Wayward Armor

by Sketchwrites


Chapter 1- Remembrance

Changelings were everywhere; crawling through broken windows, harassing guards, and rounding up the few guests that remained at the wedding. Princess Celestia's body was splayed out on the floor, and several changeling drones surrounded her, trying to encase the Princess in some kind of chrysalis.
Shining Armor's eyes were dull and glazed as Cadence ran her hoof down his face. He seemed to pay no attention to her or the utter chaos erupting around them, not even blinking. Tears slipped down the Princess's pastel cheeks as she weakly embraced her lover.
"Don't bother trying to rouse him," hissed Chrysalis's deep voice. The Queen of the changelings was standing near the wide, but broken, stained glass window. She was smugly gazing out at the streets, looking at the destruction with contentment. She suddenly turned around, magic crackling at her twisted horn. She stomped toward the alicorn and unicorn, muttering under her breath. She telekinetically grabbed Cadence around the neck, holding her up to eye level. Her sharp teeth peeked out from upper lip as she spoke.
"You lost, little pony. Shining Armor, and the rest of Equestria, is mine. Any more noise from you and I'll send you back to the mines." she threw the Princess down, now looking at the drones collected around Celestia. "Hurry up with that chrysalis! I don't want her to wake up in the middle of the process. I'm not too keen on picking another fight with her."
Chrysalis spared a glance at Shining Armor, her slitted green eyes softening with lust. "Don't worry, my Prince. After your sister and her little friends are taken care of, I'll put away that pink wretch and we can finally be alone." The Queen turned and hovered back to the window, barking orders at drones on the ground.
Cadence glared daggers at the changeling queen, violet eyes narrowing as she sharply stamped her golden shoed hoof on the floor.
"No." she whispered, deadly serious.
Drones stopped in their progress, all eyes glued to the Princess.
Chrysalis made a low growl, flying across the room in a flash and landing in front of Cadence. Cadence looked as threatening as she possibly could in her weakened state, dusty wings rising from her sides and spreading out to their full span. She took a few steps, forming a living barrier between the beastly pony and her dear Shining Armor.
"What was that?" Chrysalis snarled, arranging herself to full hight, towering over the shorter Princess.
"I said no." Cadence whispered, keeping her eyes locked on the Queen. "I won't let you near Shining." Her dirty and sweat slicked body contracted with stress as she strained to summon magic to her horn. A few pitiful blue sparks crackled in the air for her effort, but it was a lost cause.
Chrysalis leaned in, breath beating on Cadence's face. "And how do you think you're going to do that?"
Cadence suddenly reared back, ramming into the large changeling with all her weight. Chrysalis was taken off-guard, staggering back several feet. However, Cadence's upper hand was lost fast as the tall changeling reared up, magic storming around her horn. Cadence cowered, eyes widening. Chrysalis roared, striking down the alicorn with a burning bolt of green magic. The magic exploded at such close range, a bright flash resonating around the room.
Shining Armor was motionless as his lover's blood splattered on his pristine coat.
~~~~
"Shining Armor, wake up!"
A concerned voice dragged Shining back into the realm of consciousness. His eyes snapped open, body squirming under bed sheets.
Four faces quickly came into focus. Cadence was nervously waiting at his bedside, flanked by two royal guards. The palace doctor was close by, a clipboard levitating in her magic grasp.
"What happened?" Shining Armor gasp, trying to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his muzzle as he dragged white sheets off his body.
Cadence pulled herself into the bed beside Shining, placing on hoof on his for comfort. "You were having a nightmare," she murmured. "A pretty bad one, at that. Do you want to talk about it?"
Cheeks heating up, the white stallion let his gaze fall on the two royal guards at his bedside. Flash Sentry, the newer guard member, shuffled on his hooves, looking awkward and anxious. Thunder was much more experienced and stern looking, spear firmly tucked under his wing and no emotion visible. He groaned. He didn't want to talk about it with two of his men watching. He didn't want to show weakness, they looked up to him; they saw him as the pinnacle of what a guard should be like.
"I'm fine." Shining Armor muttered, laying his head back down on his hooves. He glanced at the doctor through a curtain of tricolored mane. "When can I go back to my job? The guys must be missing me by now."
Remedy sneered. "You're not going to be doing much of anything until the infection gets better. It's too risky."
Shining Armor squirmed a bit out of the covers to peek at the wound on his leg. His left thigh was wrapped thick in bandages, but the throbbing told him the wound was as bad as ever. He, along with the rest of the guests at his wedding, had discovered the injury once the horror of the invasion and the thrill of the celebration had settled down. Soon after the ceremony and his and Cadence's dance, Shining Armor collapsed, blood stains barely visible through his red tuxedo. He was promptly rushed to the infirmary, and Remedy and her nurses tried their best to heal him, but infection soon found its way into the skin. Ever since then, fever had plagued the stallion, making life miserable.
He flicked his tail impatiently. "I want to be left alone right now." he murmured quietly. "I wanted to see if I could go back to sleep. I'm still tired."
Thunder nudged Flash Sentry out the door, the young pegasus waving goodbye to his superior. The older stallion quickly punched him between the ribs, as a sort of discreet shut up. The door was quietly shut behind them.
Remedy grabbed a bottle from a nearby table, placing it and a small cup on the nightstand. "If your fever gets any worse, drink this." she instructed. Shining Armor nodded, using his magic to pull the blankets back over his chin. Cadence pulled herself closer to him, their bodies touching.
"Cadence..." the doctor murmured.
The Princess jumped to alert. "Yes, Remedy?"
"I believe Shining Armor wants to be completely alone, is that right?"
Cadence looked offended, turning to Shining. The stallion looked sheepish, a bead of sweat running down his face. He hated to admit it, but he did want her to leave. He was already burning up with fever, and another warm body curled up beside him was making him even hotter.
"Yeah, but just for a little while." he murmured, staring away from her. "It will be easier to sleep alone."
Cadence frowned, stepping onto the floor beside Remedy. "Oh...all right. I guess I see you later, honey." she and Remedy stepped out the door, and a light click told him that it was locked.
Shining Armor sighed, rolling onto his side to make himself more comfortable. Immediately, all he could think of was his nightmare. He had been having nearly the same dream every other day, but each time, the ending was different. It always followed what actually happened that day, and then something would go horribly wrong. In the last dream he remembered, his sister Twilight was dragged in and killed before him.
A slight shiver ran down his spine. No matter how much he denied it, changelings absolutely terrified him. Curling up tighter under the covers, Shining forced his eyes closed. He was going to have to rest to feel better, no matter how many nightmares he had. It will only be for a little bit, he thought to himself. Soon everything will blow over and I can sleep peacefully again...