~~ Chapter I - Masks ~~
~~A MLP : FiM Story ~~
~~ MLP: FiM © 2015 Hasbro, Inc. ~~

“… Shining Armor, I hereby name you Lord Commander of the Crystal Guards…” Cadance’s voice was laced with pride for her husband, and she grinned from ear to ear. “By my right as Princess of the Crystal Empire, I charge you with the defense of this city and the surrounding countryside, and all ponies within.”

Shining couldn’t help but shed a man-tear as the sword touched each of his shoulders. He had been training for this moment for weeks now, and yet all of that seemed to melt away the moment he sensed the love pouring from Cadance. “I thank you, my Lady.”

Cadance grinned. “Arise, Lord Shining Armor, Prince of the Crystal Empire, Defender of the Realm and Commander of Her Armies.”

Shining obeyed, and rose. The ponies gathered in the hall all stomped their approval. After a cursory wave, Shining turned to his wondrous bride and grinned. “My Princess,” He began.

Cadance answered by putting a hoof to his lips. “Shut up and kiss me, ‘Knight-Commander’.” She whispered, before capturing him in a tender kiss.

The crowd went wild. Bells rang. Ponies cheered, even a guard or two stomped on the ground. And when they broke their kiss, Shining stared right into his wife’s eyes. “I love you, Cadance,” He said. And she grinned her gorgeous grin.

“I love you too, Shining.”

Hours later, Shining Armour and Mi Amore Cadenza sat in their bedroom, while Shining stripped himself of his plate armor and set it on a mannequin. The afternoon had been a long one for him, and he was utterly exhausted.

“All I’m saying, Cadance,” He sighed, setting his helmet on the mannequin’s head. “Is that I don’t need all these ceremonies and parties. I’m happy to just get the job and go do it.”

Cadance chuckled. “I know you would,” She gestured out of the bedroom’s window, toward the city beyond. “It’s for them, you know? The common ponies love a good party, especially if it stars their prince. They love you, you know.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Shining agreed, falling onto a nearby sofa. “Still, leaves me way too tired for all the stuff I’ve got to do tonight.”

Cadance hummed, sitting down next to her husband. She lit her horn and began to brush through his mane. “Tell me,” She murmured.

“Well, we’ve…” Shining let out a sigh as Cadance’s magic brushed against his ear. “I’ve got to rework the whole Dining Hall’s guard detail for the Griffon Ambassador’s arrival next week. We’ve got those Saddle Arabian nobles in two weeks, and…” His head fell back and he groaned. “And Princess Celestia herself is coming tonight.”

The magic working his mane suddenly ceased. Shining looked up, and found a look of pure shock on his wife’s face. “Auntie Tia’s actually coming here ahead of her visit?”

Shining hung his head. “Right, yes. Yes, she is. I wasn’t supposed to tell you. It was supposed to just be an hour-long meeting.”

A look of mock suspicion crossed Cadance’s face. “Why would our Princess just stop by for an hour? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

The stallion let loose a loud laugh, and kissed Cadance’s cheek. “No,” He shook his head, his laughter abating. “I think I’d probably get the headspony’s block for that.” He sighed. “No, it’s just… she wants to discuss the guard roster ahead of time. Personally, for some reason. I’ve no idea why she doesn’t send her Guard Captain.”

“Maybe there’s some danger to Equestria that only you can deal with, and she’s coming alone to tell you, and she’s only using security as a cover-up to avoid drawing attention to herself? You did say it was a secret, after all.”

Shining’s eyes went wide as dinner plates. “Oh, I hope not.” He buried his face in his hooves. “All the shit I’ve been dealing with these past few days, I’m up to my neck in work. Last thing I need’s to save the world.”

They sat in utter silence for a mere moment, before Cadance started to giggle. Before long, she was on her back laughing, and Shining had joined her.

They spent what seemed like minutes like that, before ending up cuddled against one another, Shining gently stroking Cadance’s mane.

“It’s getting late,” Cadance said, looking out the window toward the dipping sun. “You’ve got to go deal with your Griffon thingie.”

“Yesss…” Shining murmured as he untangled himself from his wife’s embrace. “I should go deal with the… Griffon thingie.” He chuckled. “I’m just glad you’re not our ambassador,” He looked over his shoulder. “Griffons have a certain… air about them. Calling the ambassador’s visit a “thingie” would probably start a war.”

“Noted for future reference,” Cadance grinned. She rose to her hooves and gave Shining a hug. “Go get ‘em, stallion.”

The Knight-Commander Prince of the Crystal Empire grinned back. With a quick kiss, he left the bedchambers and shut the door. The moment he heard the wood slam into place, his smile vanished. It was gonna be a long night.

After Shining Armour had spent the better half of the night arguing with the Griffon Marshal about guard placement in the dining room, and a good three hours figuring out what rugs would best please the Saddle Arabian nobles upon their arrival, he was glad to be almost done with his duties.

“Can’t wait to get to bed,” He murmured to nopony. There was only one… thingie left on his to-do list for the evening. Meet with Princess Celestia about… guard rosters, of all things.

Truth be told, the purpose of the visit truly perplexed him. While it was customary for nobles to be picky about their guard rosters, having the Princess of Equestria come in the flesh to discuss them was just odd. She, like all other nobles, had a Guard Captain who would handle those matters for her. It made him feel a mite suspicious as to the princess’ true motive.

Of course, there was always what Cadance had suggested. That the visit was merely a cover, and some enormous danger had surfaced that only he could resolve. He really didn’t want that.

Shining Armour gulped as he rounded a corner, seeing two Crystal Guards standing on each side of a large wooden door. They snapped to attention the moment he came into view. “My Lord,” They said in unison.

“At ease,” Shining said, though he didn’t feel too ‘at ease’ himself. “Is she inside?” He asked, and the two guards nodded. “Very well, you may leave us.”

The guards complied, and Shining took a moment to collect himself. “Please don’t be an emergency disaster. Please don’t be an emergency disaster.”

He lit his horn, opened the doors, and trotted in.

The room was sparsely furnished. There was naught but a sofa and a couple of coffee tables. A half-drank cup of tea sat on one of them.

And then there was the princess.

Celestia Everfree Solaris, Sovereign Princess of Equestria and Avatar of the Sun Goddess, sat facing away from Shining Armour, staring out of her window toward the moon. After standing for a moment, Shining cleared his throat, and the princess turned toward him.

“Your Grace,” Shining bowed his head. “It’s an honour to host you here.”

“It really is, isn’t it?” Celestia seemed to mutter, then cleared her throat. “Ah, Lord Shining,” She grinned. “Or, should I say ‘Knight-Commander’?” A chuckle escaped the princess’ lips. “I heard of your appointment just after I landed.”

“Your congratulations are appreciated, but unnecessary,” The stallion answered. “I serve the crown as best I can. That’s my job.”

“I must admit, having you as Knight-Commander of the Realm makes my job far easier.” She smiled at him.

“Yes, I had heard that your visit might concern our military. Specifically, guards.” Shining cocked his head to one side. “Forgive me, your Highness, but I can’t quite understand why you would want to…”

“I'll be replacing your guards with mine,” Celestia said simply, and Shining did a double-take. “For my coming visit.”

The stallion was at a loss for words. This was huge. There were well over a thousand guards employed in the palace alone, well over double that amount in the villages nearby. “That’s a…” He swallowed. “That’s a tall order, your Grace.”

“But a necessary one.”

“Might I ask why you want to do this?” Shining asked. “The changes in the rosters would take days. Plus we’d have to change the barracks around…”

“I don’t… trust your ponies.” Celestia’s eyes seemed to glow for a mere moment. “They were under the oppression of a savage king for years. Only now have they just managed to break free of his memory. I shudder to think what dark thoughts may still lie in their minds.”

“You don’t trust them?” Shining tilted his head, and she nodded. “I assure you, our ponies are… well-recovered from King Sombra’s evil. They’re not bound by his will any more than a normal pony would be. And even if they still suffered… side effects, you can rest assured that my guards are loyal to the crown, your Grace.”

“And how does that assure me?” Celestia seemed to snap, and Shining took a step back. “Your guards are loyal to the crown, and mine are loyal to me.” She glared at Shining. “Many ponies have held crowns, Sombra not least among them. I hope you can understand my desire to have my own ponies whom I trust with my life guard the palace I will be spending months living in.”

Shining bowed his head. It wasn’t his place to question the intentions or desires of his princess. “As you wish,” He said. “It will be done.”

“Good,” Celestia smiled, wrapping a wing around the prince. “There is one more thing, then, before I go.”

“Of course,”

Celestia knocked on the bedroom’s door, and it opened. “This is Serene Sword. She’ll be my… Well, my ambassador. She’ll be overseeing the guards’ transition.”

She was a young mare, and… Well, Shining couldn’t deny she was cute. Pure white coat, dark blue eyes and golden mane. A gorgeous smile adorned her lips. She didn’t seem very guard-like, but who was Shining Armour to question his princess? “Charmed, my Lady,” The stallion bowed his head, and Celestia laughed.

“Oh, you’ll get along great,” The princess snickered. “After the guards transition, she will be your new Guard Captain.”

“As you wish, your Grace.” Shining said, bowing deeply as Celestia walked to the door. “We look forward to hosting you for the summer months.”

“Yes, indeed...” Celestia grinned, looking back at the young prince. “Oh, one last teensy-weensy thing,” She laughed. She lit her horn, and Shining felt the telltale touch of magic on his mind. “That should take care of it.” The magic retreated back into the princess’ horn, but before Shining could question, she had already galloped away, back toward her carriage.

Shining Armour found himself alone in the guest bedroom with his new guard captain. “So,” He said, shrugging. “Shall we go over those rosters? Say, over drinks?”

Serene Sword giggled gorgeously. “As you wish… my Lord.”

As Serene trotted out of the room, Shining felt a small pulse of magic in his head. “She’s cute,” It told him. Dismissing the thought as a mere fantasy of a married stallion, he trotted out after Serene. They’d discuss the rosters, and that was all… right?

Right. After all, he was married.

"Right?"

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Welp, here we go again. I wrote this while suffering a minor bout of Writer's Block, so I hope it's at least all right. Please, expect some corrections as the story goes on and I get more into the feel of it.