Cadence

by bahatumay

Introduction

All of the Crystal Empire had finally returned. Every last piece of it.

Now, not all of it had remained the same. Sombra's overbearing rule had meant that nobility as a concept had been systematically crushed and wiped out; most crystal ponies now considered themselves all on equal standing and were, for the most part, content to live peacefully and prosperously as equals under Princess Cadence.

Unfortunately, thought Shining Armor bitterly, Celestia had not chosen to take this path. Thanks to his new status as prince-consort of the Crystal Empire, he was now considered high nobility, and, as the Crystal Empire was an ally of Equestria proper, he was expected to attend the most boring meetings and dull parties that he had ever had the displeasure of sitting through.

This is why he was currently back in Canterlot, at a dinner party so boring he seriously contemplated jumping out a nearby window.

He’d patrolled this area as a young guard. There was a large bush underneath this window. He'd survive the fall with minimal injuries and a few superficial scratches.

He didn't mind actually coming to these parties; no, not at all. Every once in a while, it felt good to dress up all fancy and waggle his ears at the handsome stallion looking back from the mirror. It didn't hurt that Cadence had to dress up, too; and she looked amazing (even more so than usual, that is) when she did.

No, what really bothered him was the other ponies he had to put up with.

Like the mare that had been prattling on for the last five minutes. Shining was not a good actor; he'd been tuning her out for a while, but either she didn’t know, didn’t care, or just wanted to show off to anypony who happened to be watching just how well she knew Prince Shining Armor.

Gag.

Still, some things he couldn't ignore. Like the direction her last few sentences had been going.

“But you know, larger age differences are becoming so much more common among the nobility recently. Aren't you quite younger than she?”

Shining turned and his face contorted as he tried to think of the politest way to ask this mare to go and boil her head. But suddenly, as if able to sense that her husband was in distress, Cadence appeared nearby. She leaned over and gave Shining Armor an affectionate nuzzle on the cheek, short enough to still be socially appropriate, but long enough to make the mare look around and look mildly uncomfortable. “Hi, Shining,” she said. “How’s your night going?”

“Great,” Shining lied.

Cadence glanced between the two. “What did I miss?” she asked with a small smile.

“Age difference in ponies in love,” Shining said quickly, glaring at the other mare as if daring her to speak.

She blushed, but Cadence laughed lightly. “Age is always so complicated. I've found that a few years apart actually strengthens a relationship because each pony will bring a slightly different perspective to the table.” She paused. “Speaking of relationships, isn't that your husband over there?”

As the mare looked over to confirm Cadence's words, Shining's eyes flicked up to Cadence's horn. Sure enough, a tiny pink heart squeezed out of the tip and floated over to the mare.

The change was instantaneous. She licked her lips as her eyes traced over his body. With a polite but rushed, “Excuse me,” she walked away from Cadence and whispered in her husband’s ear. He pulled back, surprised; but when she nodded and stepped away with a swish of her tail, he quickly followed behind.

Shining exhaled. “Thanks, Cadence,” he said, relieved. “I was debating jumping out that window. Or throwing her out that window. One of us was going to go out that window.”

Cadence giggled quietly. “She won't be giving you any more trouble. Let's just say she's going to be… a little too tired for anything like that.”

“Maybe she'll overexert herself and have a heart attack,” Shining suggested bitterly.

Cadence lightly swatted him with her wing. “Stop," she chided gently.

Shining grinned. “Hey. Just because you show love everywhere doesn't mean I have to.”

“No… but you show me love.”

Shining stepped closer so his hips rested against hers. “That's right. I do.”

Cadence nodded contentedly. “Like Celestia used to tell me, there aren't many problems that can't be solved with a little love.”

“Did she really say that?”

“No; I think she said 'kindness'. I was somewhat of a bratty little filly, remember?”

Shining chuckled. “How could I forge- I mean… uh… I have nothing but happy memories of you from when I was a colt.”

Cadence chuckled. “Well, if I have my way, there will be a lot more happy memories we can make.”

“That sounds great,” Shining Armor said, before his voice turned slightly bitter. “But tonight is definitely not going on that list of happy memories.” He glanced over and saw another talkative pony approaching, and a cold shiver ran up his spine.

“Oh, shush,” Cadence said. “Besides, the night's not over yet.”

* * *

From his position under the covers, Shining watched as Cadence lit her horn and slid her dress off. She did it slowly, taking great care to make sure her wings were taken out one at a time and that it remained perfectly straight as she slid it down her backside with tiny side-to-side rocking motions of her hips. Cadence always took her time getting undressed; and Shining was very certain that she did it on purpose. Not that he was complaining about the show, of course.

Still, his mind had wandered that night, and something had occurred to him. He fidgeted with the covers and then finally spoke. “Uh, Cadence?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think…? Uh, are…? Hm.”

Cadence chuckled. Shining was cute when he was confused.

“Ok, how do I put this? You met my parents; do I ever get to meet yours?”

Cadence froze. “Well…” she said hesitantly, her hooves kneading at the sheets. “You… kindof already did,” she admitted.

Shining sat up. “I did?”

“Well, according to the official story, my mother died in foaling, and my… other parent, well… When they say I'm the true heir of the Crystal Empire, that's literally true.” She smiled sheepishly.

It took Shining Armor a few moments to put two and two together; but when he did… “Wait, wait, wait,” Shining Armor stammered. “You mean to tell me that your father was Sombra?” Having killed his father in law would definitely place a bit of a damper on their relationship.

“Yep,” Cadence said with a smile. “But Celestia raised me more, so I don't even consider us related.” A devious smile spread across her lips. “Think of it this way,” she offered, sliding onto her back. “You slew a dangerous dragon…” Here she shifted her hips and slid her tail away invitingly, “…and now you get to claim the princess as your own.”

Being a red-blooded stallion, Shining couldn't help but glance over at Cadence's now-exposed treasure. His eyes widened ever so slightly, and he licked his lips once before he shook his head and refocused on his previous problem. “But… but that was your dad! I blew up your dad!”

“We,” Cadence corrected.

“We blew up your dad!” Shining repeated.

“So he mounted a mare and I was born,” Cadence said dismissively. “That doesn't make him my dad.”

“How can you be so calm about this?”

Cadence rolled so she was sitting upright. “Because I was wrong!” she nearly shouted.

Shining Armor stood stock still. Hearing those words spoken exactly like that by a female was an entirely new experience, and one he doubted he'd ever get again.

“When I came here, I thought Celestia wanted to eat me. I didn't understand and I fought her. But here I learned the value of love and friendship. I earned my cutie mark for being a peacemaker, not a warrior. I can manipulate ponies, yes; but I don't make them do anything contrary to their nature. I'm not like him. I may have inherited some of his power, but I'm my own mare now. The best thing he taught me was to not be like him.”

Shining thought for a moment before speaking out on something that troubled him. “Could you… influence ponies to do things against their nature?”

Cadence rolled over and rested her head in her hooves, looking down into the covers as if expecting to find an answer there. “I could,” she admitted quietly. “I don't; but I could.”

Shining was silent for a moment. And then: “Have you ever influenced me?”

Cadence sat up. “No! No, I would never! Shining, I've loved you since you stood up for me at that first gala.”

“Not since that first kiss in front of all my friends?” Shining asked cheekily.

Cadence cracked a smile. Celestia had been right about him never forgetting that. “No. Trust me. I've wanted you for much longer than that. I've always had a thing for… powerful stallions.” She flicked her tail up and swatted him on the flank.

“Are you just trying to flatter me?” Shining asked.

“Is it working?” Cadence asked right back.

Shining Armor rested his head against her back and placed one of his hooves against her cutie mark. “Maybe a little,” he said, giving it a gentle rub. Cadence chuckled and settled into his motions, enjoying the attention.

His lovely hoof motions stopped far too soon. “But seriously… Sombra's your dad?”

“Technically.” Cadence grinned mischievously. She rolled onto her back again. “And what better way to show your dominance over a dead tyrant than by taking his daughter, mounting her, and making her bear your foal?”

Shining swatted her gently on the shoulder. “Stop that! I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this! You grew up in Canterlot—we practically grew up together—and now Sombra's your sire?”

“I'll wrap my lips around your-”

“Cadence!”

“Ear,” Cadence said innocently. “I was going to say 'ear'.”

“Sure you were,” Shining grumbled; but his cheeks did tinge slightly red. He did enjoy having his ear nibbled.

Cadence nuzzled his cheek gently. “Ok. I'll tell you what. Tonight, you help me demonstrate the more physical aspect of my element; and tomorrow morning, if I can't leave the bed, I'll tell you the story.”

Shining cracked a smile and gently started rubbing under her wings. “Agreed,” he whispered into her ear.

* * *

Shining Armor trudged dejectedly down the hall. His bed was empty; Cadence had left. Sure, she was limping and shuffling more than walking, her wings had been spread for balance, and she'd had to brace herself against the wall a few times as she'd walked out; but she had indeed left.

With a subdued greeting nod to the princess of the sun—he had received many long lectures on how Celestia considered them equals now and wished to be treated as such, and he had no desire to be subjected to another—Shining Armor climbed onto the chair at the breakfast table. He morosely poured syrup over his oat waffles and, with a small flash of magic, halfheartedly tossed a single strawberry on top. It tumbled end over end, not staying in the center like he usually liked it to be.

“You seem to have something on your mind,” Celestia observed.

“I'm fine,” Shining said. “I just…” His cheeks colored as his mental filter kicked in just in time. Celestia undoubtedly knew he had been having sex with her niece, but he couldn’t just say that to her face, and he certainly wasn’t about to tell her that he felt like a failure because he hadn't ridden her hard enough the night before. He started a bit later in the story. “Cadence said she was going to tell me about her foalhood this morning; but she left before she did. She probably didn't want to tell the story.”

“Oh, I know that story,” Celestia said, a devious smile playing at her lips.

The doors opened, and Cadence shuffled in. “I heard that,” she said faux-accusingly. “If you're going to be telling the story anyway, I want to be here to make sure it's accurate.” She gave Celestia a poignant glance.

“And I'm sure this all has nothing to do with the fact that you are unable to comfortably walk anywhere?” Celestia asked pointedly.

Shining Armor blushed furiously; but Cadence remained calm. “Not at all,” she lied with a perfectly straight face.

Celestia held her teacup in front of her mouth, hiding a smile. “I see. There's still plenty of time for breakfast if you'd like to take a seat?”

“Oh, I'd rather stand,” Cadence said airily.

“As you wish.” Celestia sipped at her tea. “Well, this story begins a long time ago…”

Comments

[Cross Lament]

“Oh, I'd rather stand,” Cadence said airily.

Aaaaand Shining promptly caught fire.