//------------------------------//
// A Princess is Born 
// Story: The Magic Within 
// by Night--Mist 
//------------------------------//


A Princess is Born


The day started out so normal, the sun rose in the morning and Cadence had met her mother, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she had gone through her lessons with her teachers, just like normal, and just like she had done every other day for the last 11 months, she was in her room, playing with her dolls. But then something happened, the Captain of the Guard took her and escorted her personally to the Royal carriage. It either meant Canterlot was under siege, or it was time...

And when she saw her mother sitting on the seat, taking long breaths through her nose, she understood, it was finally time. And as Cadence found herself on the opposite side of the door, she found herself doubting her own preparedness in what happened next.  Her mother was calm! She kept smiling, trying to calm down her firstborn filly during the ride to where they were now. Even though behind the smile Cadence could tell that she was not in the position to act so cheerful.

And as she wandered the opposite side of the room, like she was pretending to be like one of the guards who she was so familiar with, she wondered if she was ready. It happened so fast, mother was fine yesterday and throughout all of today! How could she have known? Cadence thought that she would have more time, or at least a warning a few days prior, that she was going to be a big sister...

But she didn't, and with every passing cry and moan from the other room, Cadence would have to get ready fast, because the foal was coming, and she had no way to stop it.

And for what seemed like the hundredth time, Cadence found herself walking across the room, moving from the soft cushioned seat over to the bench, sitting, but within a few seconds she was up again, only to walk past the door that two gold clad knights stood before, staring straight ahead and ignoring her understandable sense of urgency. Just then, the screams of her mother stopped, replaced with the wails and then giggles of a foal. The foal is here! Cadence was now a big sister and she heard a nurse who had been attending her mother come out of the room and say, “Princess Cadence, you may come in now.”

As soon as she heard this, she ran into the room to see if her mother was alright, as well as the foal. There on the hospital bed was her mother, Princess Celestia, holding a little lavender colored alicorn filly, all wrapped up and content in her mother’s forelegs and talking baby gibberish, wiping away any fears Cadence had of being a big sister as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes. “Come say hello to your baby sister, Cadence,” Celestia says.

Cadence approached them slowly as the doctors and nurses left to give them some private time and Cadence looked down upon her new sister. She smiled at the scene before her. The little filly was reaching for her big sister and Cadence soon realized the little lavender alicorn wanted to touch her big sisters face, so she slowly brought her face forward so not to scare her little sister. As soon as her nose touched the little filly’s hoof, she made raspberries with her mouth, making her sister giggle. “She likes you,” Celestia says as she chuckles at the site.

“She's so cute, what’s her name Mom?” Cadence asks.

“I’ve decided to call her Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia says.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle, I like it, it has a nice ring to it. I wish our Aunty Luna and Daddy were here to see her and me,” Cadence said, remembering the stories she had been told about her aunt, Princess Luna, and how she had been consumed by the element of jealousy and had turned into the dreaded Nightmare Moon, banishing her to the moon almost 1,000 years ago and remembering her father who was mortal and passed away 3 months ago from a battle with the Changeling Queen's minions, who's numbers dwindled now, thanks to his sacrifice and the Changelings knew better to stay away at this point.

Celestia smiled at her daughter and said “Maybe one day your aunt will honey, and your father will always be watching over us.”

Their attention turned to Twilight as she yawned and buried her face into her mother’s coat. “It looks like this little one had a big day."

Cadence chuckled at her mother's comment and simply watched the little filly sleep. After a few hours of Twilight's birth, the doctors and nurses were finished with making sure the baby and mother were okay. "I’ll let her lay on your back while I talk with the doctors, then we will go, okay honey?” Celestia asks.

“Okay Mom,” Cadence said as Celestia place her youngest filly on her eldest filly’s back.

Twilight slept contently on her sisters back as Cadence waited for their mother. Cadence nuzzled her little sister as she slept and the Twilight smiled her sleep, making Cadence smile as well. ‘You’re so cute little sis, I promise to be the best big sister I can to you, Twilight. Nothing will ever tear us apart,’ Cadence thought to herself again.

“Alright, we are ready to go,” Celestia whispered, trying not to wake her sleeping daughter.

Celestia gently levitates Twilight onto her back,trying her best not to wake her and they soon head out of the hospital and back towards the castle surrounded by their escorts, which Cadence found annoying. Word had soon spread about Princess Twilight’s birth, faster than they were walking. They were soon greeted by adoring eyes as ponies stopped their daily routines to get a glimpse of their newest princess. Cadence now understood why her sister was called Twilight, for the sun had set in the west when Twilight was born and it took Celestia a moment to realize that she needed to move the sun more to make way for the moon. Soon they were at the Castle and Cadence caught a glimpse of a colt she was familiar with. It was Shining Armor, her longtime friend. She smiled to see he had become an apprentice of the Royal Guard and was now in silver armor, for it was custom for all apprentices to wear, and the stallions who were full-fledged guards were in gold armor, as was custom as well. Shining Armor was heading for his barracks when he saw the Princesses and bowed. “Good evening your highness's,” he says.

“Good evening to you as well Shining Armor,” Celestia says.

“I see you’re an apprentice of the Royal Guard now,” Cadence says.

“Yes your highness, preparing to defend Equestria and its ponies. Congratulations on the newest member of your family your highness's,” Shining Armor says.

“Thank you Shining Armor, and congratulations on your apprenticeship,” Celestia says.

“Thank you, your majesty. I must be on my way to my barracks or my Commanding Officer will lecture me about being late to bed. I bid you farewell your highness's,” Shining says as he bows again.

“Goodnight Shining Armor, have a good day tomorrow,” Celestia says.

“Thank you Princess Celestia,” Shining Armor says bowing a final time and heading towards his barracks.

Cadence smiles as he walks off and Celestia notices her daughter looking at him and says, “Just think Cadence, one day he could be Captain of the Royal Guard.”

This broke Cadence out of her trance and she looked at her mother and quickly said, “Only time will tell mom.”

Celestia chuckled softly and looked back at Twilight who had stirred a bit in her sleep from all the talking. “We better get back up to our chambers if we want your sister to stay asleep,” Celestia whispered.

Cadence nodded in response. She didn’t want her sister to have a bad night on her first night of life. She then looks back at the moon in the sky and sees the Mare in the moon, which Celestia had told her was her Aunt Luna looking down on them. ‘I hope we see you one day Aunty Luna’ Cadence thought to herself.

She continued to walk with her mother towards their chambers that sat right next door to each other. Cadence’s had a heart at the top of her door frame that represented her cutie mark. The top of Celestia’s door frame was the sun, as was her cutie mark. Soon Celestia nuzzled Cadence and bid her good night, as did Cadence to Celestia. Cadence then went into her chambers and began to get ready for bed. She removed her royal jewelry and shoes and began combing her hair. As she did, she thought about all the fun she had planned for her and Twilight tomorrow, for tomorrow was Saturday. Soon she laid down her comb and shifted into her bed to get comfortable. She turned the lights of and was soon fast asleep dreaming of what tomorrow would bring.

Meanwhile in the other room, Celestia was nursing her youngest daughter after letting one of the maids change her diaper. As Twilight suckled from her mother, Celestia nuzzled her making Twilight feel warm, loved and protected. “I see great things ahead for you and your sister my little Twilight. You two are going to work great together when I hand down some of my responsibilities to the two of you,” Celestia said, knowing full well Twilight could not understand a word she said as she continued to nurse. 

Soon Twilight had finished and gave a light burp, giving Celestia the sign that Twilight was ready for bed once again. Celestia then rocked her daughter to sleep, and Twilight yawned and buried her face into her mother's coat, while sucking on her hoof. Once Twilight was asleep, Celestia placed her in her crib and tucked her in, giving her a kiss goodnight. Soon Celestia followed Cadence and Twilight to the world of dreams, after removing her royal jewelry and shoes as well, and all three slept soundly through the night.