A New Shining Armor
A New Shining Armor
“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.”
Isaac Asimov
The hardest thing about being married for 70 years and being ageless yourself is watching your partner get older. Get slower. Become frail.
Cadence had ruled the Crystal Empire for 50 years with Shining Armor at her side when she noticed that he wasn’t able to keep up with her like he used to. She fretted over what to do when Flurry Heart had offered to take over the rule of the Empire to allow Cadence to retire and spend more time with her husband. She accepted without hesitation.
They spent 20 years travelling, seeing everything, doing everything, hoof in hoof, never looking back and having no regrets. They worked hard to create a lifetime of memories, and in many ways were successful in proving each other’s love. But all things come to an end, and they returned to the Crystal Empire to live out Shining Armor’s twilight years in peace and quiet.
And then… it happened. While residing in the Crystal Palace, Shining Armor fell ill.
They tried every spell. Every potion. His strength would not return.
Shining Armor, laying in bed, took Cadence’s hoof in his own. “I’m dying, beloved. I can practically see Elysium if I close my eyes long enough. We must prepare.”
Cadence couldn’t keep the tears from her eyes. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Shining Armor smiled weakly. “My only regret is not having had the strength to go to Ponyville one last time to see Fluttertree. I hear that Discord really outdid himself in honoring Fluttershy when she passed away recently. Let’s prepare the Crystal Coffin for the laying in state ceremony and just… don’t leave my side…”
Cadence caught her breath. “Of course, I won’t leave your side…”
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3 weeks later
Flurry Heart had made all the preparations for the state funeral while Cadence refused to leave her husband’s side, as he had requested. They spent every waking hour together. They spoke for hours, reliving old memories and really captured the essence of the love they had for each other.
Shining Armor had hoped that it would make the mourning process a little easier for her knowing that they had no unfinished business or unsolved issues and most importantly, no regrets.
Cadence found herself overjoyed that her husband cared that much about her happiness but also a little annoyed that Flurry Heart was spending more time chasing the Crystal Guards than she was spending time with her dying father. Cadence forgave her the indulgence… she remembered what it was like to be young. She focused on making sure Shining felt loved and tried to mentally prepare herself for his loss. Not that anything she did actually helped.
And finally… he stopped breathing.
It was like a moment frozen in time. His un-rising chest seemed to punctuate the silence of the room as Cadence herself wasn’t sure if she was still breathing herself. She wrapped her forelegs around her husband and just screamed in pain and misery.
In what could have been minutes or hours, Cadence cried until she physically couldn’t shed another tear. A soft knock on the door interrupted her keening.
“Come in…”
Flurry Heart entered the room. “I have the coffin ready if you’re ready to lay daddy to rest. The guards will carry the coffin to the castle foyer to start the laying in state ceremony.”
Cadence lost her temper. “IS THAT IT, PRINCESS!? You couldn’t be bothered to spend time with him before he passed?”
Flurry seemed completely unbothered by her mother’s tone. “With you ruling the Crystal Empire, you had very little time for me. Daddy raised me. I spent my youth with him and gave you his twilight years. I wanted to remember the strong, loving, courageous pony that raised me… not the frail dying one that he ended up as. I’m happy with the memories I have of him, and I hope that you are too.”
Cadence seemed subdued by her daughter’s words. “I forgot that you are in Princess mode. I guess you’ll mourn later in your own way. You may take him.”
Flurry nodded and the guards carefully and respectfully placed Shining Armor in his Crystal Coffin. They escorted him to the foyer and Flurry turned back to her mother.
“I’ll leave you to mourn. I’ll come get you when the laying in state part is done and it’s time to place him in the Crystal Catacombs.”
With that, Flurry left.
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2 days later
Cadence was staring at herself in the mirror. Her mane was a mess, and her eyes were still bloodshot from tears that had long since dried. She knew this day would come and yet… was still utterly unprepared for it. Denials were useless and yet… she couldn’t help it.
She heard a knock on the door and ignored it. More knocks came and were further ignored. Finally, the door simply opened.
“I don’t know why I bother to knock when it’s my castle now.” Flurry Heart commented lightly.
Cadence didn’t say a thing as her daughter took a brush in her hoof and started to brush her mother’s mane. Conversation was impossible but Flurry still tried.
“Aunty Twilight is downstairs and is wondering what is taking you so long.”
Cadence winced. “Do you know why she’s here?”
Flurry shrugged. “My guess is that she’s here for your semi-annual girls only weekend that you’ve insisted on for the last 70 years since she took the throne. ‘A ruler does need to relax occasionally, or they will snap.’ You lived by those principles for years and then insisted that I join you as well once I took over the rule of the Crystal Empire, 20 years ago. It’s inconvenient… but this is the weekend that it was planned for 3 months ago.”
Cadence sagged into her seat, making it even harder for Flurry to brush her mane. “I… really need to tell her the truth. A letter wasn’t appropriate and yet, her being here in pony makes it worse. How do I tell her that her brother passed away two days ago and that he is to be entombed in the Crystal Catacombs in another 5 days?”
Flurry shrugged again, still working on Cadence’s mane. “Truths should be easy. It simply is. I have a feeling that it won’t be as hard as you think, though.”
Cadence snorted as she looked at her daughter from the mirror’s reflection. “And why is that?”
Flurry frowned as she worked at a particularly tough knot. “Because… she entered the palace through the public entrance at the base of the castle where Daddy is in his crystal coffin on display, laying in state. If she doesn’t know that he’s dead by now, then she’s lying to herself.”
Cadence gasped… “Oh… no. That’s cruel… I need to do something.”
Flurry nodded. “Yes, you can do something once I get this mane styled. You may not be a ruling Princess, but you are a Princess, and you will look like one before going into public.”
Cadence allowed her daughter to work on her mane and get her presentable, though nothing could get the redness out of her eyes. Once she was as ready as she could be, both Cadence and Flurry Heart teleported down to the castle foyer.
They found Twilight in front of the coffin, wide eyed but with no tears. She turned to them; her voice raised in anger. “When were you going to tell me? After he was already in the ground!”
Cadence winced. “A letter didn’t seem appropriate, and this is the first time I’ve left my room in two days. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you.”
Twilight walked up to her sister-in-law and pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry. I guess I’ve been lying to myself. After Fluttershy’s recent passing… I guess I should have known but… this is so much harder to accept.”
Cadence returned the hug. “He was your brother longer than he was my husband but yeah. Maybe you were the smart one by not getting married.”
Twilight wiped a tear from her eyes. “I’m not so sure. My friends were an anchor after my parents passed away, but I think I could have benefited from a husband or a foal of my own. If only I could be so lucky to give birth to an Alicorn like you did, so I don’t outlive my own children.”
Cadence turned back to her daughter, who seemed so… stable… despite recent events.
Flurry Heart sighed. “Aunty Twilight… you shouldn’t forsake love any more than you forsake friendship. While the mortals we befriend or love will eventually die, it’s far more important to make meaningful memories. Celestia was miserable, regardless of whether she ever wanted to admit it or not. Even she found a husband after she left the throne. You’ll be going to his funeral sooner or later and she can lie to herself if she wants to about not having wanted to grieve while being a ruling Princess or whatnot, death is something we must accept. I think being happy with a partner, losing them and then finding another, is better than never having loved at all.”
Twilight snorted past her tears. “If that’s the case, then why aren’t you married yet?”
Flurry Heart chortled. “I’ll get married when I find the right stallion. It’s hard to find a pony that can live up to daddy’s example. The point is… I am looking. Why aren’t you?”
Twilight paused. “I raise and lower the sun and moon while also holding day court in Canterlot. I rule Equestria like Celestia did during Luna’s banishment and it’s exhausting. I’m not sure I’d have time to let a stallion have his way with me, regardless of if I wanted him to or not.”
Flurry snorted. “Then leave little notes inviting the opportunity to the guards willing to take the chance.”
Cadence gasped. “Flurry! That’s indecent!”
Flurry shot back. “Like you never did it! How did you attract daddy’s attention in the first place?”
Cadence stilled. “Well… I was babysitting Twilight as a favor to Celestia and Twilight’s parents. It was a given that I’d meet Shining Armor eventually… he wasn’t even in the Guard at the time.”
Flurry snorted. “A technicality. You would have met him as a Guard in Celestia’s court even if you didn’t meet him while babysitting Aunty Twilight. And you would have sent him the same types of notes inviting him to spend time with you in your personal chambers, unescorted.”
Twilight raised a brow while Cadence blushed. “Flurry! How did you know?”
Flurry shuffled her wings. “I found the letters. Daddy kept everything. He loved you, after all.”
Cadence’s blush deepened as her tears returned. “By Twilight, I miss him.”
Twilight gasped. “Hey! I haven’t been on the throne long enough to be an expression!”
The statement caused all three mares to pause and then laugh in unison. Once Twilight calmed herself, she had an idea.
Twilight called out. “Discord! I need you!”
The draconequus magically popped into existence. “My word, Twilight. I was having tea with Fluttertree. What is so important!”
Twilight raised a hoof towards the coffin and Discord wilted. “Oh… I’m so sorry. I guess I’m not the only pony or non-pony losing loved ones. Is there something I can do for you?”
Twilight nodded. “You turned Fluttershy into a tree. Can you do something similar for Shining Armor? I really don’t want to bury him in the Crystal Empire Catacombs.”
Discord sagged. “He would still have to be alive for me to turn him into a living object. I could turn him into an inanimate object that would be of great personal importance, but doing so might be considered disrespectful. You will have to choose wisely.”
Cadence remained silent and Twilight wasn’t sure what to say when Flurry Heart piped up.
“I’d like you to turn him into a matching set of ‘Crystal Shining Armor’ so that I may wear him into battle. I’m sure daddy would be delighted defending me forever while I defend the Crystal Empire.”
Twilight gasped but nodded. “Yes… he would love that.”
Cadence sniffled. “Yes… I have no objections.”
Discord nodded once and snapped his fingers, producing a measuring tape. He measured Flurry from all angles and took careful notes. Once he was satisfied, he snapped his fingers again and the crystal coffin and Shining Armor disappeared only to reappear as a white and blue crystal armor equipped on Flurry Heart. She gasped.
“Oh! It feels like daddy is hugging me! I can feel his love! Thank you Discord, I will treasure this armor forever!”
Discord bowed his head. “I wish I could have done more… and I’m sorry for your loss.”
With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared, leaving Twilight and Candence to admire the new shining armor.
Twilight sighed. “I guess I’m losing everything I ever loved. I still have 4 best friends I’m about to lose. At least this is one more happy ending.”
Cadence drew Twilight into a hug. “As long as the sun rises tomorrow, there is hope.”
Twilight giggled. “Yeah. I guess I won’t forget to raise it then.”
Cadence winced and then tightened the hug. “I love you Twilight, I wish you the best through these trying times.”
Twilight tightened her return of the hug. “The best to all of us… in any trying time.”
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