> Lessons in Love
>  by James Pwyll
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> Lessons in Love
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What a fine afternoon we have today." Cadance smiled at the shining sight of the Crystal Empire, its happy citizens walking around in the streets below, going about their lives with utter contentment. Life was good here, and Cadance smiled to herself as she felt the calm and relaxation that always came when one knew they were in a time of peace. Sipping her tea, she sighed with that relaxation, only to stop when she heard the sound of somepony clearing their throat. Turning, she saw that it was one of her guards, who saluted to her. "Yes?" she asked politely.

The guard, an older stallion, spoke in that typically formal way so many of her husband's personal recruits did. "Your highness. You requested that your daughter speak with you as soon as she was done with her schoolwork."

Cadance nodded, and saw at last that the guard was indeed accompanied by her daughter. Though the Princess of Love knew full well that her child was growing into a fine and beautiful young mare in her own right, she forever saw her as that young filly who liked nothing more than to play and have fun. So, keeping her smile, the Princess nodded to the guard, who saluted again before turning and giving Flurry a quick bow of his head. Flurry herself watched him go, then took a few steps forward and bowed to her parent. "You wished to see me, Mother?"

Cadance giggled. "Oh, my dear sweet girl. You needn't speak like that when it's just the two of us." Blushing slightly, Flurry stood upright, then walked over and sat opposite her mother on that small table on the balcony. Cadance already had a second cup of tea ready for her, which Flurry graciously accepted and drank, though admittedly not in as fancy or refined a manner as Cadance. The latter smirked slightly as she watched her daughter gulp the drink down, then glanced out to the side, to the rest of the city. "So, how goes your day?"

Flurry smiled to her. "Oh, it's been going great. I finished my homework, and I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging with my friends. I'm looking forward to introducing them to cousin Spike when he visits tomorrow."

Her mother nodded as she looked back to her. "I'm sure they'll get along swimmingly. And speaking of your friends..." She leaned forward, setting her cup down before looking to her daughter with an arched eyebrow. "I couldn't help but hear news of how a particular pair of them have suddenly rekindled their relationship."

Flurry's pupils shrank slightly, and she scratched the back of her head, sounding awfully nervous all of a sudden. "Oh! That! Yeah, it's pretty awesome the two of them got back together, right?"

Cadance nodded. "Indeed. Especially since they ended things rather amicably and decided to remain friends."

Flurry forced a wide grin, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, guess the love was just too strong for them, eh?"

Cadance stared at her daughter for the longest time, seeing drops of sweat creep down her forehead. Eventually, the elder Princess sighed. "Flurry...you wouldn't, by any chance, have had a hoof in their reunion, would you?"

Flurry's eyes darted left and right in that typical manner ponies did when they desperately wanted to avoid looking somepony else in the eye. "What? Me? No! I wouldn't get involved in something as personal and private as..."

"Flurry..." her mother spoke in a warning tone.

After a long silence, Flurry finally sighed, her shoulders slumping in a sign of defeat. "Okay! I admit it! I kinda got involved."

"Kinda?" Cadance enquired further.

Another awkward silence. "...I used my love magic to help reawaken their romantic feelings for one another," Flurry finally confessed.

Cadance nodded. "There we go."

Flurry looked up at last, speaking to her mother in an almost pleading manner. "I had to! They were so good together! I couldn't just let that love fall apart!"

Reaching forward, Cadance gently placed her hoof upon her daughter's shoulder. "You needn't sound so worried, Flurry. I know all too well how great a temptation it is to get involved in these things."

Flurry calmed down, but only by a fraction. "You...you do?"

Cadance nodded. "I do. When I was your age, I remember well how often I'd go out to try and, in my own words, 'fix' what I saw to be broken relationships. My spell was used left, right and centre." A nostalgic smile crept onto her lips. "You feel so good in the moment. You tell yourself that you're doing fine work, creating love between those whose love is failing in some way." She then shook her head. "But with age comes wisdom, and you learn that such things are a place where you shouldn't try to force matters."

Flurry sank into her chair somewhat. "But...my friends were so happy when they were a couple. I...I just couldn't sit by and let what they had...come to an end."

Cadance took another sip of her tea, contemplating that remark. "It's unfortunate, but it's the way things just go sometimes. Relationships don't always last, and not every pairing is good for one another." She smiled again to her daughter. "Besides, they were still friends, yes? Is that not enough?"

Flurry pouted a little as she folded her forelegs and looked to the side. "I guess."

Cadance chuckled slightly. "I trust you know that I'll be having to undo the effect of your spell, yes?"

A long sigh from Flurry. "Yes, Mother."

"And that you'll be needing to apologise to your friends when next you see them?" Cadance added.

"Yes, Mother," Flurry repeated. But then the younger Princess seemed quiet and thoughtful, at least until she started speaking in a lower tone than before. "I'm the daughter of the Princess of love. I just...thought I should have done something."

Hearing that, Cadance halted before her next sip, and she regarded her daughter carefully for some time. Eventually, she set her cup down, and she tapped the table slightly, gaining Flurry's attention. "In your defence, I realise I should have probably advised you on these things long before now. That was a mistake on my part. But, if you're willing, there are other things I can teach you now."

Instantly, Flurry looked to her with wide eyes. "You mean some new love spell?"

Cadance laughed a bit at that. "Oh no. We need to teach you some things long before we start having you use magic, young lady." Flurry huffed to that, but had the courtesy to remain quiet afterwards as her mother continued. "There are other things about love you need to be aware of, and not just how to make ponies feel affection for one another. There are things like recognising when ponies actually feel love or whether it's something else. Whether or not a particular pair would even be compatible. Things like knowing if a potential couple has more going for them than just 'looking cute together', as you might perhaps think."

Flurry blushed. "What? That's a good enough reason, right?" An arched eyebrow from her mother was her response. "...Not a good reason?"

Cadance smiled, shaking her head slightly. "You'll also need to be taught on things like the different types of love there are out there."

Flurry tilted her head. "Different types? But...I thought there was just...you know...love. What you and Father have? When you wanna spend your whole life with somepony you really like?"

A sly smile from Cadance. "Yes, that is indeed what your father and I share. But love comes in many forms. For instance..." She pointed to Flurry. "What are your thoughts on Philia and Agape?"

Flurry stared at her for a time, blinking only once, before finally answering. "Um...who's that?"

Cadance had apparently expected such a response, since she kept her smile even as she sighed. "Oh dear. I really have been remiss with these lessons, haven't I?" Taking a deep breath, followed by an equally-deep exhale, Cadance finally started to explain. "There are, as I said, many different types of love, my dear daughter. There have been many ways to describe them, and ponies across the ages have given them different names. What your father and I have is what's known as Eros."

Flurry tilted her head. "Eros?"

Cadance nodded. "That's right. And I'm not surprised that it's the type you thought of immediately when I started talking about 'types' of love. It is, after all, the kind of love most ponies think of when they hear the word. Put simply, Eros is the form of love where one feels a deep passion towards another. The way lovers feel to each other? That is Eros."

Slowly, Flurry nodded. "Huh...Eros." Scooting her chair closer, she looked to her mother with greater curiosity. "And the other ones you mentioned? Aggy and Filly?"

Cadance rolled her eyes. "Agape is a very widespread kind of love. It's the love you feel for all those around you. A connection or bond, perhaps forever unspoken, that you have for your fellow ponies."

Flurry thought on that, then smiled back to her. "Oh! Like what Auntie Pinkie feels about everypony? Or Auntie Fluttershy with her animals?"

Cadance's smile widened, clearly showing she was happy that her daughter was so readily accepting this lesson. "Yes! Exactly! Those two mares have both expressed Agape, even if they perhaps didn't realised it. Their love for others is unconditional, and they have only ever wanted the best for those around them." She chuckled as she looked out to the city, to the direction of the train station specifically. "In fact, remind me to talk to them about that next time they visit. I imagine they'd be rather interested in the topic."

Flurry, who was definitely interested in this at the moment, pondered that. "Hmmm...and Filly?"

"Philia," Cadance corrected.

Flurry blushed. "Right. That."

Cadance gave her a bit of an "oh you" look before carrying on. "Well, Philia is the more platonic form of love. It's usually what you'd find between friends, or perhaps between a brother and sister."

Flurry paused, then smiled to her. "So is that what me and cousin Spike have?"

Cadance thought for a moment on that, then smiled again. "Yes, I do believe it is." Flurry giggled, happy that she'd guessed right, but it was Cadance who again spoke shortly afterwards. "And it's also what your two friends have. Or rather, what they should have had?" she said, her voice not devoid of the "I'm making a point" tone mothers loved.

Flurry blushed. "Yes, yes, I get it. I said I'll apologise already!"

Cadance enjoyed that moment of victory before resuming her lesson. "The final major form of love is what I have for you, Flurry. Storge. The love of family. Otherwise known as a 'natural' love that comes from having this unseen connection with others of your kin." She leaned in closer, placing her hoof upon her daughter's. "And I assure you, Flurry, my Storge has been very strong since you came into my life."

Flurry smiled softly to her, and mother and child certainly felt that connection in this moment. It was a calm and pleasant time, and as Flurry took a deep breath, silently taking in all her mother had tried to teach her, she looked to her with genuine appreciation. "Thank you, Mother. I know there's a lot for me to learn, but I'd be happy learning them from you." She took a moment to see the appreciative look her mother gave her, then chuckled. "I didn't even suspect love could have all these...well..."

"Complications?" Cadance suggested mischievously.

Flurry giggled. "To say the least."

The two Princesses laughed together, ending when Cadance returned to her tea. "Trust me, my girl, when dealing with something like love, complications are part of the job description."