Some Friendly Princess Advice
Our dearest mother and aunt,
We are on day forty nine of our journey and I feel we are getting close. Frequently we have been getting telepathic messages from our brother Glacies, who was a tad shocked to find out he had two younger sisters, then again, he has only woken up as of recent and did not know until we told him how long he has been there. He is eager to meet us all the same and we have learned that he has been imprisoned in an ice chamber, but it is impossible to break free from the inside. We asked how he wasn't able to contact anypony in the past, but then it hit us that of course, he had been asleep. Glacies told us it was part of the spell Discord had placed on him and could not be broken until the beginning of winter one thousand and ten years later, so we understand that your transformation was not due to just jealousy, but heartache as well Aunty Luna and we sympathize with what you were going through as well as you mother.
So far we've had no major events play out, aside from the recent encounter with some arctic wolves, which were soon chased off. It's gotten a bit colder, but the enchantments placed upon the sleigh and guards keeps everypony from freezing to death. We hope to see our brother soon for we can feel his magical presence very strongly now, meaning we are close to seeing him and soon we will be on our way back with our brother in hoof, maybe even sooner, for it seems we are close to what looks like a fortress, but no ponies guarding it from what we see through our telescope. Should take us another day to be there and then we'll be able to free our brother. We hope this letter is of good news to both of you and hope to see again soon and be sure to let the girls and Spike in Ponyville know we are okay.
Your loving daughters and nieces,
Cadence and Twilight
P.S. We'll be sure to bonk Glacies on the head for you Aunty Luna. He should know better then to be sleeping on the job as prince of winter.
Soon the letter Cadence and Twilight put together was sent via magic as their sleigh pressed on. The guards had been taking turns pulling it in order to keep the journey going and no one stallion would tire out. Cadence and Twilight had only one issue the entire trip and that was Silver Sword. He had been complaining the entire way on the trip and very soon everypony had it with his bickering, Shining Armor placed a silence spell on him taking away his voice and yet even in silence he proved to be a hassle for the trip, as he tried to fly off only to be stopped by his fellow guards. Shining Armor soon told him that he would be processed out of the Royal Guard and put in prison for three years for insubordination, abandoning the princesses and his brothers in arms, and insulting the royal family.
They pressed on as the weather eased up, but then, they felt the ground shake. It was as if the hoof steps of a giant pony were in the vicinity and it put everypony on edge. As the sleigh stopped and the two young sisters felt the ground tremble as well, Cadence said, "Shining, what's going on?"
"I don't know Princess Cadence, I advise you stay in the sleigh your highness's," Shining Armor said to both of them.
Just then a load roar broke through the sky. Approaching them was what looked like a manticore, but it was all white the tail wasn't that of a scorpion's, but a lion's. It then dawned on everypony that this was an arctic lion that had been told by ponies who dared to travel this far north in the summers past, though the roar didn't sound like one that was meant to terrify them. As the arctic lion came closer, the guards stood at the ready, even Silver Sword. It was then Twilight noticed that the lion didn't seem angry, but in pain. "Wait, don't hurt him," Twilight demanded.
"Beg your pardon your highness?" the Captain of the Royal Guard asked.
"I've seen that look before on a manticore, back in the Everfree forest, when Nightmare Moon was defeated. He's not wanting to attack, he's in pain," Twilight said.
"Twily, how can you be sure he is in pain, what if he wants to eat all of us?" the older princess asked the younger with concern.
"Just trust me on this big sister, I know what I am doing," the lavender princess said as she stepped out of the sleigh.
"Princess, you should stay in the...." Shining said before he was cut off.
"Just let me do this Shining. I'm sure this big guy means no harm," Twilight replied.
She walked up to the arctic lion and said a little nervous, "Hey there, um, big guy. Is there any thing we (gulp) can help you with?"
The arctic lion looked at her as if he knew what she was trying to do and knew he was scary looking to them and he soon showed his left hind leg. There, the saw a very sharp ice sickle lodged into his leg. "Oh dear, um Cadence, I'm gonna need your help," Twilight said.
Cadence nervously approached and saw what her sister was talking about. "Alright, let's do this together little sis," Cadence said.
Soon the two princesses flew up to where the ice sickle was and landed on the lion's back. "Okay mister lion, this might hurt just a teeny tiny bit," Twilight tells him.
Soon the two princesses use the magic to pull out the ice sickle and the lion roars, making the two princesses glide down from his back. Just as soon as the roaring started, it stopped and the lion turns to the two princesses and does something no pony expects. "Thank you," he said.
A lion just spoke to them, leaving them all shocked. Finally snapping back to reality Cadence said "You're welcome sir. I did not know you could talk."
"Not many ponies do. Few ponies ever venture up here, even fewer make it back to wherever they live. May I ask what brings you ponies up to this part of the world your highness?" the lion asked them as he realized they had the crowns of the royal alicorn family.
"We are here looking for our brother, he's been imprisoned up here and we came to set him free of his icy prison," Twilight said.
"Oh, you mean the pony who's been here for a millennium and ten years," the lion asked.
"Yes, how did you know?" Cadence asked.
"He has been under my ancestors and my care since he first appeared all those years ago. We were not sure how it happened, but it was not in us to kill ponies, or royals for that matter, we are not like that. He is in the icy fortress you see in the distance. I can escort all you ponies there. There are some beasts out here that don't give a second glance when they want food. I'm sure you ran into a few, but just in case, I can help," the arctic lion said truthfully.
"Excuse me your highness's?" Shining Armor asked.
"What is it Shining?" Cadence asked.
"Are you sure we can trust this creature? I mean, he's a carnivore, and ponies could be on his menu tonight if we let him come along," Shining armor said.
"I know he is a little strange, but no pony told him about our brother before this or how he got here, or how long it has been since he was imprisoned. The way I see it, he would easily have eaten us all by now and I saw the truth in his eyes. He's no pony killer and if he knows where to find our brother, he may know how to avoid obstacles along the way and he seems eager to help. We don't have many options, so I say we trust him and let him go with us," Twilight said.
"As long as you're sure your majesty, but we will keep an eye on him," Shining Armor said.
"Oh, Shining you worry too much, but that's one thing I like about you," Cadence said, catching herself too late.
Shining was in a bit shock and disbelief as Cadence thought, 'Good going Cadence, you blew it now.'
"Um, let's go tell the lion he can come along Cadence," Twilight said to try and save her sister's flank from embarrassment.
"Okay," Cadence replied and quickly trotted to Twilight's side.
Once they get in front of the lion Twilight said, "Sir, we will let you come with us, provided you promise not to harm or eat anypony."
"Your highness, that thought never crossed my mind, besides, I can only eat fish. Arctic lion stomachs aren't built to stand other types of meat, in fact, it makes us sick. You're safe from me and my kind eating you your grace. And by the way, call me Ice Fang your highness," Ice fang said truthfully once again.
"All right Ice Fang, you may help us find our way to our brother," Cadence said, relieved to hear he was only a fish eater, as was everypony else.
"I could actually have you all there in the next ten minutes if every pony was to hop upon the contraption you have there.
"Well we were going to stop for a lunch break if you wouldn't mind Ice fang," Twilight said.
"Not a problem your majesty, we have plenty of time to get there, I can be a look out as you all have you meals, I've already had my lunch," Ice fang said.
Everypony agrees and soon set up the equipment to have a meal. As lunch was being cooked Twilight trotted over to Shining and asked, "Can I talk to you for a moment Shining?"
"Of course your majesty," Shining Armor awnswered.
Soon Twilight situated herself next to Shining Armor and Shining Armor asked, "So, what is it you want to ask me your highness?"
"I want to know, and answer this truthfully, do have feelings for my sister?" Twilight asked in a serious tone.
"Well I, um, I," Shining Armor stuttered and couldn't bring himself to say it.
"So you do have a crush on her," Twilight said as she saw right through Shining's serious, emotionless face.
Shining sighed, for he knew he was beat and said, "Yes, I have had feelings for her for a while now your majesty. Your sister is amazing, and don't get me wrong, so are you, but your sister is a certain kind of amazing. I want to ask her out, but, I don't think it would work your highness. She's a princess, like you, and I, under this armor, I'm just a commoner. I don't think your mother, Princess Celestia would allow it to happen between us your highness."
"Don't be so sure, I think she would, as would my Aunt Luna. Listen, go and ask my sister, see what she says, and when we get back, if my mother does not approve, I'll see to it she changes her mind. Trust me," Twilight said.
"Are you sure your highness, I mean what if she says no?" Shining asked worried.
"You won't know until you try Shining, go, I'm right behind ya," Twilight urged him.
He soon got up and Twilight followed him and once they reached Cadence, Twilight said, "Cadence, Shining has something he wants to ask you."
"What is it Shining?" Cadence asked as Twilight backed off some.
"W-well your majesty, I, um, I've known you for a while and well I was wondering," Shining says nervously.
"Yes?" Cadence asked, and thought in her head 'Is he really going to ask me?'
"Would, would you.... like to.... b-be my m-marefriend?" Shining Armor asked, expecting the worst to come.
'He did ask me. He does like me that way' Cadence thought and finally said, "Shining, I thought you might never ask me. I was afraid you didn't like me that way, of course I'll be your marefriend."
Shining Armor was relieved but then asked, "But, what about your mother? Won't Princess Celestia disagree to this."
"We'll have to wait and see Shining," Cadence said.
She then looked to Twilight and said, "You knew he liked me all this time, didn't you Twi?"
"Well, it was kind of obvious, but where's the fun if you don't let ponies find out themselves?" Twilight asked.
"You know, your right Twilight," Cadence said, remembering Forge back home and how Twilight and him acted around each other before she took off for Ponyville, and how Twilight was oblivious to how she acted around him.
"Your highness's, captain, lunch is ready," one of the guards said, drawing attention away form the conversation.
Soon everypony settled in for lunch having celery soup and hot tea, along with some cooked carrots. The two princesses knew there would be a lot of changes once they freed their brother and were back in Canterlot, especially in the political, family and romance area.