Cadance awoke slowly to the dawn of a new day in the Crystal Empire. Wrapped tightly in her blankets to stay warm. While the land did experience the seasons like the rest of Equestria did, nights were almost always cold. Being this close to the Frozen North, one did not have to guess why this was. The greater mystery was how the empire got anything besides snow.

Cadance lazily rolled over to face her lover, noticing that it was fairly silent in the bed this morn. Unsurprisingly, she found that he was absent from the mattress. His cute little snores were nowhere to be heard today. Cadance sighed slightly, pushing herself to get up and prepare for her day. This was one of the things she both feared and hated about having become a princess. Being wed to a stallion with early morning obligations.

While Shining Armor was for all intents and purposes a prince now, he continued to play an important role in the royal guard. Whether it was out of habit or because he enjoyed it she might never know. She might not mind as much if he were to at least spend the morning with her. Royal Court was likely the most tedious and boring aspect of her position in life, and their time together before work somehow always made the task easier to go through.

Sitting herself down before the mirror, Cadance looked over to the small whiteboard organizer she shared with Shining to keep track of important dates. It was there that she noticed that Shining had left her a note.

”Sorry for leaving early, the patrol came back with a report. See you soon.”

Below the note was half of a heart. Though it was kind of annoying that he’d left, Cadance couldn’t help a small smile as the pen was lifted into the care of her magic to draw the other half of the heart. A sign with a dual purpose. It let Shining know that she got his message, and it was a unique way of telling each other ‘I love you’.

“Love you too, Shiny.” Cadance spoke quietly before tending to her mane.

Shining Armor sat before a desk, lethargically reading through a long scroll while two crystal guards stood on either side of the door, awaiting his command. A coffee mug lifted up to his lips, sipping liquid sunshine into his mouth before setting back down on some empty desk space. Shining Armor unrolled more of the scroll while his eyes scanned over the contents, before finally looking up to the other two. “Sounds like you two had a field day out there,” he commented.

The two expressed half-hearted smirks. “Sorry, Prince Shining. Just a whole lot of the same.”

Shining nodded slightly before rolling the scroll up and setting it off to the side. “Alright, well… take a shift of patrol in the city today to warm up. I’ll have the next unit prepare for scouting. Dismissed.” As the two left the room, Shining Armor brought his attention to a stash of blank scrolls, pulling one out with his magic to lay it on the desk before him. “It’s gonna be a long morning…” he hummed to himself while the scroll magically unfurled. A quill lifted itself from a nearby inkwell and began to summarize the report for the logs.

Cadance sat upon her throne in the royal hall, a guard on either side with two more at the grand doors, keeping a line of ponies back until it was their turn to be seen. The next pony to be heard was a crystal stallion carrying a small red box on his back. He came before the princess and took a bow before giving the small box to one of the guards. “A gift of food for you today, Princess Cadance!” he smiled.

Cadance received the box from her guard and opened it, finding that it was filled with chocolate-coated confectionery for the upcoming holiday. “Oh, thank you! I look forward to enjoying these.” Closing the box and setting it aside, she gave her subject a modest smile, already tasting the faint flavor of chocolate and crystal berries as her mouth moistened.

The stallion bowed his head once more before taking his leave, allowing another two ponies to take his place. Cadance noted the slightest of scowls on their expressions, as well as the fact that the two mares were avoiding eye-contact with one another. Seemed that this visit was to settle some form of dispute. Regardless, Cadance offered them both a small smile. “How may I help you two today?”

“We need your help settling a problem, Princess Cadance.” the blue crystal mare began in a surprisingly level tone.

“What problem is this?” Cadance asked with faux interest. Helping ponies with their issues was something the alicorn didn’t mind doing. However, being the princess of an empire now, it seemed she had to come up with solutions on the spot at regularly. She wasn’t sure how her aunt could’ve possibly gotten used to it. At the very least, it seemed this instance would be relatively easy to handle, given the professional tone.

“Crystal has been stealing customers out from under my nose!” the red unicorn proclaimed indignantly, pointing a hoof to the other.

Cadance mentally rolled her eyes. So much for professionalism. “Can we start from the beginning?” Cadance requested, retaining her indifferent demeanor.

Crystal cleared her throat before elaborating. “I started a new cafe recently that has been quite the success. Offering coffee and baked goods in the morning, with a small assortment of fruit smoothie blends and snacks for the rest of the day.”

“Knowing that I was already running a long-standing cafe with similar items just down the street!” The red mare continued, visibly beyond annoyed with Crystal. A level of anger that usually hinted at a history of problems.

“Half-way across the city.” Crystal calmly corrected.

Cadance raised a brow slightly. Surely, they didn’t bring something so petty before her. This was hardly even a case. “I’m sorry, Miss…?”

“Garnet.” the red unicorn replied, filling in the blank.

“Garnet,” Cadance began again with a small nod. “I understand that you have lost some business, but to accuse Crystal of having stolen your customers simply because she has also started a cafe is not fair. Unless you have more substantial proof of this, I can’t help you.”

“I do.” Garnet nearly hissed. “She’s copied all of my signature drinks and treats and sells them at lower prices so that I can’t compete. She knew that if I dropped my prices by even a few bits, I would be losing money.”

Cadance looked over to the blue unicorn, a small bit of interest in her eyes now. “Is this true?”

Crystal sighed. “Your Highness, the signature drinks I offer are family recipes handed down for generations. Typically, only guests and friends ever got to enjoy the drinks, but my Grandma Quartz always told me that the things that make you smile are worth sharing. I bided my time waiting for the right location to open up so that I could open my own cafe with that saying in mind. I made sure to stay close to the berry vineyard so that the cost to haul supplies would be low. I paid a professional to decorate and theme the store so that the atmosphere would be homely and inviting, with my target group in mind. And I receive a deal on the ingredients for the baked goods from my cousin. Which I pass on to my customers to make sure they stay happy. Everything is geared for the customer. My profits are only large enough to live comfortably. The rest remains in the pockets of the ponies who buy from me. Honestly, it wouldn’t matter to me if I only ever broke even. I’m doing this to give the ponies of the Empire a comfortable and enjoyable hangout.”

Cadance shot them both a curious glance now. “Family recipe?” Some of the pieces were beginning to fall into place now. “So, does that mean…?”

Crystal nodded slightly. “We’re sisters.”

“Half sisters.” Garnet spat. “And not even that since our parents divorced! Those recipes were never a part of your family to begin with! You stole them, just like you’ve stolen everything else from me!”

“Here we go…” Crystal commented, prompting the impending list of past sins with a roll of her eyes.

“You stole my favorite teddy bear,” Garnet began.

“We were foals,” Crystal stated.

“you always took the spotlight from me,” Garnet continued.

“Still foals,” Crystal commented plainly.

“You stole my coltfriend,” Garnet carried on.

“That was a fling, and you’d already broken up with him weeks before.” Crystal elaborated.

“stole my mother’s love,” Garnet fumed.

“I matured.” Crystal jabbed subtly.

“and now you’ve stolen my family recipes, and you’re stealing my job!”

“I think I’ve heard quite enough of this,” Cadance called, silencing Garnet’s tangent while forcing their attention back to her by flaring her wings. Having caught a glimpse of the true problem at present, Cadance was more able to reach a fair conclusion to this mess. “Crystal, how did you come into possession of the recipes for your goods?”

“Grandma Quartz and our mother taught them to me,” Crystal explained cooly.

“And have you acquired permission to use them?” Cadance inquired further.

Crystal nodded. “You could ask them yourself, Princess Cadance,” she stated confidently.

Cadance nodded thoughtfully. That pretty much takes care of any legal matter Garnet could possibly bring up. “Then it is my firm belief that you can do with your cafe as you wish, as long as you remain within the law.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Crystal bowed.

“But-!” Garnet responded indignantly, only to be swiftly cut-off when Cadance firmly planted a hoof down like a gaffle.

“I am sorry that you feel robbed, Garnet, but I cannot force ponies to make their purchases at your cafe alone. On the other hoof, if you both are willing, I can help you two reach a middle ground where you both might be satisfied. Blood-related or not, you two are sisters, as well as adults capable of rational thought and social nicety.”

Crystal gave a small nod before looking over to Garnet, their eyes finally meeting for the first time since arriving. “I would be willing.” At that, Crystal gave a small, very small, but hopeful smile.

Garnet didn’t seem to share sentiments, casting her half-sister a scrutinizing gaze. Though, in the corner of her eye, she could see Princess Cadance shooting her a stern look that could compel the sassiest of nobles to take the higher route. “I’d be willing to listen.” she deadpanned.

“Great,” Cadance smiled, glad she could at least get this far. “My first suggestion would be a merge, and setting your past discordances aside to work together in one cafe.”

Crystal looked back over to Garnet, who didn’t seem thrilled by the idea, shown by her visibly biting her tongue. “While that would save time and effort across the board,” Crystal began, looking back to her princess. “I think we’ll need more time to sort things out.”

“Understandable,” Cadance noted. “Then my next idea would be to split the recipes between you evenly.”

“We can’t,” Garnet spoke up. “There are seventeen in total.”

“Even better,” Cadance remarked. “Take seven each, and rotate the remaining three as specials between your menus. Use them one at a time for a week each.”

Crystal nodded in thought. “We’d have to keep in touch to make sure we’re not using the same special as each other for the week… but I think it’s do-able.”

Cadance chuckled slightly. “That’s the general idea…”

Garnet still seemed apprehensive of the thought, but gave a light sigh. “I guess I can work with that. But I would like to pick my seven first. I want to serve my favorites.”

Crystal shook her head slightly. “Not a good business move. We should conduct a customer survey for a few weeks to see what their favorites are, then adjust the menus accordingly. Your area is more likely to spend the extra bits to keep the flavors they like so they don’t have to go across the city for what they want.”

“Seems like it is settled, then. Can you hold out for an extra couple of weeks, Garnet?” Cadance asked with a hopeful smile.

Garnet reluctantly nodded. “Fine.”

“I wish you both and your store's luck, then.” Cadance chimed.

“Thank you for helping us, Princess.” Crystal bowed again before the two took their leave.

Inwardly, Cadance wondered how long that ember of harmony might last. Part of her hoped it would ignite the fire of kinship between them. The other half warned that only time could tell for sure. Still, it felt good to have helped them on a certain level. It was not as easy or simple as casting a love spell to act as a catalyst. Part of her missed those days. But she needed to be more involved now. She is not a young filly anymore, but the coveted Crystal Princess. Magic could not be used to fix everything.

Cadance’s attentions were taken away when a group of foals guided by a teacher now came before her throne, the guards taking a moment to close the doors. “Oh! Misses Brilliance! I almost forgot about your visit today.”

Brilliance chuckled slightly. “I hope you still have the free time.”

“I always have time for your class, Misses Brilliance,” Cadance smiled warmly.

Brilliance nodded before turning to her class of first-years. “Okay, children, take a seat. Rows and columns. Remember, this is a school field trip, so keep your questions academic!”

As if on cue, each and every colt and filly raised their hooves enthusiastically, all vocalizing their pleas to be picked first. Cadance gave a warm chuckle at that, before holding up a hoof. “Now now, children, I will get to all of you, I promise!” Quickly, the crowd of young learners quieted down to a simmer. Allowing Cadance the chance to actually pick one and be heard. “Let’s start with you in the corner.”

“Is it true that you saved the Empire from the evil King Sombra?”

Cadance took a moment to think about that one. “Well, yes and no. Officially, my sister-in-law’s baby dragon, Spike, was the one who ultimately rescued the Empire. But, I like to think that it was a group effort by all involved. Even the crystal ponies who were there helped.” After that, another sea of hooves raised, minus the one belonging to the filly who got her question answered. “You next, the blue colt.” Cadance chose.

“Why didn’t they use the Elements of Harmony to defeat the king?”

“Oh, that’s a good question.” Cadance praised, giving the young colt a prideful grin. “While I’m sure that the Elements of Harmony would have made it much easier and simpler to defeat King Sombra, it would not have been a permanent solution like the Crystal Heart, which can perpetually protect the Empire with the light and love that the crystal ponies empower it with during the Crystal Fair.” Again, several hooves raised up, allowing Cadance to pick another.

“How do you get your mane to stay pretty?”

“Children, please! Academic questions.” Brilliance warned while the class giggled.

Cadance dismissed the notion with a hoof, however, “It’s quite alright, Misses Brilliance, I don’t mind answering any questions. Just as long as we learn in the process.” Her attention was turned to the class during the last statement, and most of them nodded in agreement. “I personally use M’Areal Foals because it’s tear-free. Nopony likes tears in their shampoo, right?” At that, she had the class giggling, which gave her a bright smile. Even Brilliance gave way to a hidden chuckle. “Next question! How about you?”

“How did you become a princess?” another young filly asked.

“Oh?” Cadance placed a hoof to her chin, remaining pensive while going through her past for a moment. “That’s… kind of a hard question to answer. You might not think it, but I was actually born a pegasus. I didn’t become an alicorn, and therein a princess, until I realized the full potential for my talent to bring ponies closer together by opening their hearts to let love in. And I didn’t start ruling my own kingdom until just a few years ago. After Princess Celestia helped teach me what it meant to be a princess.”

“Does that mean that anypony can become a princess!?” one filly blurted out in excitement. Boundless hope illuminating her eyes.

Cadance gave the class her brightest of smiles. “It is my firm belief that anypony can do anything they set their heart to.” The class suddenly became abuzz with awe and wonder as they began to fill the air with all the things they would like to do. Cadance giggled slightly before waving a hoof. “Alright, settle down now. Let's have another question. You next.” she pointed to a colt in the front.

“How did Shining Armor become a prince if he’s not an alicorn?”

“Uhm…” Cadance began to think about how best to explain that you didn’t have to be an alicorn to become a royal.

“Did somepony say my name?” Shining Armor called, coming into the grand hall from a side door. The class regained their excitement at his presence while Shining went up to join Cadance at the throne. “How are you holding up?” he asked quietly.

Cadance almost jumped at his sudden appearance but was relieved to see him all the same. “Well enough,” she smiled. “Would you like to join me? The class wants to know how you became a prince without wings.”

Shining Armor chuckled at that, turning his attention to the many faces which held expectant expressions. All begging for his answer. “Well, that’s actually pretty simple. I became a prince when I married Cadance.” A few of the class suddenly raised their hooves, and Shining armor picked out one of them.

“But don’t you have to be an alicorn to be a prince or princess?” the colt asked.

Shining Armor answered with a short shake of his head. “Not always. Prince is just a title. Being married to a prince or a princess gives you the appropriate title. If I wasn’t married to Cadance, I wouldn’t be a prince.”

“Not technically true,” Cadance stated. “Being related to a princess still makes you a prince.”

“Huh? Oh!” Shining blushed for a moment while scratching the back of his head. The reality of it was so obvious, it was kind of embarrassing that he had overlooked it. The class got a small giggle in at his expense before there was another show of hooves.

“You next.” Cadance chimed.

“If you used to be a pegasus, would that mean you’ll have pegasus babies?”

“Nuht-uh! My daddy told me that unicorns are a donmament trait!” a unicorn colt puffed proudly at that.

“Is not! And Don-ma-ment isn’t a real word!”

“Is too!” the colt retaliated.

While the children began to descend into bickering, both Cadance and Brilliance exchanged unsure looks. They knew exactly where this was starting to go. Before the chaos could grow further, Cadance tapped her gilded horseshoe a few times to grab the class’ attention. “My little ponies!” she called, which put the final kabosh on the arguments. Once their begging eyes fell back on her for the final answer, Cadance had to force back a blush while keeping a hold on her composure. “Well… the truth is that I don’t know what kind of a foal we would have. There is no way to tell for sure.”

Shining put a hoof to Cadance's shoulder and shook his head slightly. Then he looked on to the class and smiled quite proudly. "I think that our foal would be an alicorn."

"But how are you sure it will be an alicorn?" one of the children asked aloud.

"Well, that's easy!" Shining began, grabbing the attention of all the fillies and colts. "She's going to be an alicorn because she will be a princess!"

"Shiny..." Cadance spoke quietly, pulling her husband's ear close. "do you really think it's a good idea to carry on this subject?"

"What do you mean?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Where do foals come from, anyway!?"

Before any more could be said, the question Cadance and Brilliance feared was finally asked.

"Oo, oo, I know! They come from the Foal Stork!"

"Why would they come from a stork? That's stupid!"

"Because...! Because that's what my mommy said, that's why!"

"There's no stork! Foals come from the hospital."

"Oh? And how do you know that?"

"Because that's where we got my baby brother, that's why. There's a room there with a glass wall where ponies go to pick their foal."

"Foals aren't picked like some kind of fruit!"

"Are too! I saw it myself!"

"Now I know that's wrong! My parents got me a sister from the orphanage!"

"Children...! Children, please!" Cadance tried pulling in the reigns once more, but it didn't seem to be working this time. Likely because she wasn't sure enough of what to answer yet to even try hard enough. She then looked over to Brilliance who seemed at wits end as well. Even if they got their attention, they would want to know the answer. And, currently, they were all bickering through any that she could think believable.

The frantic thought was broken, however, when Shining Armor chuckled aloud. "Well, if you'll all quiet down, I can explain how all of you are right in your own way."

Instantly, the children all fell silent, leaning in towards their prince with wide, sparkling eyes in anticipation. That's when Cadance yanked him back by his shoulder to speak quietly again. "Shiny! Do you really think this is a good idea?"

Shining didn't even have to think about that one. "Well, my parents told me when I asked as a young colt. It's a family policy to not lie about these kinds of things. And, well, this is kind of why." he cast a hoof across the class, pointing out the previously heated argument. "Don't worry, I got this covered!" he winked before turning back to the class again. Completely missing Cadance make a hard swallow in fear of what may be said.

With the class' attention held firm again, Shining took a moment to clear his throat before continuing. "You see, children, a family is started with a mare and a stallion. From there, the foal actually starts with the mare, who holds the foal in a special pouch close to her heart."

One of the children raised a hoof, where Shining pointed to him. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Uhm... well, here." Shining looking over to Cadance. "If Princess Cadance wants to help, I could show you."

"Shiny!" she barked quietly before he lightly placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"Just trust me..." he whispered. After a moment of visible thought, Cadance gave a small nod before joining him at the front of the throne. When she sat down, Shining placed a hoof low on her chest, right where it met her stomach. "Here is where the foal first grows." Shining finally explained.

Cadance looked at him a bit funny. 'He does realize that's not where the foal actually grows, right?'

Another student raised her hoof, and Shining called upon her. "Why there?"

"Because it's important for foals to have a mother's love, so they have to be close to the heart."

"Wouldn't it hurt to have a foal growing inside you?" one filly asked apprehensively.

Shining chuckled slightly. "I know it would seem like it, but it doesn't really hurt at all."

"But if the foal grows in the mom, why are they in the hospital?"

Shining nodded slightly. "Well, when foals are ready to be born, the doctor has to help with the process. The process can be exhausting, which is why the mother and the foal are given their own beds when it is done. Now, the foal's bed is in a room called a nursery, where nurses will care for them until the mother is rested enough to do it herself. The window is there so that the father can see the baby while it rests, which is why it looks like he's picking one."

"But what about the orphanage?"

Shining lost a little bit of his smile, prompting the class to fall deathly silent. "Well, some mares and stallions are not prepared enough to care for a foal properly. Sometimes, the foal will be given to an orphanage to be cared for until some other parents come along to give them a family. Some parents can't start their own family, so they have to go there. That way, foals without parents can have parents, and parents who can't have foals can have one. That process is called 'adopting'."

The class gave a collective expression of realization, followed by one of deep thought. Then another raised his hoof to be called on. "What about the stork!?"

Shining smiled uneasily while scratching the back of his head. "Uh, well... I haven't quite figured out how the stork plays a role yet." The class giggled and laughed, with Shining offering his own nervous chuckle. he then brought his attention back to the class. "Alright, now, aren’t we supposed to learn about the castle and its history today? Let's get back on subject!"

"Awwww!"

Shining chuckled slightly. "Come on, questions please! How about you?"

"How many toilets are in the castle!?" The class giggled.

Shining chuckled some as well. "Seventy-eight. I counted myself."

The class laughed some more at his antics before he called on more children for questions. Meanwhile, Cadance was left in some kind of bewilderment over the previous subject. After how bluntly Shining had been handling his questions, she expected his talk to end in disaster. yet, she doubted she could've handled it with any more tact than he just did. Though some of the information was a little off, it was all pretty accurate. Cadance retreated back a little bit where Brilliance came to speak with her quietly. “I’m really sorry, Misses Brilliance. I didn’t know today’s field trip would turn into sex-ed.”

Brilliance sighed slightly. “Well… from a technical standpoint, Prince Shining didn’t tell them… how the foal gets there. Personally, I think he handled it fairly decently…” Though, she couldn’t help feeling there would be a couple of angry parents in the near future. Still, she cast a gaze over towards him. “Prince Shining is nothing short of unique, isn’t he?”

“Mm-hm.” Cadance agreed quietly, looking to him with a warm smile. The group of foals aside, that was a beautiful rendition of ‘the talk’. One she would have to keep in mind.

Even after the class departed, and after royal court finally came to a close, Cadance still had that cute little story in her head that Shining Armor shared with the children. She had to admit, she had no idea that Shining armor was so great with children. Or, maybe she didn’t expect it? Either way, the whole thing was stuck on her mind all day.

“... Anyway, that’s all there was in the report, and… uh, Cadance?” After having just carried a full-blown conversation with her, Shining looked at his wife with a mixture of worry and bemusement. She looked like she just had the most surreal conversation with the pony of her dreams, which turned a small smirk on his lips. Though, he could guess this wasn’t from hearing about his dull morning. “Well well well, something’s got somepony in a good mood today.” Shining teased aloud.

“Huh? Oh!” finally snapped out of candyland, Cadance offered Shining Armor a small blush and a bright grin. “Sorry, Shiny. What were you saying?”

Shining playfully rolled his eyes while they trotted down the hall. “Just boring paperwork. How was your morning? You seem like you’ve just had the time of your life.”

“Eh…” Cadance sighed slightly. “The highlight of my morning would have to be the two sisters I helped sort out a problem with…”

“Oh?” Shining implored with mild interest. He also took note that her demeanor lessened some. “And how did that go?”

Cadance sighed heavily. “I love helping the ponies of the kingdom, Shiny, but I feel like it has become… well…” Cadance struggled for a moment to find the right word. “like it has become a guessing game. Like, when ponies have any problem, they always come to me. I mean, they were sisters, Shiny. I understand that families have their problems, but…”

Shining stopped Cadance after a moment by placing a hoof to her side. Both stood there in the middle of the hall wordless for a minute. “Something tells me this isn’t just about those two sisters.”

Cadance looked away for a time before nodding slightly. “Do you think our family will ever have problems that bad?”

“Hey.” Shining began, moving over to stand in front of her now. He gave her a small, but tight hug before holding her chin and looking into her eyes. “Our family is going to be just fine. Sure, it may have a few bumps here and there, but everything will turn out fine.” Cadance turned up something of a hopeful smile to him, which he returned with a short, warm kiss. “Listen, if you need a break from Royal Court, I can do it for a couple of days. Might be good for my image if I show that I can solve problems and stuff too.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that...” Cadance denied, both carrying on down the halls again.

Shining cocked a brow in disbelief, however. “I think it’s pretty plain to see that the stress is getting to you. C’mon, take the morning off to enjoy the spa or something. I’ll have somepony else take care of the paperwork for the day.”

“Well…” Cadance looked away in thought for a moment. But when she looked back, Shining was giving her pleading, puppy-dog eyes that she just couldn’t resist. She gave something of an empty sigh. “Alright, I’ll take a spa day tomorrow. But only if you can handle it. Royal Court isn’t just fixing problems and kissing babies.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Shining chimed confidently. “I used to sit in on Celestia’s Day Court all the time, and I’ve run Court with you on plenty of occasions. I think I can handle it.”

While still unsure, Cadance issued a mental sigh of relief. She had to admit that it would be nice to just relax in the mud bath for a while.

“I’m kinda curious, though. You were all smiles a few minutes ago. Certainly, something brightened up your day…” Shining asked casually.

Cadance gave a sheepish smile. “Oh, well… I was just thinking about the children… and what you taught them.” Shining Armor gave off the lightest hints of a blush before Cadance continued. “Did your parents really tell you all that?”

“Mmhm.” Shining nodded. “I mean, they didn’t give me the details. I learned about all that in sex-ed. For the most part, anyway.”

“Well, I think it was beautiful.” Cadance swooned.

Shining chuckled some. “I’m glad you liked it.”

“And I didn’t know you were so good with kids, too!” Cadance playfully nudged him at that.

“Heheh, well, I helped raise Twilight too, you know. I’d like to think my work speaks for itself.” Shining said as he adopted a proud and regal pose.

Cadance hid a giggle behind a hoof as they both finally reached their room. “Don’t let it all go to your head, now. There’s still much to learn in the ways of raising a foal.” Using her magic to open the door, neither missed a beat in their stride as they entered the room, the door gently closing behind them. Once inside, Cadance made herself comfortable by slowly removing her regalia, placing each piece on a poniquin as they came off.

Shining took a moment to go over to the vanity bureau where he saw a small number of things. Being the royals of their own kingdom, it was not uncommon for them to receive gifts from their subjects. But a red heart-shaped box, in particular, caught his attention. “Oh, hey! What’s in here?”

“Hm?” Cadance looked over for a moment to see Shining looking over one of her gifts. “Oh, that’s courtesy of the owner of a new confectionary shop. That box will be what he offers for Hearts and hooves Day. Would you like to try some with me?”

“Hearts and Hooves Day early?” Shining chuckled while taking the box into his magical hold, before going over to join Cadance on the bed. “Sounds good to me.”

The lid was carefully popped off to reveal the tantalizing assortment of chocolate-coated berries. Cadance took her first pick with Shining, her sky blue magic pitching the berry into her mouth for her to enjoy. She doubted that she had ever had candied-anything this good before. Picking another to enjoy, Cadance’s mind began to wander other places again. “So, Shiny? Do you really think we’d have an alicorn foal?”

“Hm?” He mumbled through his chewing. He gave a quick swallow in thought before shrugging slightly. “I’m not sure, really. I just wanted to entertain the class a little.”

Cadance giggled slightly. “I don’t know… by the way you were talking, I could tell you had your heart set on an alicorn daughter…” she teased.

Shining gave a nervous chuckle. “Oh, you noticed that?” At that, Cadance raised a berry towards him, which he eagerly took into his mouth.

“Why a daughter?” Cadance inquired before he returned the favor by holding a berry for her to take.

“Well, to be honest, I kinda miss the days when Twily was just a little filly. Those were some of our best days together.” Shining Armor took a momentary pause before continuing. “I mean, do you know that I never got to share the foal story with her?”

Cadance gave him a curious look. “You mean she never asked you?”

Shining shook his head. “No, I mean that she learned it herself before I had the chance. I guess she got her hooves on a few equine biology books while she was studying magic and mathematics.” Cadance gave him something of a dumbfounded stare, to which he nodded. “Yeah, I got to learn all about the reproductive system and how sex works on a scientific level from my seven-year-old sister.” At that point, Cadance was trying everything to muffle and hide her laughter at her husband’s misfortune. While he just rolled his eyes. “Remind me to order a decree that biology books require an age limit to check out.” he joked dryly.

“I’m sorry that your introduction to sex wasn’t all that great.” Cadance offered when she finally settled down, placing a hoof on his shoulder in comfort.

“That’s alright,” he said, dismissing the subject of his humorous mishap. “So, what about you? What kind of foal do you think we’ll have.”

Cadance took on some bit of thought for that. She’d never really given the idea much of her time because she knew that she couldn’t really know for sure. But, after some time and mulling, Cadance gave a sultry smile. “You know what I think?” she began, taking another berry into her aura and raising it before Shining. Shining watched it in anticipation of its deliciousness for a moment. Cadance danced the berry around his head once before letting it slowly drift towards his mouth. Just as he was about to gently pluck it from the air with his teeth, she quickly drew it back between them. When he looked to her, it seemed that he finally noticed her goal was to draw him in close to her. Which succeeded. “I think I’m done playing the guessing game…”

Shining Armor’s eyes glinted for a second. “You think so?”

“I know so.” Cadance and Shining then both closed the gap around the berry, sharing in its delicious wonders.

Moments passed, and the treat was long gone, but the two were still held close together by their lips in a heated kiss. Shining’s hoof reached around to gently caress her flowing mane, slowly running through its lengths and letting it cascade from his grasp, before repeating the process.

Cadance occupied one of her forehooves with her lover’s chest, fluffing his fur in small circles. She could feel the taut muscles under his flesh flex and tense to her touch. When he became used to her massages, his muscles retained a certain firmness, while still being malleable.

Eventually, Shining began to move on from their intimate kisses, letting his lips wander down her jawline and to her neck, where he stopped. There, Shining licked and nibbled various sensitive spots, which earned him low moans and whines from deep in his lover’s throat. Cadance reacted by wrapping her hooves around his head and pulling him in close to her. His wet kisses only intensified, and warranted more of the same.

As she moaned and sighed, Shining’s hoof traced a pattern along her side, slowly circling back up to the beginning along her spine. Cadance gasped and tremored under his care, thoroughly enjoying the experience. Just as she began to wish that this moment could last all night, Shining continued to move down from her neck. In the back of her mind, Cadance thought that this was odd. He’d never moved below her neck before. But the rest of her mind was too preoccupied with the sensations to formulate an inquiry. Just when he’d reached the middle of her barrel, and she thought she knew where he was heading, Shining’s tongue cut a hard left.

Shining instantly put his hooves on Cadance, as if to hold her down to brace for something. Cadance finally began to form a sentence, likely to find out what he was planning. But he cut her off by attacking her side close to her flank, rolling his tongue across her soft, sensitive spot, alternating between sucking and kissing it as well.

“What are yo-gasp!?!” Cadance drew in her next breath sharply, caught in her throat while her back arched and her body tensed. She began to writhe at the sensations she was feeling now, Shining’s toned hooves the only thing keeping her rooted in that one spot. Hind legs fruitlessly kicked against the bed sheets in an effort to get away, while a nearby pillow became the victim of her sudden urge to bite down on something. The sensation was nothing like she’d known before, made apparent when she periodically had to remind herself how to breathe. Muffled moans and wails eventually became reverberated into the pillow. Electricity coursed across her skin while the muscles he was bathing spasmed uncontrollably, unable to determine if she was being tickled mercilessly or pleasured masterfully.

When she almost couldn’t take it anymore, Shining finally stopped to allow her to breathe normally again. Cadance’s muscles let her body fall lamely against the bed while her lungs panted heavily for sweet, sweet air. She soon became aware of the fact that her wings were rifled and flustered. Not long after that, she noticed a warm liquid creeping down her vulva.

Shining stifled a chuckle at the site of his wife’s current condition. His grin belonging to one who’d just found the secrets to the meaning of life itself. “Don’t get too excited now.” he teased.

“Celestia’s sun!” Cadance finally expressed through her panting. “Where in Equestria did you learn that!?”

“Every prince has his secrets.” Shining boasted proudly. Dodging the question entirely. “I also know about this...” he continued playfully, grazing the tip of his hoof around her cutiemark. He traced the outline of the heart and enjoyed seeing her leg tense up while her back bowed slightly. After a few passes, Shining lowered his head and kissed the center of the mark, eliciting a pleasured sigh from his love. This time, without saying another word, Shining moved down lower to rest between Cadance’s legs, her mound presenting itself to him in all of its glory.

For a moment, Shining took the chance to admire it up close. Her labia looked a little puffy and glistened with moisture that leaked from within. Her sexual drive was obviously worked up, as he caught it wink at him swiftly. She was ready to move on, but he wasn’t quite done with picking at her excitement.

Shining’s tongue came out to graze her clit, and Cadance gasped aloud when she realized where his attentions were now. Shining stole himself for a short time to sample the flavor of her nectar, finding it to remind him of something… herbal-y. Once the taste was placed, his tongue came back out, planting itself just below her slit. He then began to drag it around her vulva at a steady pace. With each pass, Shining’s tongue got closer and closer to her folds, while Cadance could only moan and whimper in anticipation. Soon enough, his tongue fell into the bottom of her slip, making its way up towards her clit. Cadance released a heated breath of air from her chest when his hot, wet muscle pushed her button.

Getting down to business, Shining began to flick and trace the edges of her button with the edge of his tongue, bringing a hoof over to the very bottom of her honey pot to massage little circles into it while his lithe muscle danced around her most sensitive of spots. Her encouragement was vocalized by soft moans and deep sighs of ecstasy while reaching down to caress his mane. Just as she was beginning to get used to the motions, Shining changed it up. When her clit poked out to wink at him again, Shining gently sucked it into his muzzle, carefully kneading it with his lips while his tongue continued to play across it. Cadance became enraptured with the sensation, holding his head with both hooves now while her moaning intensified.

Before she could get used to this, Shining changed it up once again, now giving his affections to the inner folds of her lips. A tongue pushed past the crease to slather one side, and then the other. This was alternated with gently sucking and kissing her lips. Cadance loved everything he did, and the feelings they invoked within her body. Her back tingled and arched on occasion, and she could feel pure sexual energy pooling up between her hips. It built up more and more, making her legs feel restless while they laid on his shoulders.

Having had his fun toying with her, Shining pushed his tongue completely into her crevice, causing her to moan aloud to the presence of his faux-stallionhood. Inside, Shining’s senses were filled with the purest existence of her sex. His tongue bathes in the tangy flavor of her honey pot, and his nose became assaulted with the musk of her flower. Her moist cavern was like satin bed sheets in a warm morning glow. His eyes would be greeted by her winking clit, and his ears reverberated with the endless waves of her vocalized pleasure.

His tongue flicked a certain spot against the roof of her pussy, which caused her to slightly press harder against his head while a sharp gasp praised the effort. “Oh, Shiny! Right there!” she guided enthusiastically. Unquestioning, his lithe muscle set to work as she desired, and she whined louder in ecstasy. Raw sexual energy arced through her marehood, burning up under his passion.

Soon enough, the rolling energy began to build up faster, and her moaning increased in intensity for it. Her mind was struggling to contain the sheer bliss of it all, and her grip on his mane became tighter. Shining responded in kind by doubling his efforts, licking and sucking on her constantly engorging clit while a hoof resumed rubbing circles against the bottom of her entrance. Instinctively, her muscles began to tighten around his head, and she held him more firmly against her. A solid thought finally clicked in her head, and with her mental filter between thoughts and spoken word on break, she couldn’t help spilling them out. “Oh, Celestia…! I’m gunna…!”

As if he’d been waiting for the command, Shining’s tongue suddenly flicked and rubbed her button with maddening intensity. Cadance gasped aloud before she was finally sent over the edge. Her thighs latched around him for dear life, and a long, orgasmic moan heralded her climax. Nectar splashed against his muzzle while Shining continued his assault on her marehood, intensifying the waves of pleasure that Cadance could only ride out. Her body physically tremored, and her vocal chords sang the chorus of her crescendo.

Entire minutes seemed to pass until Cadance began to feel light-headed from all her panting and moaning. Still, his mouth did not cease ravaging her engorged clit, causing her marehood to burn with an almost uncomfortably intense sensation. Soon enough, she could not take the maddening amount of pleasure her husband was putting her through and began to push on him. As if this too was a command, his tongue instantly stopped. Remaining firm against her madly-winking clit and doing nothing more. Though the euphoric experience was beginning to die down, the pressure seemed to be able to hold it all back like a dam, only allowing it to trickle from her being like the fluids of her release.

The amount of euphoria that filled her was dizzying, both figuratively and literally. The experience leaving her, as best as she could currently describe, drunk with love. The only thing she could do was watch the invisible stars pass by her eyes, her muzzle stained with a big and blissful smile. Unaware that her entire body now became lame, all she could notice was the subtle tingling sensation woven into her entire being.

Finally removing his muzzle from her nethers, Shining looked on to see the aftermath of his work. Cadance looked as if she’d just experienced the ride of her life, which gave him no small sum of pride. “You like?” he asked, seeing the answer plastered across her face.

“Uh-huh…” Cadance moaned slightly. Looking down to Shining’s fool grin, she snorted a laugh to see that his muzzle was wet and matted. He looked like the epitome of silly at the moment. “I should ask you the same question.” she pointed before holding back another laugh with her hoof.

“Huh?” Shining went cross-eyed to observe it for himself. He then chuckled. “Can’t say I didn’t,” he admitted. Shining then got a devilish look about him, scooting up her body some. “Kissy kissy?” he teased before puckering his lips for her.

Cadance’s pupils shrank slightly. “Ew!” she gasped mellow-dramatically. Trying to move back while pushing him away. “Get your nasty marecum away from my royal mouth!” she laughed.

“Aw, come on!” Shining pleaded playfully, moving forward despite her efforts to keep him away. “It’s good and good for you~.” he carried on enticingly as if he was trying to sell it up to her.

“No!” Cadance giggled, pushing back a little harder. “I won’t believe you. You’re just trying to seduce me!”

“But it’s working, right?” Shining chuckled.

“Not in the slightest.” Cadance carried on in a posh tone. She then turned away from him and crossed her forelegs over her chest, trying to act disinterested.

Her dripping marehood told him otherwise, however. “Oh yeah?” Shining pushed his hips forward to grind the end of his shaft against her slit. The sudden pressure he placed on it caused Cadance to let out a lewd moan, the small of her back tingling as it begged for more. “How about now?” Shining asked rhetorically.

Cadance whimpered slightly, realizing the empty feeling inside her as her body burned for more. Unwilling to play charades any longer, she grabbed his head and pulled him into a passionate kiss. The flavor of her nectar mixed between their tongues for a moment, where she got to sample a taste. While it certainly wasn’t to die for, it wasn’t too bad either. Before she could get lost in those thoughts, Cadance withdrew from the kiss to give her lover a sultry stare. “Shut up and buck me.” She tossed out with a small hint of authority.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Shining chuckled with enthusiasm. He then pulled back slightly and lowered himself, sliding his rod against her vulva until it was in position.

Cadance moaned lowly and shuddered, pressing her hooves against his chest. “Slowly!” she urged. Still a little sensitive from her orgasm.

Shining gave his love the benefit of a pause, before moving his body forward, gently pushing his spear past her hungry muff. Inch by inch, his shaft explored the depths of her tunnel, while Cadance lets out soft sighs and low gasps. When it got down to the last three or four inches, Shining quickly hilted himself in her, eliciting a loud groan from deep in her chest. Shining, himself, released a pleasured sigh of his own, loving the soft heat that enveloped every inch of his dick.

Cadance reacted by bumping his shoulder a bit roughly while he just gave a couple of laughs. “Don’t be mean, Shiny!” She scolded, a tone that was betrayed by her quivering marehood and shaky breath laced with desire.

“Sorry,” he chuckled, “couldn’t help it.” At that, Shining shuffled his hooves slightly to reposition himself before he began to withdraw his spear from her.

Cadance moaned lowly again while he pulled out, experiencing the forlorn feeling of emptiness as his rod exited her. Only to revel in the feeling of it push back in with a little more haste to fill her up again. Steadily, Cadance was worked back into the pace of his pleasure, until his thrusting became a moderate and fluid motion. Soft thaps sounding off between them every time their groins met.

Shining gave a short grunt to vocalize his pleasure with Cadance’s moans and squeaks. Her hooves fought between covering her muzzle and anxiously pressing against her body. He smiled a little bit at this as she squeaked some more. He threw a single hard buck into the rhythm to earn a particularly loud one, and he couldn’t help a small chuckle. “You’re so adorable when you make those noises,” he toyed.

Cadance felt the gentle heat of a blush consume her visage while attempting to hide her muzzle and stifle a giggle. “Sh-shut up! Don’t tease me…”

Shining hummed his amusement as he lowered himself to her. “But you like it when I tease you.” He added another rough thrust into his continuous ministrations, grinning as she helplessly gave off another high-pitched moan.

Cadance blushed harder now, completely at his mercy. “You’re so mean, Shiny,” she muttered through her hooves.

Shining chuckled slightly. “I think that mean,” he paused as he nudged her hooves aside with his nose, his pacing slowing for the moment before continuing, “would be allowing you to cover up what I love about you.”

Cadance’s cheeks retained their rosy color as her eyes met with his cool, loving stare. His words made her chest warm and her heart flutter and she couldn’t help returning the sentiment. “I love you too, Shiny,” she cooed, before locking his lips with hers in a deep kiss. His concentration was lost as he stopped thrusting altogether, allocating his full attention to their mouths which hid the intertwining of their tongues.

Moments passed before the kiss was broken and they returned to staring deeply into each other's eyes. Cadance gave him a playful, sultry glare while he seemed to just be enjoying it. Then, Cadance actively winked her marehood, eliciting a pleasured hum from deep in her lover’s chest. “I don’t remember telling you to stop,” she remarked playfully in a sensual tone.

Shining smirked before giving his own member an active throb which easily transferred through her tight slit. She let out a fulfilling sigh for him before he continued. “Well, I guess I better keep going then.” Working back into the pace, the air between them once again became filled with Cadance’s moans and whines. They both could feel the heat slowing building between the friction of their wet sexes grinding against each other.

Her muscles wrapped around his dick snuggly, firmly squeezing against his every thrust. But the part he enjoyed the most was the lewd squelching and other nasty, wet sounds their sexes made while flesh ground against hot, soaked, slippery flesh. A sound that intensified for a split second every time her marehood clenched around him in a wink. That, and her cute little squeaks. Every time he thrust in at the right angle, and hit the right spot, a high-pitched yet soft meep escaped her lungs. He wasn’t sure why, but it was an intense turn-on for him.

Once Shining got used to the pacing, he began to throw in some extras here and there to keep it fun. A slight adjustment to his angle and his girth began to grind against the ceiling of her moist tunnel. Cadance’s body tensed in reaction as her moaning greatly intensified. Her hooves coiled around his legs, bracing for the next stretch of her ride. That’s when Shining took a moment to pull in closer to her core. Her haunches became lifted off the bed by his thighs, hoisting her legs into the open air. With the angle of his entry exaggerated, Shining began a tour of deep, fast, rough bucking into her swollen slit. Lewd slapping and squelching of their soaked, mashing flesh filled the air, accompanied by Cadance’s cries of pleasure.

She gasped aloud from the intensity, letting moans and whines of ecstasy echo throughout the room. She could feel her husband’s thick, hard medial ring raking against every square inch of her inner labia. His great, heavy orbs gently and continuously slapped her flanks, furthering both her hunger and pleasure.

Forever seemed to pass as Cadance endured Shining’s cock plunging her pipes before he started a new beat for her to sing to. His pacing slowed, but now his thrusts bore a modest amount of his weight. Each hard union of their bodies shook her existence, and even began to shake the bed.

thump

Thump

THUMP

Cadance panted, gasped, and moaned as she became more aware of the loud sound of their headboard hitting the wall. While toned, taut muscles of her lover drove his shaft through her puffy pink marehood, he would sigh and grunt now and again, and it drove her crazy.

Soon enough, Shining’s thrusting increased in vigor, and so too did Cadance’s pleasure-filled cries. Faster and harder, she was being impaled by his rod. The friction of which seemed to generate its own heat, even after all the juices from her previous climax did to lube them up. Cadance’s lust-filled moans filled the open air, hungry for her encroaching climax. While Shining grunted and puffed aloud to signify that he was getting close too.

Before she knew it, Shining’s thrusting became more rough and sporadic, which she could barely detect over the sound of her voice straining to keep up with the rest of her body. Shining lowered himself to her, allowing her to wrap her hooves around his neck while he drove it home. In one loud groan, Shining finally lanced her marehood completely, a final thrust which tipped her over the edge. Her thighs locked themselves around her lover, muscles clenching his rod rapidly while he filled her to the brim with his seed.

Shining remained firmly hilted deep in her honey pot, his body visibly pulsing with each throb of his cock. Rope after thick rope launched into her womb, her rippling muscles trying to milk him dry of his searing spunk.

Between the fusion of sexes, more mare juices slowly dripped down to add to the growing puddle of mixed bodily fluids in the sheets. Cadance could feel his heartbeat through his pulsing member as it continued to douse her searing fire.

Their rolling climax slowly idled to a stop, leaving the two panting as they recovered from the sexual high of their built-up energy. Some time passed with them tightly held against each other before Shining finally lifted himself up. Slowly, he unsheathed his cock from her depths with a spine-tingling, wet schlick!

Cadance shuddered with delight as she felt his seed begin to spill out and slide down her pucker. Still panting, she gave a soft moan as she rubbed her belly. “Hahh… heh… hehe, somepony’s been holding back on me,” she commented, the seemingly endless drizzle of his cum still trickling out of her freshly fucked hole.

“You could say I’m extra excited tonight.” With a smirk, Shining moved forward slightly to press himself against her plot.

Cadance felt it first, this hard object the firmly pressed against her marehood. Lifting her head, she looked down to see his cum-covered shaft still hard and ready for round two. She shot him a sultry stare while licking her lips. “You don’t think the job is done?” she cooed.

“It wouldn’t hurt to make sure… but I’d like to have a little extra fun too, if you’re open to it.” His girth then slid down to prod at her rosebud to get the point across.

Cadance bit her lip when she felt his rod press against her plothole. She wasn’t the biggest fan of anal, she’d admit, but she wasn’t opposed to the guilty pleasure completely. Shining has given her a wonderful time so far, anyway. She couldn’t see any reason to deny him the privilege. At least their mixed juices had him all lubed up and ready to go. With a small smile and a nod, Cadance reached her hooves down to spread her cheeks apart for him. “You have been such a good Captain so far. It would be unfair of me to not give you something in return,” she cooed.

Shining gave a deep chuckle from his throat. “Well then, in that case, let’s see you on your belly.” He twirled a hoof to sign his desire. “Get that plot up nice and high.”

Cadance giggled at his dirty talk but complied. Rolling out from under him, she got comfortable crouched down on crossed forehooves while haunches worked to hike her nethers up to present themselves to her lover. Tail raised high and legs spread wide, Cadance now had her marehood and rose bud on full display for Shining’s viewing pleasure in all his sloppy, cum-soaked glory. “Ready when you are, Shiny!” she rang in a sultry tone.

“Oh, I’ll be the judge of that, my princess.” Prideful smirk hung across his eager lips, Shining Armor took a seat behind his lover before hooves pressed against both sides of her plot firmly. She gasped and groaned as he kneaded her cheeks like putty, spreading them wider and in all directions.

He watched as the last bit of overflow oozed slowly out of her ravaged slit like molasses. A small fit of curiosity overtook his mind, and he was feeling rather experimental at the moment. Slowly, his tongue stuck out and licked up a small section of her slit to test the waters. Rather immediately, however, his expression soured. His flavor was sour and bitter, much to his dislike.

Cadance couldn’t help a small giggle as she felt what transpired, and didn’t have any trouble imagining what happened or why he made a disgusted gagging sound. “Not your average cup of tea, Shiny?”

Shining gave a nervous smile. “More like cheap, black coffee. Blegh…”

“A healthier diet can make it more palatable. Like, orange juice instead of cheap, black coffee,” she hinted subtly.

“Oh-hoho! Just because you don’t like it, it’s cheap?” he retorted playfully.

“You said it, not me,” she chimed, sticking her tongue out at him.

“Oh, you’re going to get it now!” Without warning, Shining Armor firmly ran his tongue across her pucker, and she nearly jumped from this new and extremely lewd sensation. He didn’t let up. Pushing past the sour flavor of his seed, Shining continued to bathe her rose bud in his saliva.

Cadance’s body tensed and relaxed rapidly, moaning aloud and uncaring of any pony that might hear her at this point. This new act felt dirty and nasty, but she strangely couldn’t be more turned on by it. His tongue violated her ass like a pudding cup without a spoon, and it generated all sorts of new sensations she’d never felt before. Her breath was bated with hot, moist panting while her eyes lost their focus. Her wings unfurled lamely and her feathers ruffled, frumpy with excitement.

Minutes passed before he finally stopped, ending the first wave with a gentle kiss of her quivering forbidden hole. Cadance was given a moment’s reprieve, and she spent it trying to catch her breath. “Sweet Celestia! Where did you-”

Shining chuckled proudly, cutting her off. “I’m not done yet,” he toyed. Once again, he resumed worshipping her plothole mercilessly, unrelenting. Gasps, moans, and squeaky sighs filled the room once more, undoubtedly leaking into the hall at this point. That’s when he decided to take it a step further.

Cadance gasped aloud and physically tensed now as she felt his lithe muscle press firmly against her back door. “S-Shining…!?” She wanted to say stop, that this was just too dirty and debauched, but there was a primal hunger that got in the way. She wanted this to play out, to know exactly how sloppy, nasty anal play felt, and how good it could be.

Then she felt his hooves firmly knead and massage her flanks again, spreading and compressing her supple flesh. Her walls began to crumble as her pucker began to relax. With one extra push, she felt his tongue break through her barrier and fill her entrance, and she gasped aloud. Electricity arced up her spine as she drank in this guilty pleasure. Hooves grasped and clawed at the bedsheets while Shining’s masterful muscle artfully painted her insides with his saliva.

Shining wasn’t enjoying these new tastes very much, but he positively delighted in seeing his beloved squirm like it was their first time again. She squirmed and writhed, becoming more restless and anxious by the second. When he felt she’d had enough, Shining withdrew his tongue from her hole, feeling it clench to try and stop his retreat. Unsuccessful in its efforts, Shining was able to sit back and enjoy his work. Where a tight donut once was now rested a completely relaxed and dilated hole, ready to receive more of his attention. Meanwhile, his member stood firmly at attention, annoyed by its lack of treatment. He licked his lips in hunger while a hooftip gently pressed against her clit and rubbed it, earning small sighs and moans from his love. “Hmmm, I think you’re ready.”

Cadance became visibly more relaxed as she felt him gather their fluids and spread them over her pucker, reveling in this debauched sensation. With enthusiasm, she lazily pressed her ass into the ministrations. “Yes, please…! I want to feel your cock fill me again,” she pleaded.

Not one to deny his mate in her times of need, Shining made short work of getting back up to mount her. Hist girth pressed firmly along her dripping nethers, and she offered him a starving moan. Gently, he slathered and rubbed in their shared sex juices before getting into position.

Finally, Cadance felt his rod press against her gaping rosebud once more. She remained relaxed as it prodded against her, reveling in the liberating sensations of his pressure. Then, he slowly began his entry. She felt her hungry hole stuff down the first inch of his girth as it stretched to accommodate his presence. That’s when it began to offer resistance, however, and she couldn’t keep her back from tensing now. With a grunt, Cadance bit down on her fetlock as he slowly impaled her on his shaft. It was a very tight fight, a fact that they both expressed through terse gasps and pleasure-filled sighs.

The real fun began when his ring pushed its way passed her opening, stretching her further and giving more resistance. Cadance moaned aloud as it happened, throaty sounds of delight mixed with pain as it raked across her rippling inner walls.

Finally, after an eternity, he bottomed out. Both were made aware as his heavy purse collided with her marehood with a soft plap. If his presence was great inside her before, it felt massive now. Cadance was intimately aware of every mountain and valley of his member. Every corner and crevice; she could even faintly detect his heartbeat within the hot, wet depths of her plot. It all served to excite her even more, feeling so much closer to her lover physically and intimately.

The first thrust was made. A bit slow, even if a little enthusiastic. Still, she released a turbulent groan, and Shining gave pause. She sighed with anxiety. “Oh, Shining…! It feels great, but I need a moment to get used to you again…” she explained with a hint of embarrassment. She felt her face flush and heat up, so she buried her muzzle in her hooves.

Shining could detect her unease when her greedy sphincter tightened harder around his base. Gently, he placed a hoof between her withers and rubbed. “Shhhh… there’s no rush, Cadey. Take as long as you need… just relaaaax.”

His soothing, soft voice played around the edges of her folded ears while a nimble hoof slowly splayed her wings out to their full span by massaging her favorite spot on her back. The tips of her wings lethargically reached for the edges of the bed as she worked to release her pent-up energy. Controlled, steady breathing echoed under her hooves while her muscles returned to a putty-like state at their own pace.

With enough time and patience, Shining soon enough felt his love loosen back up. He chuckled softly when he felt her plot push against his throbbing cock. Placing his hoof back down along her side, he whispered, “Let’s start nice and slow.” At a steady pace, he pulled his shaft from her constricting depths a short ways before pushing back in. She gave a terse sigh, but significantly softer than before. Her flanks didn’t tense up as much to his attentions. Continuing the slow tempo, he gently thrust in and out of her.

Shining let out a deeply pleased sigh. If her pussy was like velvet, Cadance’s ass was so much more. Her hot, wet walls gripped every inch of his cock tightly, yet it was soft and slippery enough to allow for a smooth ride. Her inner walls rippled over his every inch in an attempt to devour him whole. Exaggerating the sloppy sounds of their mashing sexes in a way that he greatly enjoyed.

He couldn’t help himself now. The feeling of her plot worshipping his cock enraptured him. He began to thrust faster now, and her plot tightened to the increase in attention. Cadance seemed to fall deeper and deeper into the sensations herself as she squeaked and moaned. His balls became increasingly saturated in their juices with each slap against her exposed marehood. His neck craned as he immersed himself in the moment, relinquishing an intensely satisfied groan.

Suddenly, there was a new feeling. His back tremored when something cupped his orbs. Shining Armor looked down to see that Cadance reached a hoof down, feeding attention to his full sack. Attention that was short-lived, however, when her focus was shifted to her winking honey pot. Her lust-filled moans increased in vigor as she began to gently mash and massage her clit.

His chest rumbled with a light chuckle, accented with a prideful smirk. In his time of self-indulgence, he’d nearly forgotten to make sure she was still enjoying herself. It would seem that she was, though. “Methinks the lady likes,” he cooed in a breathy tone.

“Yesss,” she hissed through a sigh. “Please, keep going.”

Eager to please, Shining pushed her through a faster pace, and she sang her love of it to him. That’s when Shining decided to lean up and support himself on her plot. Hooves massage her firm hindquarters and traced over her cutiemark.

Cadance bit down on her fetlock again, pushing through the discomfort for the dirty pleasures of his thick girth forcing its way through her tight pucker. She sighed and moaned under the hooftips that grazed over the most sensitive parts of her flanks. Suddenly, a loud noise filled her ears, and she cried out abruptly in reaction. Her teeth tensed up on her leg while her busied hoof tightened against her swollen pussy. Gentle delight across her left flank was quickly replaced by a soft stinging after he struck her rump. “S-Shining…!” She felt her face turn beet-red, falling deeper into his naughty pleasures.

Once he smacked her ass, Shining gave his love a moment to absorb the sensation before he continued his massage, rubbing the gentle pain out. He gave her some more time before slapping it again, and she cried louder for it. As this carried on, her back tensed and dipped, finding the appropriate rhythm to buck back into his timed thrusts. He cycled his pacing up to a faster tempo now, and the smacking of their union once again accompanied her lusty moans. All of the sounds filled his ears, and he was beginning to lose concentration. He felt a tightness in his throbbing cock now, causing him to forsake the tough love of her flanks and just press into them.

Cadance’s whole world was devolving into this moment as she mashed her swollen mounds. His rod fest as if it was growing thicker and fuller inside of her plot, and she reveled in the sensations. Her sore flank only served to further her excitement, and her breathy moans never seemed to cease. Pleasure filled her faster than ever before, boiling her blood as her body fruitlessly worked to keep up. Everything was quickly disappearing as she felt her climax fast approaching. She anticipated it, thirsted for it, fought valiantly for its arrival as her hoof flurried against her rapidly winking clit which leaked glistening nectar like a stream. “Sh… Shi-... Shiny!” she gasped breath precious gasps of life-breathing air. “Please! Give me… this…!”

Shining gruntly aloud as he paused, forsaking the pleasure for a split second to slump down across his love for support and a better position. Without mercy now, Shining began to ravage her quaking plot with beastial grandour, panting and groaning heavily into her ear.

Y-Yes! Yes! Ooooo!” she cried under the intensity of his presence. Her ears flicked and shuddered under his every gasping breath that caressed them with warmth, and her body trembled as it ached for the payload of his warhead.

Through the storm of sexual highs and raw passion, Cadance felt something grow within her depth. His head flared in preparation, heralded by his tense grunting and tightening muscles. He plowed her plot for all it was worth, and the extra bulb deep within her core pushed Cadance over the edge. Screaming her orgasm to the heavens, every muscle in her body wound tight. Her hoof mashed firmly against her marehood as her dam broke, drenching herself and the bedsheet below in her sticky sweet juices.

Cadance gasped aloud through her moaning when Shining suddenly drilled her plothole hard and deep with all his weight. Their headboard rapped the wall with solid knocks as he continued this, grunting aloud as he tried his hardest. Her entire body shook with each savage thrust, so much so that she removed her hoof from her pussy to better brace his feral prowes.

Each deep plunge warranted a cry of pleasure from her lungs, enraptured with his intensity. “Ah! AH! Cum! Cum, Shining… cum inside me!”

Finally, Shining Armor buried his bone deep within her depths. His balls heaved and he released a turbulent moan of deep gratification as his first rope of cum flooded her anus. Quickly, he pulled out to switch holes, but not fast enough to stop a drenching pump of searing spunk from coating her nethers in a thick layer of sex.

His goal in mind, Shining moaned aloud as he continued thrusting fast and hard into her sensitive marehood, painting her entire insides with seed. Cum leaked out between every draw back of his girth, only to be constantly squished between their thighs into a sloppy, dripping hot mess.

As the waves of euphoria diminished, so too did his thrusting, until there was nothing left to give. Finally resolving to keep his rod lodged inside her honeypot, both parties panted and trembled under their sexual delirium. Coming down off his high, Shining allowed himself to slump down against his lover. She herself allowed her hind legs to slide back across the sheets slowly before both came to rest as a sweaty, panting mess of sex and juices.

When he felt rested enough, Shining pushed himself off of his wife. She gave a low moan as his cock slid from the depths of her pussy, leaving her entrance with a wet schlick! More cum spilled from her over-stuffed marehood when he popped the cork.

Cadance lay in a daze as her lover plopped down beside her. Her nethers were left raw and swollen in the aftermath of Shining’s assault on her castle. Her flank still stung, and her muscles ached. She couldn’t have been happier.

A satisfied coo left her lips as she moved over to catch Shining in a deep kiss. She could still taste a hint of cum on his tongue. Finally breaking the kiss, she remembered that burning question in her mind and was beyond compelled to ask. “Oh, Shiny. That was amazing! I feel like a fresh, young school filly again. Where did you learn all of that?” There was much more care and attention given here than could be explained by simple experimentation. He knew each and every sensitive pleasure center he worked tonight.

Shining blushed slightly as he recalled the events. “It’s kind of embarrassing…. uhm. I might have been a little adventurous back in my Guard Academy days.”

“Oh my,” Cadance exclaimed, her face becoming flush as she imagined Shining with another stallion. Yet another odd turn-on she’d experience.

Shining scratched the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle. “I know I never told you before… it was just a thing that happened. There was this crazy group, and they had a weird thing for initiations and stuff, and… well, yeah.” She continued to stare at him dumbly with a red face, causing him to lose some of his confidence. He cleared his throat anxiously. “I... hope that doesn’t bother you…?”

Cadance blinked a bit as she was brought back to reality. “Oh! No! No, it doesn’t, not at all! I just was… thinking about it.” She offered him a nervous smile.

Shining gain a fool grin now as he watched her. “You were fantasizing it, weren’t you?”

“A little,” she squeaked. Shining played it off with a snicker, but she could see his blush deepen. “So, why haven’t we done it sooner? You had to of known I would at least like it,” she implored.

Shining smirked a bit as he busied his hooftips. “Well, I was saving it for a special sompony… on a special night… to mark a special occasion. I thought that deciding we’re ready for a foal was as special as it needed to be...”

“Oh…” Cadance felt butterflies in her stomach now. She decided to get into the spirit and divulge her own little secret. “I kind of did something once, too…”

“Oh?” Shining’s interest piqued.

“Never anything quite like that, but… well, once, I might have maybe… made-out with a mare.” She hid her face now as she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“No way!” Shining exclaimed in disbelief with excitement.

“I know, I know!” she giggled. “It was so cliche, too. There was this new maid in the castle, and-”

“How long ago was this?” Shining asked with an odd expression, but he was just pulling her chain.

Cadance’s cheeks were on fire now. “No! Nonono, not here. Celestia’s castle!” Shining earned himself a short, good laugh. Cadance socked him in the shoulder for getting it at her expense, though. “C’mon, Shiny! We’re married! You know I would just go bucking around the castle on you. Not without your approval.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” he said as he calmed down. “Please, continue.”

Cadance giggled slightly as she remembered it. “There was a new maid in the castle, and she was just so… so… self-conscious, I guess. I felt the need to help her, and, well… one thing led to another. The next thing I know, we’re throat-deep in a kiss, hiding out in a hall closet.”

Shining gave off a whistle. “Throat-deep, eh?”

Cadance rolled her eyes. “We were just fillies. It was fun at the moment, though…”

The air became silent now, the game pretty much over. After having dug up the moment, though, her mind lingered on it for a time. She chose to snuggle up to Shining’s barrel, feeling his hoof come around her shoulder. Finally, she worked up the courage to voice what was on her mind. “Do you ever wonder, sometimes? You know…”

“What it would be like if we never got together?” Shining finished. He felt Cadance nod into his fur slightly, and he hummed. “Once in a while. Mostly just debating if I would’ve tried for mares again if we didn’t work out, or if I would’ve just switched teams. I think it’s a pretty normal thought, though. Just means you have a healthy curiosity,” he smiled.

“I think that makes us a weird couple,” Cadance admitted. She couldn’t fathom why it was weird, though. Perhaps it was because she never imagined it to be quite like this.

“Beh!” Shining batted at the open air to dismiss the notion. “Normal is overrated. Besides, I like to keep things interesting!” To emphasize his statement, Shining gave his love a wet lick up her cheek.

Cadance laughed at Shining’s silly antic. “You certainly do!” she chuckled.

Shining smiled now. “You know, if you ever get too curious again, you don’t have to ask me about it. I don’t mind if you feel the need to venture out once in a while.”

Cadance’s eyes widened slightly. “Shiny, are you sure? That’s… uhm…”

Shining Armor gave her another dismissive gesture. “Family policy. The only life you can control is your own. You shouldn’t have to ask me for permission to do what you want.”

Cadance still seemed unsure of it all but was grateful none-the-less. “Not that I have any plans… but it’s very sweet all the same. Thanks, Shiny.” Snuggling up close to her love, Cadance made herself comfortable before something large caught her eyes. Looking down, she could see that his rod was still standing firmly at attention. Cadance giggled. “I see I’m not the only one fantasizing about things tonight,” she teased.

“Huh?” Shining Armor lifted his head to see that, indeed, he was still hard. Slathered and glistening in sex, no less. “At ease, soldier. Your job is done for the night…” Without remorse, however, his cock disobeyed and merely gave a haughty throb in defiance. Shining armor gave off a sigh as he looked back to Cadance. “I don’t know where these new recruits are coming from, but they have no discipline.” he joked.

Cadance offered a smirk as she licked her lips. Shining had done so much for her tonight, she figured. It was only fair to return the kindness. “Let me try, Shiny. Celestia taught me a thing or two about how a princess commands the authority and respect of her guards…”

Plopping down on him, Cadance drank in the sight of his phallus while her forehooves took it into her care. Shining let off a light groan as she gave it a firm, wet lick to clean some of their mixed sex off of it.

She was interrupted, however, when a loud thump echoed into the room. All was silent while her ears turned and curved to try and get a fix on the source to no avail. Finally, she looked back to Shining. “What was that?”

“I think that came from the hall…” Both looked over to the door and waited. That’s when they caught a shadow that moved ever so slightly.

Cadance stifled a giggle and whispered back to her love. “I think we have an audience.”

“Shall we give them a show?” he whispered back enticingly.

Cadance rolled her eyes slightly. “Must have been nothing,” she said aloud. “Now, where were we?”

“You were about to teach me how to make a turkey call, I believe,” he teased.

Cadance laughed a little. “Don’t push your luck, mister!”

“Gobble gobble?”

Author's Note

Improved Shining Cadenza Chapter version 1.1!

Updates include: a hearty injection of meat and potatoes to the clop scene. I've nearly doubled the chapter length! @u@

On to this chapter! This was the second part of Brawny Steed's request, which is the night of Skyla's conception. This chapter completes the whole of his requests, and I hope you all enjoy it.

This chapter took a long time mostly because I have never put any thought into the characters of Shining Armor and Cadance. A ship I have decided to dub Shining Cadenza. ( totally not influenced by pokemon XP )

For story elements, I utilized two different ones. I wanted to center on Cadance having insecurities on raising a foal after having been princess for a while and having to live the daily mantra of its responsibilities. I also wanted to center a little bit on Shining's character.

For now, I'll leave it alone cause I got some stuff to do. But major credit goes to my proof-readers Jardex and Gold4tune for helping me out with some of the convo and making sure everything is all good under the hood.

Have fun, and as always, enjoy your read. :3