This Love
This Love Will Last Forever
Written by: Midnight Rose
Shining Armor chuckled to himself as he trotted down to the park. Canterlot was quiet, for once, he couldn’t have found a better time to do this.
The day was sunny and clear and the wind wasn’t too strong, a perfect day for a picnic. Shining smiled as he finally reached the spot where Cadence said she would met him, and there she was, her beautiful pink fur almost glowing in the bright light.
He blushed a little as he walked over to her. His marefriend gave him a sweet smile and chuckled when she saw him blushing.
“Hello, Shining.” She said.
Her voice was melodic to Shining, unlike his own when he stammered out a very embarrassing, “h-hi”.
Cadence chuckled, walked up, and nuzzled him. “You don’t have to be so embarrassed, honey, it’s only me.” She replied.
Shining gulped. “I know. It’s just….can we just get the stuff ready?” He asked. He tried to keep his sweaty forehead under control, but it didn’t seem to be working.
Cadence titled her head at her stallion's odd change of demeanour, usually Shining wasn’t so anxious around her, well unless he was about to surprise her with a gift or something sweet….Cadence raised her eyes and her colt-friend chuckled nervously.
With his magic, the colt in question opened up the picnic basket and spread the blanket out. The blanket was just a plain red-checkered one, but the food and drink made up for it.
Shining had packed some of his mother’s fine china for this occasion, it had took a lot of explaining, some begging, and some bargaining, but he eventually won them. They sparkled when he levitated them out of the basket and Cadence gasped.
“That’s the same china I’ve seen your mother use on Hearth’s Warming! How did you ever get permission to use them?” She asked, awe plain in her voice.
Shining chuckled. “Let’s just say, I’ll be doing some chores for a while.” He smiled as Cadence broke into laughter.
Cadence finally settled down as she saw the food being brought out. She wondered if he made these himself, or if he got them at the bakery. Probably the latter, she smiled as he placed the many pastries, buns and doughnuts on the blanket.
Cadence raised a brow, she had been on a diet for weeks, and she feared she would break it, but then, Shining brought out a whole bunch of fruit and veggies so she sighed.
“Thank, Celestia. I don’t think I could eat just pastries, well, I’m sure you can.” She winked at him and he blushed.
She knew about his love of pastries….He was screwed.
Shining coughed and poured the drink, it was a bright pink juice and it bubbled a little. Cadence smiled at him and he smiled back.
Cadence sniffed the drink and giggled, “are you sure this isn’t a love potion, Shiny?” She asked with a teasing wink.
Shining’s face felt whiter than it actually was, but he furiously shook his head. “N-No! Of course not! I got this from the juice bar down the street from my house.” He replied, “its a new drink their trying, I think he called it….soda?” He tried to pronounce the strange word, but it came out ‘so-duh’.
Cadence giggled. “I get it, Shiny. It’s okay. I was only teasing.”
Shining sighed in relief, he shook his head and smiled, Cadence always teased him like this, but it wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to.
“Can we be serious for once please? I have something to ask you.” He said with a slight grin.
Cadence tilted her head slightly, Shining didn’t sound mad, but he did sound serious for once. She smiled and nodded. “Sure, what’s up?” She asked.
He gulped and took a deep breath. “Uh, y’know how you and I have been goin’ out for a long time now….like….four years?” He tried to think of exactly how long, but it seemed to be slipping his mind.
“Six years.” Cadence corrected with a sly grin.
Her grin turned into a goofy smile, this was actually the longest relationship she’d ever been in.
Shining made her feel so loved, protected, and most of all, happy. She always laughed when she was with him, sometimes for no reason at all. That wasn’t something she was proud of, but she knew it was probably just because she loved him.
Shining was looking at her with an odd look, like she was zoning out. She blinked and shook her head with a chuckle.
“Oh, uh….go on.” She replied quietly, a very red blush appearing on her cheeks.
Shining chuckled and placed his hoof upon her own. The two stared into each other’s eyes for a moment or two, and Shining cleared his throat.
“Cadence.” He began, his voice soft, but oddly serious. He had her full attention now.
“For the past six years I’ve never been so happy,” he smiled at her with such love and appreciation, Cadence’s eyes began tearing up.
“Shining….I-” He placed a hoof on her mouth gently stopping her. “Can I please just say this?” He asked.
She nodded slightly, tears now freely flowing from her eyes. He was just so….perfect.
“I feel like our love could last for a lifetime, maybe even longer than that.” He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.
“Anyways….Cadenza Mi Amore….I love you with all of my very being. I’ve never felt this way about anypony before. So….if you would be so kind….”
Cadence blinked a little as she realized he had said her full name. Nopony ever used her full name! Not unless it was for something really important, like a ceremony or….wait….what is he doing!? She gasped in surprise as Shining got down on his forelegs and, with his magic, pulled out from his coat jacket, a modestly sized red box.
She wanted to squeal and say ‘yes’ about a billion times, but she also knew Shining wanted to make this moment as special as he could, so for now, she was quiet.
Shining had sweat pouring off his forehead, Celestia only knew why….Cadence chuckled as he gulped and smiled awkwardly.
“Cadence….would you do me the honor of being my wife?” He asked.
Cadence wanted to laugh hysterically and jump four-hundred feet into the sky. But she didn’t, she only smiled brightly at Shining who sweated even more and she nodded.
“Of course I’ll marry you, Shining! There wouldn’t be anypony else I’d rather spend my life with!” She gushed.
Now it was Shining who felt like he wanted to jump four-hundred feet into the sky. His beloved had just said ‘yes’ to one of the hardest questions he’d ever have to ask her in his life!
This was turning out to be a splendid picnic.
The ring wasn’t very big, but it was tasteful. It was cut into the shape of a heart and was a sparkling blue color, just like Cadence’s cutie-mark.
Shining smiled as he lifted the ring out of the box and the ring’s chain dangled as he placed it around her neck.
“Oh, Shining! This is gorgeous!” Cadence explained. Her eyes were almost starry they were glittering so much.
Cadence wondered how much this cost. She didn’t want Shining to go all out just for her...the kindness of her colt-friend was worth far more to her than any gift would be. But she didn’t ask that, she just gushed in awe at the sparkling ring.
“I’m glad you like it. It wasn’t easy to cut this way. I pretty much had to beg the guy at the store to do it for me.” He replied.
Cadence laughed, “I kinda want to see that….I’m joking, I’m joking!” Cadence couldn’t control her laughter as Shining kissed her hooves and jokingly made begging motions, after a while he and stopped.
“Well, how about we enjoy this picnic now, hm? Or do you have any other life-changing questions you wanna ask me?” She asked.
Shining chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, I’m good.”
He sat down, Cadence followed. The two lovers then shared the most wonderful picnic they ever had. But the food wasn’t even close to being the best part of it.
“And that’s how he proposed.” Cadence told Twilight with a grin.
Twilight was smiling like a love-sick filly and she shook her head quickly. “Uh, that was really romantic of you, Shining.” She said to her BBBFF, who looked at her with a smile.
“Yeah, I guess it kinda was romantic, huh?” He chuckled and noogied Twilight, who cried out in annoyance.
“Alright you two, off to bed….It’s already past your bed-times.” Cadence said with a chuckle.
Twilight moaned in her old, filly like fashion. “Oh come on, Cadence! Could I just hear one more story?Puh-lease!? She pleaded.
Cadence laughed and shook her head. “Sorry, hon. Shining and I want to sleep now, it’s been a long day.” She said.
Shining pitied Twiliy, but when he looked at his wife’s expression, he knew he shouldn’t give in to his sister.
“Uh, Cadence is right, Twily, it’s past eleven now….we all should probably go to bed.” He said.
Twilight sighed and nodded, she got up, kissed her brother and sister-in-law on the foreheads, and slowly left the room, dragging a passed-out Spike with her.
Cadence laughed. “Well, now that she’s gone…..what do you wanna do?” She asked slyly.
She winked at Shining and he blushed a bright red.
“I….Uh….maybe we should go to our room.” He said with a chuckle as his wife kissed him.
She sighed and nodded and the two left for their bedroom without another word.
The End.
