Philiac

Cadenza sat alone in his study, no fire in the grate nor sun to warm his day. Blue stone wall to match his mood, and the coldness of a rainy day to supplement the occasion. It had been over six days since he'd last heard from Dusk. He'd left on the grounds that he'd be talking things over with Solaris, but he couldn't bring himself to talk to the higher deity. Not mentioning the fact that he had a sinking feeling deep inside that Cadenza's absence at the castle was indicative of her having returned to her home, and with that, Dusk Shine. He knew, just knew that it would come up betwixt the two... and with that thought he felt the surest resolution of fate in his heart. Dusk would speak the truth, and with that, all would be undone. He returned his attention back to the terribly neglected chamber to distract himself from that thought.

The inside of his rooms looked like someone had released a bear on them. In his anxiety at being figured out he had woken up night after night finding that in his dreams he'd been grinding his teeth, and likewise seizing hold of the furniture with his magic, ending in broken stands, torn drapes and shattered doorhinges. The alicorn shuddered to himself as we felt the cracked bedframe, wondering if he'd ever feel a greater stress on his heart. The only way to get rid of it was to strive towards resolution. His only hope of solace was an ending.

Cadenza walked solemnly to the ornate oaken doors to his quarters and threw them open, shutting them softly behind him as he set himself out towards Solaris' chambers. The halls in this part of the castle were a brilliant pale salmon to commemorate his own being, however on that rainy day most of the cheery hue of the color seemed to have lost its joviality. The place was devoid of any vivid colouration, instread gripped by a whitewashed hand brought on by the rain and doldrums. To him the palace lacked all saturation, cheery hues being reduced to another shade of grey in his eyes. Soon however, things literally turned black and white.

It was a token of the King of Sunlight's; his colours were black and white, shades of grey were for the irresolute, married to a brilliant, searing scarlet or orange. The very deity himself could not afford to be any shade between the two, as he was to be a definer, not undefined. Solaris was an arbiter, a judge. One that Cadenza now wanted more than the life itself. He hastened towards resolution, and who better to find it from than the lord of Ending. Beyond the Sunlight King's decisions there were no further discussions nor were there any revisions. His words may as well lay an unspoken of brand in the fabric of any mind that had the priviliege or misfortune to interpet them.

As we walked Cadenza felt a feeling of vivid, unbridled fear. He didn't want to know how it ended; he wanted desperately to just return to Dusk Shine. Keep everything a secret and help him as best he could, outside of everyone else's awareness. The prince was mortified at the idea of coming forth with his vices laid bare before the higher deity. He felt that surely they would be swept away, and his neck placed a firm hoof to the moment the alicorn discovered what he was suggesting. A trist or two Solaris understood. Immortality breeds a sense of inconsequence for such microscopic acts. However, nothing was more binding to them than commitment. Especially bindings of the heart.

Despite all of his inhibitions, he marched onwards, feeling like it was his turn to face the gallows. Finally he found himself at a pair of brilliantly white aspen doors, depicting a scroll, key and hammer crossed over the parchment. He swallowed his pride and fear as he opened the doors, entering the chamber to find Solaris at his desk, the stained-glass window behind him shining painfully bright sunlight down onto them both as the glittering gem in the sky rose from its slumber. The higher deity grinned as I shielded my eyes, walking forwards into his shadow as the doors shut behind me.

“Solaris... I came to talk to you about the letter I sent a week ago. I... embellished a few things, as it were. The situation has changed, and I feel that I need your judgement to guide me.”

Solaris looked up from his work, arching a brow. “Continue... I remember this being about your engaging in some rather intimate acts with a young student... the younger brother of your wife, if I can recall correctly in my age. Hardly appropriate for one of your stature, as I'm sure you are well aware However I trust that you have the situation under control and you've more than sated yourself for a good long time.”

“W-well, I... know I made things sound like a sort of... trist, in the letter. Like it wouldn't happen again and to make up for it I would help the colt with whatever he needed that was within my power to provide, however-”

“However?”

“However, sir, I... aim to pursue a more personal relationship with the colt. He's so... mature, but supple in his mentality. Innoccent in his mannerisms and cordial, fawning over me... and he only wishes well upon the world despite it having wronged him. I treasure that, sincerely. And with that I'd like your wisdom regarding this situation.”

Solaris set down his quill and clapped his hooves, causing a monumentally large curtain to fall over the window behind him, a gargantuan symbol of his sun embroidered into the blood-red fabric. The chamber immediately fell into pitch-black, before two massive pans of metal hung from chains lit with a blindingly fierce fire, casting his face in a sharp relief. A loud grating of metal was heard as the door locked up and down its frame. Once the deity had assured none could hear or see them, and their counsel was private, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his hooves.

“Cadenza, you are truly a son to me... however, I regret to tell you that this path is full of little but heartbreak. Just to start to discuss this you know I have to bring up the problem of age... then immediately after comes the morality, then the legality of this. I'm not going to sit here and dictate to you what you can and cannot do, however I will tell you that in my eyes it is folly. Worst of all... we have the unbreakable bedrock that will be the rage of your wife... or former wife, seeing as how I do believe she has all but left you at this point, will bring down upon you. She will all but try and kill you if she so much as lays her eyes upon you, and the idea of it all would sicken anyone else but me or Lune, who well remember the days of old where age was little more than whether one could vote or not.I myself do not have any moral quandries over any of this. However, the morality of the public at large and the morality of one who saw the rise of Equestria and is currently maintaining its golden age are two completely different beasts entirely.”

The prince wilted at the response of the King, his ears flattening to his head and hooves tearing at the marble floor to try and ease his frustration. This was precisely the answer he expected, but not the answer he wanted. He'd wanted the answer that would fulfill his dreams, the one that would allow him and Dusk to be together.

“That does not mean that I will take away the freedome of choice from you, Cadenza. I am merely making the situation clear. Should you decide to pursue this against your better judgment, however.... I can make some arrangments. I will see if the student is gifted, and should he indeed be so, then I will accept him into the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns. You and I both know that I can then personally tutor the young one, and with that, be closer to you by living in the castle. However it will not change the fact that your wife is more than onto everything you have just told me... I can see it plainly in your eyes.”

“So if I could... somehow... make things right with Shimmer Shield, there is still a hope?”

“Slim... fleeting. I encourage you outright to simply drop this completely and throw yourself at the feet of Shimmer for all you've done. She will take you back, and it will be a long while before she trusts you again... but she may yet.”

“But I already have someone who loves me, Solaris...”

“But only one that can do so within the realm of legality. Pick your poison; discontent or taboo, either will be a great heartache.”

Cadenza sighed and turned to leave, but he didn't hear the sliding of door mechanisms to let him out. Nor was he dismissed... so the prince turned around to face the King once again, who tapped his quill idly against the desk.

“There is another solution.”

“I would enjoy hearing it.”

Solaris sighed, once again closing his tired eyes and breathing deeply to steady his thoughts. “You could... and this is the final time I will ever suggest this unto you... use your position against Shimmer Shield.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“To avoid mincing words, I mean that perhaps blackmail is in order. Simply put, threaten her job, her livelihood, good standing, home, anything and everything you possibly can. Then... offer her the solution I offered you. Tell her that he would be accepted into a gifted school he would truly enjoy himself in, and that he wouldn't be alone, able to see her every single day along with you, and that was the only thing she had to concede in the dealing. He would be happier than he could ever be as a young colt in a simple school going home to his negligent parents to be alone. She could keep her current work schedule at the castle, even. It would work for everyone involved.”

“Sir that seems... awfully disingenuous...”

“It is either your sense of fair play or your love for this unicorn, whichever one you deem more important.”

Cadenza fell silent at that, hating himself for coming to the conclusiont that this was the solution that worked best for everyone. In exchange for Dusk's true happiness Shimmer Shield had to give her grudging acceptance to their relationship, as long as she could spend more time with him, and see him grow happy and feel loved. It was a better environment for him than his current miserable lifestyle, and she got to see him more, on top of being a solution to solve his own loneliness issues. Everybody won in the end... but the ending felt forced.

“Sir, I do believe that is the course of action I'd like to take.”

“Then I suggest you get to it, Prince Cadenza.”