A Canterlot Anniversary
It was early evening in Canterlot. Duke Shining Armor, captain of the Royal Guardsponies of Canterlot, had come to the end of his work day, and was going back to the home he shared with his wife, Princess Cadance. It was the first anniversary of their wedding day, and Shining had every intention of making it as special as possible.
To his delight, Cadance was already home, greeting him as he opened the front door.
"Hello, darling." Cadance smiled, hugging Shining.
"Hello, my beautiful princess." Shining smiled back, before pulling Cadance in for a kiss. "Happy anniversary."
Using his unicorn magic, Shining lifted a box from out of the stachel he was wearing. Cadance opened it to find a heart-shaped emerald pendant set in solid gold.
"Oh, Shining." Cadance attached the pendant to her necklace. "It's beautiful."
"Carved from the most perfect emerald I could find, by the best stonecutters in Equestria." Shining grinned. "Nothing but the best for my wonderful wife."
"Thank you, darling." Cadace beamed. "I got a little something for you too, my handsome knight."
Cadance brought forth a long box. Opening it, Shining found a ceremonial spear, possessed of gold and silver plating, with the image of his cutie mark embossed upon it.
"Wow." Shining gasped. "It's amazing. Thanks so much!"
"You're very welcome." Cadance cooed, nuzzling into her husband's front.
"I have another surprise for you." Shining whispered. "Follow me."
Shining led Cadance to Canterlot castle, instructing her to keep her eyes shut.
"Can I open them yet?" Cadance asked excitedly.
"Not just yet." Shining teased. "Okay, open 'em!"
Cadance opened her eyes, and saw Twilight Sparkle, her friends, Spike, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna (And her consort, Gothic), and even her obnoxious cousin, Prince Blueblood, all yelling "SURPRISE!" (Blueblood halfheartedly so, having been roped into attending by Celestia)
"Happy anniversary, my dear niece." Celestia smiled.
They were in the main hall of the castle, which had been festooned with festive decorations, courtesy of Pinkie Pie's party cannon.
"This certainly is a surprise." Cadance smiled. "And a very pleasant one, at that. Where did you find the time to put all this together?"
"Thank Twilight." Shining grinned. "She organised the whole thing."
"Anything for my B.B.B.F.F... and my new sister." Twilight said humbly. "Now then, first on tonight's itinerary is a romantic, candlelit dinner for two, followed by a dance party in your honor."
"This way, please." Rarity pointed her hoof to the adjoining room.
In the room was a single table, set for the aforementioned romantic dinner. Shining and Cadance took their seats, and shortly after, their meal was brought in by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.
"Enjoy!" Rainbow said before departing.
The couple began eating their dinner.
"You know, I can't help but remember that dinner we had with your parents." Cadance reminisced. "You were so nervous."
"With good cause." Shining added. "You were the first girl I ever brought home."
"First, you say?" Cadance smirked. "Really?"
"In all honesty, you were my first... ever." Shining admitted. "Between the last time you foalsat Twilight, and when we met again all those years later, I was pretty much entirely focused on becoming a Royal Guardspony. There wasn't really much room in my life for girls."
"I see." Cadance nodded.
"I did think of you, though." Shining confessed. "All the time."
"I thought of you, too." Cadance confessed back. "Let's face it, how could I forget a kind and handsome colt such as yourself?"
Shining blushed fiercely.
"All these years, and I still feel like a schoolpony with a crush around you." Shining sighed. "Must be the whole 'cute foalsitter' thing."
"Oh, stop." Cadance waved her hoof coquettishly.
They spent the rest of their dinner reminiscing about old times, and talking about their future together. Once they had finished their meal, they returned to the main hall, where their friends and family were ready to party. Rainbow Dash was stationed at a set of turntables, which was pumping out romantic music. Prince Blueblood pompously offered his hoof to Rarity, but the fashionista turned her nose up at him, instead joining her friends in a conga line. Even Celestia was getting into the beat, tapping her hoof in time to the music.
"Shall we dance?" Shining offered his hoof.
"Just try and stop me." Cadance took the hoof in her own.
With that, the happy couple hit the dancefloor. For a princess, Cadance was quite the wild dancer, and Shining had the moves to match.
"Okay everypony, time for some "Congratulations-Shining-Armor-and-Princess-Cadance-on-your-first-wedding-anniversary" cake!" Pinkie cheered, wheeling in a large chocolate cake, specially made at Sugarcube Corner only the day before.
"Chased down with some delicious Sweet Apple Acres cider!" Applejack crooned, wheeling in a table with a large punch bowl full of cider and several tankards.
Shining and Cadance took the first two slices of cake, each feeding their's to the other.
"I would like a piece of cake, ms. Pie." Luna requested.
"No problem." Pinkie placed a slice on a plate. "Here you go-ooh!"
In her haste to bring the cake to Luna, Pinkie tripped, sending the cake flying into the Princess of the Night's face.
"Sorry!" Pinkie gasped. "Sorry-sorry-sorry!"
For a moment, it looked like Luna was going to erupt with rage. Even Gothic looked a little worried. Fortunately, Luna's frown changed to a smile, which quickly gave way to laughter, leaving everpony relieved. Then she licked some of the cake off her face.
"Mmm, delicious!" Luna beamed. "May I have another?"
It was everypony else's turn to laugh after that.
After the cake had been eaten, a slow, romantic ballad started playing. Fluttershy and her coltfriend Forrest engaged in a slow dance, as did Luna and Gothic. Rarity had kindly allowed Spike to dance with her, to Blueblood's dismay.
Never the sort to refuse such an opportunity, Shining and Cadance held each other closely.
"Happy anniversary, my love." Shining whispered.
"Happy anniversary, darling." Cadance whispered back.
The two then kissed, to the joy of everypony present.
After the party had come to an end, Shining and Cadance said their goodbyes and returned home to prepare for bed.
"So, I take it you liked my surprise, dearest?" Shining grinned.
"I loved it." Cadance smiled. "But I have one last surprise for you."
"What is it?" Shining asked.
"Technically, you were the one who gave it to me." Cadance said cryptically. "The real surprise comes from me telling you."
"Telling me what?" Shining asked, confused.
Cadance leaned in close to her husband, and whispered into his ear.
"I'm pregnant." She said softly.
"Y... you... really?" Shining gasped. "We're going to be..."
"Parents? Yes." Cadance giggled.
"That's a real surprise, alright." Shining admitted. "How long have you known?"
"I found out a couple of days ago." Cadance declared. "I wanted you to be the first to know. We can tell everypony else tomorrow."
"Wow." Shining gasped. "Me, a father..."
"You're going to be the best father ever, I just know it." Cadance said sweetly.
"And you'll be the most wonderful mother." Shining declared lovingly.
The two climbed into bed.
"I love you, my handsome husband." Cadance kissed Shining.
"And I love you, my beautiful wife." Shining kissed Cadance back. He then placed his hoof on Cadance's stomach. "I love you too, my little foal."
Cadance placed her own hoof on Shining's. Sharing one last kiss before switching off the lights, the happy couple fell asleep in that same position, not moving so much as an inch until they woke the next morning, content to be close and dream of their future offspring.
The End?