//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: Castle in the clouds 
// by ovineConventionalist 
//------------------------------//

Shining Armor awoke, as usual, at sunrise and climbed out of his giant four-poster as quietly as was possible. He walked silently from the room, which was no easy feat for a hooved quadruped on a marble floor. He cast a guilty look at his snoring wife, before descending the spiral staircase.

All over Equestria ponies were sleeping, or else pining over their own problems, none of which Shining thought could possibly compare to his own. He opened the door to his expected guest, standing in the rain was an earth-mare, she was very attractive despite her soaked mane.

“I can’t keep doing this.” She said as she walked into the entrance hall. “Coming here so late, there are bags under my eyes, Shining. Bags!”

“No!” Shining insisted. “You’re very... pretty.”

“You think so?” She asked batting her eyelashes.

“Of course.” He said carefully. “Can I offer you a tea or coffee?” 

“Coffee please.” She answered as always. “Black.”

He came back with the beverage, and they sat in an adjacent room.

“My boyfriend is getting suspicious you know.” Said the mare. “Can’t you just tell your wife?”

“No!” Shining had to answer this question every single night. “It would only upset her, and it wouldn't solve anything.”

“Well I can’t be sneaking out every night after hours.”

“Every night except Sunday.” He said, trying to lighten the mood.

She giggled, placing a bag on the table. Shining looked inside, at all of the envelopes addressed to him and Cadence. He picked out one in particular, a white square envelope with Cadence’s name printed on it. Shakingly, he tore it open. The note made his heart speed up, despite being exactly what he expected: a large, crudely drawn number 7.

“Well I must be off.” Said the mare.

“Uh huh.” Shining walked her to the door. “Here.” He said hoofing her an umbrella from the stand.

“Ta.” She said, and the door closed behind her. 

Shining scowled.

He hated thinking it, seeing as she was doing him such a huge favour: retrieving his post in the early hours of the morning and travelling all the way to the castle, but he found her to be so irritating. She would fish for compliments, and complain. This time hadn’t been so bad though. He trotted hurriedly into the room he had just vacated.

He walked over to the fire-place and retrieved a little shoe-box from underneath the coals. It really was the perfect hiding place, no one would ever think to check the coals and there was no reason to light the fire in summer. He placed the note with the others, the first few threats, and then the numbers counting down from twenty. All of the notes were for Cadence, and all of them were warning her: 

Either give up your throne, or give up your life.