The Guard And His Sword

by Himntor

Counselor Cadance

Though I’d forgotten to set my alarm, somehow I still managed to wake up after five hours. Not too bad, still plenty of daylight, though hopefully Shining Armor wasn’t too busy this afternoon. I wonder how much more work it was being a prince.

I got a few carrots out of the fridge and had a quick ‘breakfast’ and cleared my mind so I could teleport my sword over to the Crystal Empire, which was harder than I wanted to admit. I couldn’t believe I was going to talk to Shining Armor about talking to a mare. I should be able to just go and do it on my own, no advice necessary.

That scared me though, so after a moment of concentrating, I zapped my sword away and tried to lock onto it.

Problem. I couldn’t sense it at all.

“Well ponyfeathers,” I said, sighing. “Guess this calls for the old fashion way.”

After a good deal more concentrating, I teleported myself outside the Crystal Empire’s train station, which made my head spin like crazy. Yeah, I think I’ll take the train from now on. More time to sleep too.

I managed to teleport my sword back to myself and shaped it around my waist as usual, and then I trotted off towards the castle. As I neared it, a bright orange-coated and blue-maned Royal Guard came up to me and saluted with a smile.

“If I’m not mistaken, sir, you’re Lieutenant Shield, right?”

I returned the salute. “That I am, and you are?”

“Officer Flash Sentry.” He reached his hoof out and I shook it. “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you. Shining Armor has told me a lot about your exemplary service in the Royal Guard, especially how you helped him fend off King Sombra when the Crystal Empire was discovered again. It’s truly an honor to have you visit. Are you here to see Shining Armor?”

“Yes, or Cadance, whoever is available.” Who was this guy? Had Shining Armor already replaced me?

“Shining Armor shouldn’t be too busy. I’ll take you to him.”

I followed Flash Sentry into the castle. It was weird to see every Royal Guard stand taller and salute me as we passed. “I wasn’t aware I was so well known here.”

“Why wouldn’t you be? You helped save the Empire, not to mention saved Prince Shining Armor a number of times. You’re an inspiration to all the new recruits and Officers here.”

My eyes widened. Me? An inspiration? Wow.

As we navigated the halls of the castle we nearly missed Shining Armor as he passed in front of us down another hall. He did a double take when he saw me.

“Swordulan!?” he said, turning to us. “You know you’re always welcome to visit, but maybe use a little forewarning in the future! Where’ve you been?”

I gave him a hoof bump. “Manehattan, Hollow Shades, Canterlot, Ponyville. You know, around.”

Shining Armor gave a salute to Flash Sentry, who returned it and trotted off. “What were you doing in Hollow Shades?”

“Taking a nap and then fighting a dragon.”

Shining Armor blinked. “You fought… oh! I remember that letter you sent me. You didn’t mention that was in Hollow Shades. Why were you there in the first place?”

“I was trying to get back to Canterlot on hoof, and Hollow Shades seemed the fastest and most convenient way. I guess you know the rest. Oh yeah, I’m sorry about flying off on you and Justice at Twilight’s coronation.”

Shining Armor waved a dismissive hoof. “It’s no problem, I understand. I’m glad you’re doing better though. So did you do anything fun over in Manehattan?”

“I, uh…” I cleared my throat. “Let’s walk and talk.”

“Sure thing, I’m on my way to oversee preparations for the Equestria Games.” We continued on in the direction he’d been heading. “So nothing fun over in Manehattan?”

“My… well, I’ll tell you later. There was something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Alright, what’s up? I’m all ears.”

I took a deep breath. “My dad sent me a letter suggesting that I… talk to somepony. A mare somepony. He wants me to try to find a special somepony.”

Shining Armor laughed. “And you came to me for advice?”

I sighed. “Yeah. I have no experience in anything like this, no idea where to begin.”

“Well, you came to the right place, but maybe not the right pony. Cadance is usually better with these sort of things. But if you still want my advice, I’ll give it.”

“Yes, I think I’d prefer it from you at first. You had to go through this once, didn’t you? Is there some kind of tactical approach you took? Any special strategies?”

Shining Armor laughed for a good minute, gaining some odd looks from the ponies we passed by as we came out of the castle. “Tactical… oh, Swordulan, I’m sorry, that was great. It wasn’t like… well, I’ll be honest, there was some strategy to it. I had my friends from Canterlot Academy to thank for that. The first thing you should do though is just talk to her.”

“And say what exactly?”

“Just say hello. It worked for me.”

My ears drooped. “You’re kidding me.”

Shining Armor elbowed my side. “I told you I’m probably not the pony you want to talk to about this. You should go find Cadance, she shouldn’t be too busy. I think she’s reading in the castle’s study.”

I rolled my eyes. “I guess I will. Thanks though.”

“Anytime. It’s good seeing you, and I’m glad those stars are coming back.”

I looked back at my flank, two more stars having reappeared, the middle left and right ones. “Yeah. I still don’t know why though.”

“You’ll figure it out. I’ll catch up with you later, alright?”

“Alright. See you.”

I turned around and trotted back to the castle and made my way to the study, where I found Cadance sitting with a book as expected. She looked at me and stood up in surprise.

“Swordulan! When did you get here?” she asked.

“Not too long ago,” I said, walking further into the room. “I was talking to Shining Armor for a couple minutes, but he wasn’t much help, so he told me to come to you.”

“And what exactly was Shining Armor unable to help with?”

I sighed. “The inevitable quest to win a mare’s heart.”

Cadance raised an eyebrow with a sly smile. “Oh? You don’t sound very enthusiastic about it. Is that something you really want?”

“Well it’s… complicated.”

“How about you take a seat and then you can tell me what the matter is.” Cadance motioned to a chair across from her reading couch.

I nodded and sat down, Cadance sitting back on her couch. “It started with my dad. He… died.”

Cadance’s eyes widened. “Swordulan, I’m so sorry! I hadn’t heard. Are you alright?”

I forced a smile. “I guess you could say that. Anyway, this morning I got a letter about his will concerning me, and along with it was a letter he wrote to me years ago. In it he said that he didn’t want me to live a lonely life because I was so antisocial as a colt, and was afraid that I’d be that way when I was older too. Which I guess he was right, since I am still rather antisocial outside of my job. I hardly ever talk to anypony. I certainly don’t go out of my way to. But I’ve realized that there’s something missing within me, and that I really do want to… um…”

“Have a special somepony?” Cadance asked.

I nodded sheepishly. “Yeah, that. That’s what my dad wanted for me, to find a special somepony in my life. He even suggested somepony, the filly who had lived down the street from us when I was younger. I still remember her, and I know she works in the Canterlot Library.”

I stopped to see if Cadance would say anything, and she was silent for only a few seconds. “Well, it still sounds like you’re not sure if this is what you want. Do you want to pursue her? Do you really want a special somepony?”

I hesitated, which probably wasn’t the best sign. Instead of just giving the answer I wanted to hear, I looked deep within myself, my desires, and what it felt like I was missing.

“Yes,” I said confidently. “Yes, I do. Though maybe not pursue her, not yet. I barely know her.”

“If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Just be yourself and have confidence in that. Don’t trick yourself into thinking you can give her something you don’t have, or being somepony that you aren’t. What’s her name?”

“Summer Dawn.”

“Oh, that’s a beautiful name. Hmm, Summer and Swordulan, I like that.”

I blushed. “Please don’t… say that.”

Cadance laughed. “Alright, but you really should just go and talk to her. You shouldn’t need to come to me for this.”

“But what do I say? I don’t want to make it seem super awkward or anything. I really don’t know what I’d say just walking up to her.”

“Just greet her how you normally greet somepony.”

I thought for a moment. “Hey, give me fifty laps around the walls, fill out your reports, and make sure to shine your armor?”

Cadance rolled her eyes. “How about you just say ‘Hi?’ or ‘Hello’?”

I pursed my lips. “That’s what Shining Armor said. I guess I could do that.”

“Of course you can! How about we pretend that I’m Summer and you’re meeting me for the first time. What do you say?”

I stared at her in stunned silence for a moment. “Um, you know that sort of thing never works with friends, right? Especially with friends who are already married.”

“Oh, you’re right. I should show you an example instead. Guards! One of you go and get Shining Armor, I need him.”

“Right away, Princess,” one of the guards by the doors said, galloping away.

I sighed. “You really don’t have to—”

“Of course I do,” Cadance said. “I can’t have a friend going out there and greeting mares improperly. It just wouldn’t be right.”

I buried my face in my hooves. “I can do it just fine without your help, really. I’ll just—”

Shining Armor teleported into the room. “What’s wrong?” he asked in a rush, as if there were changelings invading the castle. That was fast.

“I need you to help me give Swordulan an example of how to greet a potential special somepony,” Cadance said. “I suggested we pretend before, but he said that doesn’t work.”

Shining Armor relaxed. “Oh. Well duh! That’s because it only works between us stallions. I wonder why I didn’t think of that earlier. But yeah, I can help with that.”

At this point if I looked in a mirror I’m sure my entire face would be a deep shade of red. Is this what your married friends did to you when they didn’t have any foals of their own to take care of? What did I get myself into?

“That’s enough!” I said, glaring at them. “I don’t need you to explain or give an example or anything like that. I think I’ll just go with the advice to be myself and have confidence it’ll get me somewhere. I can do this on my own.”

“There you go!” Shining Armor said. “You’ve finally learned the trick. You never needed to come to us for advice about this sort of thing in the first place. Sure, we’re experienced, but the real advice is to experience it on your own. We’ll support you in any way we can, but there’s no such thing as the perfect advice for each relationship beyond you ultimately deciding what you say and do.”

I heaved a sigh of relief and stood up. “Thanks, that’s all I need. Support. I guess there really is no way around beyond just doing what I should’ve done in the first place.”

“Don’t worry, you’ve got this,” Cadance said. “You’re a nice and charming stallion, even if you don’t realize it. If that doesn’t count for something, then at least you’re handsome too.”

“Second to me, of course,” Shining Armor said.

“Mmm…”

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes at Cadance. “What? You think he’s prettier than me?”

Cadance looked between the two of us and smiled. “It’s debatable, but not right now. You should really get back to finishing the stadium.”

“Debatable? Oh, this is not over. Seriously though… is he really?”

Cadance sighed. “For Celestia’s sake, no, I’m kidding. Go on already.”

Shining Armor chuckled and triumphantly trotted out of the study.

“Gee, thanks,” I said as sarcastically as possible.

Cadance shrugged. “Sorry, but—”

“No, no, I’m joking. I’ll take second best to Shining Armor any day. I don’t really pay attention to how I look, so hearing that is nice, I think. Anyway, I guess I’ll… well, there was one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What would that be?”

I sat back down. “My dad. I… it’s hard to say this, but, I… don’t care that he died.”

Cadance gave me a solemn look and opened her mouth as if to say something, but she stopped herself, staying silent for another moment. “Swordulan, I’m not sure what to say. You don’t care?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, and it bothers me. I feel like I should, but I just don’t. My father and I always had a difficult relationship. He wanted to control everything about my life, and it still feels like he’s reaching beyond the grave to get me to do something he wants. I just want to be free to live my own life.”

“So do you think that you want to find a special somepony just because he wants you to?”

I grimaced. “It sort of feels like it, but that sounds so wrong.”

“That’s because it is wrong. Sometimes we want something that we’re not aware of, and it takes somepony else to make us aware. You don’t want a special somepony because your father wanted that, but because you wanted that. He only made you aware.”

I nodded slowly. “I guess that makes sense. It’s just so weird though because at the same time that I want it, I also just want to forget this ever happened and avoid the whole thing, to just not talk to Summer.”

“That’s fear talking.”

“But I don’t feel afraid.”

Cadance sighed. “It’s fear. It comes up in a variety of ways, and avoidance is one of them. If you really want it, and you want to succeed, you’re going to have to deal with the fears.”

My ears drooped. “And how do I do that?”

“First of all, you need to admit them. What are you afraid of in trying to find a special somepony? Tell me.”

“I’m… I’m afraid it will go nowhere. I’m afraid it will be a waste of time. I’m afraid that something bad might happen to anyone who is with me.”

Cadance nodded slowly. “There’s one more.”

I grimaced. I hated this one, and I hated that Cadance knew it was there. “I’m afraid no one would ever love me.”

Cadance stood up and walked up to me, putting a hoof on my shoulder. “Why?”

My mouth trembled as I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. I tried to hold back the tears welling in my eyes, without success. “B-because… because my dad never did. In his letter he said he did, but he didn't! Even when becoming exactly what he wanted, it wasn’t enough for him. And now… now I’m just a boring Royal Guard. I can’t even do my job right.”

Cadance pulled me into a motherly embrace. “Swordulan, none of that is your fault.” She pulled back and looked me sternly in the eyes. “And you’re not a boring Royal Guard. You’re one of the bravest and most unique guards I know, and I think you do care that your father died. You wanted his acceptance and affirmation for who you are, but now that he’s gone, you don’t know where to go to get it. Maybe you blame him for all of this happening to you and tell yourself that’s how you don’t care, but it’s not true. You both care more than you want to and less than you want."

Her words cut deep, and I couldn’t deny them. A part of me wanted to, but any protests were drowned out by the shouting agreements coming from my heart.

I took a deep breath and wiped my tears away. “Then where do I go to get it?”

“I can’t answer that,” Cadance said quietly. “Not precisely. I will warn you though, do not look to a special somepony for it. You can’t find it there. As for your father, I can only suggest one thing. Forgive him. You won’t find what you’re looking for until you do.”

I felt something bitter rise in my stomach. “I’ll… try.”

Cadance smiled. “You’re going to be okay, Swordulan. You can do this.”

I nodded shortly and returned the smile weakly. “Thanks, Cadance. I guess I should still go talk to Summer, huh?”

“Yes, do it. Absolutely. Go out, be yourself, and just have a good time. Don’t stress things.”

I stood up and let out a long breath. “Well, back to Canterlot then.”

Cadance wouldn’t let me turn away without another quick hug. “Good luck! Oh, you’re coming to the Equestria Games, right?”

“If I can get tickets, definitely.”

“I’ll send you two. Maybe you can bring a date.”

I turned to the door. “Won’t that be a sight to see.”