“My power’s useless now. I don’t have the strength to repel them,” Shining Armor wearily stated after trying to perform his safety spell. His face drooped as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead; the strain of performing such complicated spell was too much for him in that state.
“My love will give you strength!” the real Princess Cadence said, walking towards her groom and hugging him tenderly with one forehoof, tightening her embrace to show her support.
“What a lovely, but absolutely ridiculous sentiment,” the Queen of the changelings, Chrysalis mocked after deeming the ponies harmless and walking towards the balcony to further gaze upon the destruction of the city. The statement coated with malice prompted Shining Armor to look more decisive than ever before.
The bride and the groom looked into each other’s eyes for a brief moment, finding the soothing comfort that both sought in this time of need. He furrowed his brows and soon his horn was enveloped with a lavender veil. His spell hasn’t even started properly and he already felt all his energies drain from him; the constant strain of having to perform them daily left him completely tired. But Cadence joined him, adding her share of magic into the spell even though she might physically suffer from doing so. That display of selflessness, that display of live was a newfound source of strength to the stallion; so strong that sparks of pure energy jumped from one horn to the other with the mere proximity of both.
Her horn too glimmered after touching his, relieving him from the burden even more. A massive aura of lavender mist slowly began to form and grow around them both. The stallion looked worried for a moment, but when he noticed that his bride shared the sentiment, he smiled to her, trying to give her as much comfort as she needed.
The glimmer intensified and Shining Armor felt the spell growing in strength as the seconds passed by. The surge of power was so great that both ponies began to slowly levitate from the floor. When she noticed the changes happening in the same room as her, the Queen looked at the pair and gasped in shock; she was so fazed by this change of events that she stood completely paralyzed, unable to lift a single hoof to stop them.
Through the power of one, the two souls will be joined together.
The light exploded around the pair; the spell was cast and with more strength than ever. Adrenaline flowed through her body and time slowed down for Chrysalis. As the protective force-field expanded and touched her coat, she felt a sharp, searing sensation; as if a spear of pure energy had transverse her body through and electrocuted her from the inside. But as the spell forced the Queen away from the palace, she noticed something in the room along with them; a presence that she knew she was the only one able to see.
She didn’t know why it revealed itself for her and herself only, but as the searing pain became too much to bear, the Queen soon forgot about it. She was blown away from Canterlot, screaming and flailing her hooves fearful for her own life. The intensity was so great the she had already crossed the borders of the Everfree Forest and was now flung towards the arid wastelands that she and her kin called home.
Some changelings that weren’t weak enough quickly rushed to her, taking their Queen out of harm’s way and gently carrying her to their lair. The fright that froze her heart was too much, and made her emotions overflow; tears brimmed her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as she openly cried in front of her spawn.
“My children,” she said, looking at the smaller changelings that strained themselves just to carry their Queen through the air. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you... I... I failed all of you.” In shame, she began to remember just how stupid she had been.
‘I should’ve kept an eye on them... I should’ve just locked them in the dungeons... And now he-’ Her thoughts trailed off as she remembered the presence that had revealed itself only to her; mocking, taunting, snickering. She felt all her fears wither before they were replaced with an anger that boiled through her heart. But she halted herself before the feeling could completely get to her. And then, it clicked on her mind; she knew that presence. It was somepony she wasn’t very fond of, but she did know whom that presence belonged to.
“He won... I can’t believe he won!” she said before breaking into a laughing fit, one that quickly grew towards hysteria. When the laughter died, a decisive look was plastered across her face. She turned around to address her minions and urge them. “Faster, my children! For tonight we must prepare!”
* * *
The power surging around Cadence and Shining Armor slowly dwindled down, allowing both ponies to gently levitate back to the floor before fading away completely. The bride and the groom looked into each other’s eyes and joined in a hug once more.
“We won. We actually won. I can’t believe it!” he whispered on her ear, barely able to contain his glee.
“It’s true, Shining Armor; our love knows no boundaries!” Cadence replied, tightening her embrace on her groom. Both their ears perked up when they heard Princess Celestia’s voice echo against the stone marble walls of the palace.
“... you have a real wedding to put together,” she said, addressing her protégé.
* * *
The rest of the day was spent with new preparations and, as it was tradition, Cadence and Shining Armor were forbidden to look at each other until the real marriage took place. All the ponies noticed the clear difference in the Princess, as she seemed more eager and jovial towards the whole deal of possibilities before her.
After the real marriage, the party only started properly after the enthusiastic and overly charismatic pink pony interrupted the couple’s waltz. Cadence didn’t seem to mind; she was never one for uptight manners and, even growing up as part of Royalty, she knew that there was more to life than to worry about what the others might think of her. She noticed that even Shining Armor was enjoying himself with the new party music, letting loose some strange dance moves that ultimately made him look rather silly.
Needless to say that Pinkie’s party was a blast; Rainbow Dash was so eager to see who her pink friend had brought to be the D.J. at the party, but she nearly blew from excitement when she saw Soarin’, a high-ranked member of the Wonderbolts. Even Rarity seemed to loosen up a bit; even if only to quickly regain her uptight, pompous composure whenever Fancy Pants trotted nearby.
After a few hours of partying and enjoying their friend’s company, it was time for both bride and groom to take their leave towards their honeymoon. Princess Cadence trotted gingerly towards the round and beautifully adorned carriage. Twilight Sparkle respectfully bowed to her and magicked the carriage’s door open for her.
“Twilight!” Shining Armor called, trotting closer to her. “None of this would’ve been possible without you, little sis... Love ya, Twilight,” he said, smiling warmly at her.
“Love you too, B. B. B. F. F.,” she replied before both joined in a tender hug. Twilight wanted to keep her embrace with him for a little longer, but she knew that now it was their time to enjoy the rest of the night alone. Shining Armor gave her one last happy look and entered the round carriage.
“Ready to go?” he asked his bride.
“Oh, almost forgot!” she said and proceeded to poke her head outside the carriage’s window in order to throw her bouquet to the eager ponies of the crowd. She heard somepony yelling “Mine!”, but paid it no heed; it was probably one of her hysterical bridesmaids going coco about a silly little tradition.
The carriage began to move and quickly picked speed. Through the eager shouts from the crowd, both bride and groom were only able to hear the loud, metallic clanking of the horseshoes attached to the carriage. Princess Cadence breathed a sigh of relief and rested her head onto her husband’s, nuzzling his neck tenderly. Shining Armor gladly repaid the generosity and tilted his head, resting it on top of hers.
His eyes drifted away and he looked east. There; through the darkness of the dimly lit night, beyond the border of the Everfree Forest stood the ‘nopony’s land’. The place which has spawned the dark Queen and her entire army of changelings. A smile slowly began to form on his lips, twisting until it had become a devious grin.
“Honey? Do you know where we’ll be spending our honeymoon?” she asked, her eyes still closed as she nuzzled his neck. He merely turned his head away from the window and planted a kiss on the base of her horn.
“I know just the place, my love,” he replied, after his eyes quickly flashed a sickening tone of green.