Cadance walked down the halls of her palace. Normally, these would be filled with the sounds and movements of ponies busily going about their business, but night had spread its cloak on Equestria, so most ponies, including Shining Armor,were sound asleep in their bed. As she walked down the hall, her hoofsteps echoed through the formally complete silence.
Cadance wasn't truly alone— she knew the guards would quickly jump on any threat that had dared to show itself in these halls— but she couldn't help but think back on the changes she had to implement after her sister-in-law's last visit. It was a potential scandal and a huge embarrassment for her and her husband; even for the crystal guard. To think some pony was able to infiltrate the palace, steal her sister-in-law's crown, and still be able to escape capture spoke volumes about the crystal guard's night patrol. Even if the pony's escape was into an alternate dimension, that didn't excuse the guard's lack of diligence. However, something different weighed on her mind tonight.
Cadance had been the princess of the Crystal Empire a while now, and even though the empire was safe from the evils such as King Sombre and Discord's chaos magic, something else was slowly eating away at the empire. The empire had been a long time without the love magic of its princess, and though it was hard to see, the effects showed. The presence of unrequited love throughout the empire was starting to show. Cadance knew she had to do something for her citizens, but the nature of her charge— mostly that she could not force love, only move it along— made her hooves tied. Even when the affection was mutual, Cadance could not act until the ponies had actually met and consented to a relationship. Cadance’s mind started spin as she thought of everything she would need to do: first should need to find all the ponies who had unrequited love, then match them to who they longed for, and finally make the two come together. At the forefront of her problems was the sensitive nature of this one. She couldn't go up and ask ponies these questions without some form of awkwardness that would likely result. But she had been thinking on it, and the solution was the reason for tonight’s visitor.
She walked into the conference room and smiled at the other, currently occupying space by the window across the room. "I am so glad you could make it here with your busy schedule."
The other pony stared out the window at the full moon. "We are happy we could make it as well." The shadowy pony figure looked back at Cadance, revealing the face of the princess of the night. "Now tell me, what is your plan with us?" Cadance shifted a little nervously. She was slightly shocked Luna did not even exchange greetings before getting down to business, but Celestia had told Cadance that Luna took matters of business seriously.
“I called you here to ask for help. It is about my citizens.” Cadance took a seat at one end of the table, but Luna simply turned her body away from the window.
“We are perplexed. Judging from the dreams and activities of your citizens, we would think your citizens have few cares.” Luna looked beyond Cadance at the door, looking for somepony not there. “We have heard also that your citizens have welcomed your stallion as their co-ruler.” Cadance smiled for a second, but soon her smile gave way to a look of sadness.
“It is true Shining Armor and I are happy; the citizens too on the surface.” Cadance looked to Luna, her voice changing from its usual upbeat tone. “I, however, have felt a longing from my citizens. All their time under Sombre has made them afraid. They long for love but are afraid to follow its beckoning, and so are left in misery.” Luna gave the love princess a confused look.
“Why do you call us in a matter that is purely yours to solve. We do not know nearly as much as you when it comes to these matters of the heart.” Cadance nodded slightly. “Where is our expertise needed?”
“It is true that I could solve this using love magic, but due to both Crystal Empire laws and the quirks of love magic itself, I can only help a love that has already blossomed. I cannot force it to bud.” Cadance was hoping that the flower analogy would help Luna to understand, but she only found Luna giving her the same lost look
“Why do you speak of flowers when the matter at hoof is your citizens?” Cadance decided it would be best to take a page from Luna’s book.
“I need you to look into the dreams of my citizens. Look for any citizen who longs for another pony in dreams. If acted upon, this longing can bloom into a connection resulting in a happy relationship.” Luna’s look of confusion became one of shock. Cadance was beginning to doubt her latest move.
“You ask us to reveal the most private of wishes of our ponies? We know that you do not know much of the night, but to ask that of us is impossible. We will not betray the trust ponies put in us.” Luna stood up to leave. “You confuse us, Cadance, but we will not hold this idea of yours against you.” Cadance had stood up as well.
“Don’t leave yet! Please consider it Luna. I know it seems like a very rude thing to eavesdrop on a pony’s dream but what if it is for their benefit? You spy on ponies’ dreams to keep away nightmares. ” Luna looked back one last time before opening the window and leaping into the air, disappearing like a shadow in the night. Cadance sighed and hung her head. She had failed to get help from the one pony who could possibly make her citizens happy. She would have to rethink her strategy. First, though, her bed had been calling her for hours, and with nothing else to do, Cadance went off to sleep.