The Story of a Royal Guard: A Shield Contingency [OUTDATED/CANCELLED]

After some winding staircases I arrived in the main room where Cadance sat, doing nothing in particular. Once she noticed me she stood in surprise.

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

“Your guards didn’t tell you about my arrival?” I asked, rather confused.

“No, they’ve been going through some rescheduling I think. Anyway, it’s good to see you again. You look great, and I see you got your cutie mark back. That’s awesome!”

I blushed, mostly out of embarrassment for why I was here. “Thanks, it took a lot of work to get back. It’s good to see you too. I, uh, came here for a bit of help with a personal problem. I was talking to Shining Armor for a while but… well he wasn’t much help, so I thought you could instead.”

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

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

She raised an eyebrow (at least that’s the best I can describe it visually. Ponies don’t really have eyebrows). “Oh? Why does it sound like it’s something you don’t actually want?”

“Well, it’s… can we find somewhere to sit and talk? I don’t think I could stand here to explain everything.”

“Of course. I can tell this is important to you.”

She nodded to a couple of guards and they opened a door into a hall that led to a small lounge with comfortable seats and sofas. We found our seats and I was able to lay out my story.

“It started with my dad’s last will for me. In it there was a letter in his own writing telling how he didn’t want me to live a lonely life, because I had been so antisocial when I was younger. I still am, outside of my job. I don’t really talk to anyone, I had no practical need to. Lately I’ve realized that emotionally I need to, but I have no idea how to begin, and so I’ve avoided trying. Now in my dad’s letter he asked me to find a special somepony in my life, and even suggested one mare who used to live near us. I still remember her, and I know she still works in Canterlot’s Library.”

I paused, waiting to see if Cadance would say anything.

She kept silent for only a few seconds. “Well, I think it still comes down to what you want. Is this what you want? Is it something you think you need?”

“In some ways, not really. In other ways I really do want it and more especially need it. I just don’t know how to start, I don’t know what to do. Shining Armor’s advice wasn’t that useful.”

“If you really do want it then there shouldn’t be anything you need to worry about. You just need to have confidence in yourself, and also be yourself. You can’t give something from yourself that is not of yourself. What’s her name?”

“Hmm. Summer Dawn.”

“Oh, that’s a beautiful name, much better than the silly ‘Bellamare’ name you used for an excuse years ago.”

I blushed and facehoofed embarrassingly. “I can’t believe you still remember that. Ugh. I remember that from time to time and always slap myself for it. I was so stupid.”

She laughed. “That’s terrible! You shouldn’t be hurting yourself for something like that. Everything in the past is done, there’s no need to hurt yourself more now for thinking badly about it. Anyway, you really do just need to have some confidence in yourself and see what happens. You never know until you try.”

I nodded slowly. “Alright, thanks. But how do I try to meet her? I don’t want to make it seem super awkward or anything. I really don’t know what I’d say just going up to her.”

“How do you normally greet your fellow guards?”

I thought for a moment. “Hey, give me fifty laps around the walls, sign in on your reports and make sure you shine your armor?”

She rolled her eyes. “How about just a ‘Hey’, or ‘Hello’?”

I shrugged. “I guess I could do that?”

“Of course you can! And 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, especially friends who are already married.”

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

“Right away, Princess,” said one of the guards, immediately trotting away.

I sighed. “You really don’t need to-”

“Of course I do,” said Cadance. “I can’t have a friend go out there and start greeting mares improperly.”

Shining Armor arrived only a moment later.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

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

“Oh, well duh! That’s because it only works between us guys. 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 extremely red. I stared at the ground and muttered to myself. “They’re teasing me as if they’re my parents. Maybe that’s what happens when you don’t have foals of your own, you just start treating your friends like them. This is my own darn fault.”

“Please, no,” I said before they began acting silly. “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 that it’ll get me somewhere. I can do this on my own.”

“There you go!” said Shining Armor. “You’ve finally learned the trick. You shouldn’t need to come to friends for advice on this sort of thing. Yeah we’re experienced, but the real advice is to experience it on your own. We’ll support you in any way we can, but perfect advice can’t really be given beyond you ultimately deciding what to 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 needs to be done.”

“Don’t worry, you’ve got this,” said Cadance. “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,” said Shining Armor.

“Hmm, I’m not entirely sure about that.”

“What? You mean he’s prettier than me?”

Cadance looked between us and smiled. “Eh, 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?”

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

Shining Armor chuckled and proudly trotted out of the room.

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

Cadance shrugged. “Sorry, but-”

“No, I’m joking, it’s alright. 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’m going to head back to Canterlot and see her, if I can.”

Cadance nodded. “Alright. Good luck, goodbye and have a safe trip! Oh, and are you coming to the Equestria Games?”

I turned to the exit. “If I can get tickets, definitely.”

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

I chuckled. “Won’t that be a sight to see. Thanks. I’ll try to stop by again before then. See you later!”