Spike swooped up and over the walls of Canterlot castle with a powerful flap of his huge wings. The guards on the wall saluted as they passed and those in the courtyard moved to quickly clear a landing zone for the dragon. Spike did a tight turn to bleed off his speed before flapping hard and settling down amid a storm of loose leaves and flowers from the nearby gates and gardens.
Twilight waited for Spike to get his feet arranged before letting go of Princess Cadance. It wouldn’t be a good idea to let the guards see anything they shouldn’t. Rumors ran like wild fire through them and it wouldn’t be long before some exaggerated claim reached her brother’s ears.
Spike looked back over his shoulder and grinned. “Thank you for flying the friendly Canterlot skys with yours truly, Spike the Awesome. You may now disembark, but please watch your step. Your baggage will be available shortly.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh stop hamming it up. I want you to meet us at the tower after Princess Cadance has her meeting with Princess Celestia. I have a feeling that we’re going to need to plan and research whatever it is that she wants us to protect Princess Cadance from.”
Spike nodded. “Okay, Twi. I’ll take the Princess’ things to the guest rooms then.”
Cadance wasted no time in climbing off Spike’s back and setting herself back on the cobblestone-covered ground. She raised an eyebrow as Twilight followed her and looked up at Spike. “Unless the castle has had some very impressive remodeling done in my absence, how are you going to do that? Don’t tell me that your fire breath can transport more than letters now?”
“Hehe...nope, it’s still just for letters, or starting campfires now and then.” Spike reached down and worked the straps on his saddle before sliding it off his back. “I have a better trick now, just watch!”
“Show off.” Twilight muttered with a half smile. She took her place at Cadance’s side and her magic pulled her staff from it’s holster at her side. She tapped the end of the staff to the earth and she could feel it connect her the juncture of ley lines that criss crossed underneath Canterlot.
Spike smirked and the green frills along his crest and jawline started to glow as he tapped into a similar well of power that all dragons possessed. The magic washed over him in a flash and there was a muffled ‘whumph’ noise as he shank to a size more convenient to move around the castle in.
Cadance gasped as the light of the transformation magic faded. Spike stood before them on his hind legs, his wings gone, now at eye level with the Princess. He looked much like she remembered from when he was but a hatchling but draconic puberty had hit him hard and done a good job of it too, leaving him broad shouldered yet narrow waisted with a long tail.
“Wow...I mean, wow!” Cadance rushed forward and trotted around the dragon. “That’s amazing, Spike! Is this a new form, or your natural one now?”
Twilight chuckled. “His natural form. In fact, both this and his flight form are natural. Spike’s ‘dragon type’ has the ability to change shape from a biped to a winged quadruped. Neat, huh?”
Cadance giggled and reached up to give Spike a nuggy. “I bet he’s already breaking the mares’ hearts.” She laughed harder as the dragon blushed. “And you really must tell me what all the flowers at the gate are for too.”
“Uh...yeah, about that…” Twilight laughed nervously. “I’ll tell you about it later. Um…don’t you need to get to that meeting?”
“Oh.” Cadance frowned for a moment and then smiled at Twilight. “At this rate it’s going to take us a week alone with each other to tell the stories we’ve accumulated these past few years, hmmm?”
“Uh...um, yes?” Twilight flinched as the last word came out with like a squeak. Some badass battlemage she was. How was she going to protect Princess Cadance when the mare kept having such an effect on her?
“Good!” Cadance laughed again and trotted back over to her personal guardian. “After you…”
Twilight paused outside the door to Princess Celestia’s command room. The door was flanked by two senior battlemages that had saluted Cadance as soon as they closed the distance down the hallway. They parted to allow them access to the chamber.
Inside, they found the room empty save for an enormous round table with many cushions. One particularly large golden cushion had several maps and documents spread out in front of it with many of the papers stained with the imprint of the royal coffee mug. Cadance wrinkled her nose at the smell of it which seemed to permeate the room.
“Uhg...I smell that auntie Celestia is still a Coltlumbian fan.”
Twilight shrugged and smiled weakly. “I’ve been trying to ease her into drinking Istallion lattes, but it hasn’t really stuck.”
“That’s because I like my coffee like I like my mares: dark, bold and with one heck of a kick.”
Both Twilight and Cadance gasped and whirled around to to quickly bowed to the diarch, Princess Celestia as she strolled into her warroom with her titanium-plated mug steaming at her side. Princess nodded to them both and took her seat before gesturing for them to rise.
“Ah, Cadance, it is good to see you again! I’m glad you are safe.” Celestia smiled as she niece moved in to hug her. “I trust our Twilight has seen to keeping you safe since your return to Equestria?”
“Oh yes, she has. Thank you for assigning her to me, auntie.”
“You are quite welcome. Twilight has told me several times how close you are.” Celestia grinned but then became serious. “Sadly we do not have time for pleasantries. I have several meetings to look forward to after this and I fear none of them will be with such stimulating company. So let’s get to business.”
Celestia turned and looked at Twilight. “My faithful student, would you keep an eye on things while I speak privately with Princess Cadance? I have some things to speak to her about that are of a sensitive nature.”
Twilight gave a curt nod and took a step back. “Of course, Princess. Shall I return in a few minutes then?”
“No need. I’ll just shield us. This shouldn’t take long.”
Twilight nodded again. “Yes, Princess.”
Celestia turned back to Cadance and her horn flashed for an instant before a translucent sphere around them and cut off all sound coming from the two mares. Twilight watched them speak in complete silence and frowned to herself. There was little to do but wait it out.
She sighed and took a seat on one of the side cushions. The Princesses chatted back and forth and she found her eyes drawn to Cadance’s muzzle, watching her lips work. Part of her still hadn’t come to grips with the fact that she now knew just of soft and sweet they were. Or the fact that another part of her wanted to feel that again. Yet another part wished she’d taken up lip reading long ago.
Twilight just stifled her first yawn when the topic of the Princesses’ conversation changed and both of them started to cast looks her way. She sat up straighter and watched them continue to talk. They must have been talking about whatever it was that she was supposed to protect Princess Cadance against as the pink alicorn gestured at Twilight from inside the bubble. It seemed to working Cadance up as she started to flush quite noticeably.
Princess Celestia nodded several times and looked quite serious for a time before she started to smile and point Twilight’s way as well. This made Cadance flush even deeper, turning her pink cheeks red. Maybe whatever it was about was also embarrassing to speak of and that was why she hadn’t been informed yet? Twilight frowned as she continued to reason why she could be the topic of conversation.
Eventually, the talks reached a lull point and the shield came down. Twilight stood up and stepped up besides her charge.
“Twilight,” Celestia gave her a small smile, “go see my sister next. She has instructions for you about keeping Princess Cadance safe.”
Y-yes, Princess!” Twilight saluted. Princess Cadance continued to blush next to her.
“And you, Mi Amore Cadenza, don’t forget what we spoke of here. I will not be able to help you after this.”
“I...I understand, Princess Celestia.” Cadance swallowed. “But...are you sure it’s the only way?”
Celestia nodded and took a small sip of her coffee. “Now go, you only have a small window of opportunity to getaway clean.”