointed to the blue stallion as she continued her explanation. “Raging River will flank you and guide you to the rest of my escort, then, when we’re outside the tunnels, I will bring you to my estate where we’ll be safe.” He nodded and she took a step forward. However, just as she was going to put his blindfold back in place, his eyes happened to fall on a scripture over the door, one particularly fitting for this place. ‘The scales are burrowed beneath the surface.’ His vision was invaded with darkness again.