The Eyes In The Snow

The bookcases of the Crystal Empire Library glistened in the late afternoon light. Each sunbeam reflected off of the books themselves, sending ray after ray of light bouncing through the cavernous room. It was near closing time, and with the exception of the librarian, there was only one other pony still there.

Cadance tapped her hoof against the table and glanced out the window. She stared at the two griffon statues that stood on the steps of the Crystal Empire Library. Why do we have griffons on pedestals instead of ponies, she wondered as she shook her head and glanced back down at the book in her hooves.

“The History of the Crystal Empire,” Cadance muttered as she flipped the page. “Medieval jousting practices, no… farming and sheep husbandry, no… urgh!” She slammed the book shut and placed her head in her hooves. “This is impossible.”

Cadance stayed still for a moment. There has to be something here about Sombra, she thought as she glanced at a bookcase across the room. Her gaze crossed over to each bookcase she had already looked over for any hint about the history of the shadowy figure. As the sun slowly lowered on the horizon, the shadows behind the bookcases elongated until they reached the edge of the wall, where they bent and started to climb up towards the ceiling. Cadance narrowed her eyes but continued to watch, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight.

“You’ve been here all day, Your Highness.”

Cadance yelped and jerked her head back, only to find an elderly mare standing before her. The mare’s eyes widened in shock at having frightened the princess, but she quickly regained her composure. She adjusted her glasses and looked down at the floor.

“I am terribly sorry for having disturbed you,” she whispered.

Cadance wrapped a hoof around the librarian’s shoulder.

“No, don’t be afraid, Missus Maresbury,” Cadance replied as gently as possible. “I was just… caught in the moment is all.” The alicorn smiled as gently as possible, her mind racing with images of her Aunt Celestia giving comfort to her own subjects. Seeing how the librarian reacted, Cadance wondered if she would ever learn how to do it properly. “Thank you for pulling me out of my little daydream.”

“Please, just called me Amethyst,” the mare replied as she glanced over the pile of books Cadance had accumulated. “Still brushing up on the Crystal Empire history, I see.”

“Well, I was actually looking for information about—”

Cadance stopped and mentally slapped herself on the forehead. Of course she wouldn’t know about it.

“Is something the matter, Your Highness?”

“It’s nothing you need concern yourself with, Amethyst.” She attempted her aunt’s smile once more, waiting for the librarian to go away, but she became more nervous as the mare glanced at the pile of books again.

“You’re trying to learn about… him… aren’t you?”

Cadance stammered, but her eyes gave her away. Amethyst closed her mouth and nodded.

“I may be old, and my eyeglasses may be thick, but I can still see what is right in front of me.” Amethyst grabbed the large tome on the desk. “I’ve been watching you all day, if you don’t mind me saying.”

“Amethyst, are you sure you are okay talking about this?” Cadance asked.

“Sombra is gone,” Amethyst replied with a smile. “I saw you destroy him myself.”

Cadance’s lips drew tight at Amethyst’s words. She nodded her head in agreement and hoped the mare didn’t see past her facade. At that moment, her stomach rumbled, causing Amethyst to break into a fit of laughter. Soon, Cadance found herself laughing in chorus with the mare.

“My, my, it seems somepony’s empty.”

Cadance’s smile faded. “I guess I have been here for a while,” she replied after a pregnant pause.

“Let me get some crystal berries from my office, and then I will take you to the archives containing some of the new books I’ve organized from what I’ve managed to find.”

The two made their way to the office, and when Amethyst emerged with a small bag in tow, they continued towards the archives. As they passed by more and more bookshelves, Cadance noticed that they traveled farther away from the main hall and that fewer rays of light reached them. Finally, they reached a large door tucked away in the corner of the library, shrouded in shadows.

“I haven’t finished organizing them yet,” Amethyst said. “But I did manage to find some books dated to the time of Princess Amore.” Amethyst’s hoof reached to the doorknob just as she mentioned the previous ruler’s name. “My, has it really been a thousand years?”

“Amethyst?” Cadance asked.

“So much time filled with empty space you simply cannot retrieve.”

“Missus Maresbury?”

Amethyst shook her head. “I’m sorry dear, I was lost in thought.” She laughed. “Looks like this library does that to both of us, doesn’t it?”

Cadance blushed at the mention of the word dear. The door opened, and Amethyst proceeded into the darkness. Cadance hesitated for a moment before lighting her horn and following the librarian. As soon as the door closed, Cadance heard the sound of a match being struck. Amethyst walked around the perimeter of the room and lit the torches, one by one. Cadance’s nose twitched at the smell of musty books and dried wood.

“Not the most efficient way of lighting the archives, I’m sure,” Cadance said as she glanced at the smaller collection of bookshelves.

“Nor the safest,” Amethyst added. “We did request a grant to update the archives, however.”

“I will be sure to expedite that request.”

“Thank you ever so much, dear.”

“Aunt Celestia used to call me that,” Cadance said absentmindedly.

“My apologies.”

“Don’t be,” Cadance replied, smiling sincerely for the first time that day.

Amethyst returned the smile and turned to one of the bookshelves. “Here, you will find a great selection of books written by Princess Amore herself, detailing her negotiations with nearby nations at the time.” Amethyst turned back to Cadance, the light of the flames flickering on her glasses and obscuring her eyes. “In fact, we had such good relations with the griffons that they contributed a lot of books to us to help start this library. Hence, the reason they stand in front of the library.”

Cadance nodded and glanced over the books. One book in particular caught her attention; it sat on the bottom shelf, its binding beginning to unravel. She lifted it delicately in her telekinetic grasp. She held it to her muzzle and blew off the dust.

“In Regards To Negotiations With The Umbrum.” Cadance looked up to Amethyst, who shrunk back in fear.

“I see you found it,” Amethyst whispered in a hushed tone that could be confused for reverence had Cadance not known the mare was terrified of the contents. “I haven’t had the chance to rebind that one, yet.”

Cadance tried not to raise an eyebrow, though she did suspect the librarian was lying. Amethyst continued to back away until she bumped into another bookcase, causing a book to fall off of the top. It landed with a thud, causing Amethyst to jump back.

“What the?” Amethyst wondered as she bent down to pick up the book. “I don’t remember seeing you. What were you doing up there?” she asked the book as though expecting a response. She brushed off the cover and read the title. “Oh, I see,” she replied to herself with a huff.

“What is it?” Cadance asked.

“Marechel De Notrecheval,” Amethyst replied. “A… contemporary… of Starswirl the Bearded. But whereas Starswirl focused on the practical applications of magic, Marechel trended towards the more… mystical… aspects of it.” She spat out the word as though it left a bad taste on her tongue.

“What’s wrong with that?” Cadance asked as she grabbed the book, genuinely curious.

“What she writes about is stuff and nonsense,” Amethyst said. “blabber and gabble written so that two ponies can interpret it three ways. She had to write this book while exiled in griffon lands.” The mare tapped a hoof to her chin. “In fact, that’s when she changed her name.”

“What was it before?” Cadance asked, earning a shrug from Amethyst.

Cadance looked at the two books floating in front of her. The book written by Queen Amore was bound by thin pieces of wood, but the book written by Notrecheval was bound by—

“Is this leather?” Cadance shouted with a grimace.

“Towards the end of her life, Marechel became a bit… touched in the head, so to speak,” Amethyst said before pointing to the book. “I know I’m going to regret telling you this, but her quatrains in the later centuries focused on shadows. Some ponies even said it predicted the rise of—” Amethyst stopped speaking and grimaced.

“I’d like to check out both of these books, if you don’t mind,” Cadance said.

“I figured as much,” Amethyst heaved a sigh as she started blowing out the torches. “If I may ask, Your Highness—puff—given the subject matter you have become fascinated with—puff—is there something your subjects should be concerned with, dear?”  With each puff of breath, another light went out. She reached the final torch and blew it out, and the room was engulfed in darkness. She stood at the entrance, her silhouette lit by the remaining rays of evening light that shone behind her.

Cadance shook her head as she reached the door. “Think of it as taking precautions,” Cadance said as she placed her hoof on Amethyst’s shoulder again. “I want to know what he was so that I can ensure that history does not repeat itself.”

Amethyst closed the door to the archives and rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a few crystal berries and offered some to Cadance, who smiled, lit her horn, and plucked a few from the assortment. As they began to walk back to the main room, Amethyst opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself on a few occasions.

“Your Highness?” Amethyst asked.

“Yes?”

“Is the prince doing all right?”

Cadance’s eye twitched. Her horn flickered for a moment, and the books dropped a few inches before she caught herself and saved the tomes from falling to the floor. She looked the elderly mare over and found herself drawn to the librarian’s smile. Just like Auntie’s, she thought, maybe it’s an age thing. Cadance thought back through the past few months. Ever since that day. She shook her head. No, she thought, you are the princess of love. She glanced over one more time and bit her lip, her resolve deteriorating the more she saw Amethyst’s careworn features.

“Amethyst, I—”

The clock tower in the distance rang just as the sun finally sank below the horizon. The two reached the front desk just as the bell finished its sixth chime. In the main area, the torches began to light automatically as the darkness touched each sconce.

“I need to be going, Amethyst,” Cadance said. “But thank you so much for the books.”

Amethyst glanced over the rim over her glasses, considered the princess for a moment, and then closed her eyes and sighed.

“Don’t mention it,” Amethyst. “If there is anything you wish to talk about, I am here.”

Cadance mulled over the words for a moment, but before she could say anything, Amethyst spoke up once more.

“Lazuli used to be like you,” she said.

“Who?” Cadance asked.

“My husband,” She glanced up and shook her head, as though thinking back. “He used to always be in his head.” She sighed wistfully. “But that was a long time ago, before…” She waved her hoof in the air. “We always find pieces of those we love in others. No matter how briefly a pony is in your life, they will always be a part of it.”

The two mares jerked their heads at the sound of a door knocking. Cadance’s horn glowed and the door flew open, revealing her personal guard. Flash Sentry walked into the library and bowed to the princess.

“Your Highness, you requested me to arrive once the library was closed.”

“Yes, thank you.” Cadance turned to Amethyst. “And thank you for the books… and the advice.” After checking out the books, Cadance turned back to Flash Sentry and looked behind him. In the distance, the castle jutted out against the horizon like a mountain. The moon began to rise just behind it, giving the illusion that the moonlight itself caused the castle to rise.

“I do believe that tonight calls for a walk back to the castle.”

The princess and the guard headed out, and as soon as they were on the steps, they heard the door behind them shut and the lock click closed. The pair made their way towards the castle, their hooves echoing through the empty streets.

Shining Armor levitated a lit match and brought it to each wick on the table and nearby vanity. The kitchen staff had already brought in the dinner he had requested, and it sat beneath the dome of a silver serving dish. The stallion levitated a knife in front of him and narrowed his eyes at his reflection when he saw a small spot on the utensil. He looked down at the table, levitated a cloth napkin, and polished the knife before setting both back down.

The sound of hooves outside their bedchambers caught Shining Armor’s attention. He nodded, glanced towards the corner of the room, where a phonograph stood. He focused his concentration, and the key twisted around and around, setting the record in motion. The needle inched over and came to rest on top of the record, and the soft notes of the violins began to rise through the room. He took a deep breath, turned to the door, and gave a small grin as it opened.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Shiny,” Cadance said softly as she walked into the room. “I just—”

The princess stopped in her tracks and looked around the room. When she glanced at the table, she saw an old photograph of the two at their wedding reception. As Shining Armor lifted the dome off of the platter, Cadance sniffed the air as a smiled crept up her muzzle.

“Spiced carrots and penne with tossed spinach.” Shining Armor smirked as he set the cover off to the side. “I thought you would enjoy something familiar.”

“Oh, Shiny,” Cadance cooed as she trotted to her husband and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

Shining Armor held Cadance’s cheeks in his hooves and kissed her. Cadance shivered at his touch, and Shining Armor slowly traced his hooves down her neck. When she tilted her neck to the side, he took it as an invitation to continue his kisses along where his hooves once were. He started nibbling on her fur, but the moment he did, Cadance gasped and pulled away.

“I… I’m sorry,” Shining Armor said.

“No, don’t be,” Cadance replied as she took a step back and rubbed a hoof on her neck. “I just—I just need to freshen up a bit, is all.”

Cadance gave Shining Armor a faint smile before shrugging off her saddlebags and heading to the bathroom. The moment the door closed, Shining Armor went to a nearby sidebar to pour himself and Cadance a glass of wine. His horn glowed, and the cork slowly came undone, popping off of the bottleneck and falling to the floor. He rolled his eyes and bent down to pick it up, only to noticed that Cadance’s saddlebags were slightly open. He glanced towards the bathroom door and shrugged his shoulders as he lifted the flap. Shining Armor scowled the moment he saw what was inside.

One the other side of the door, Cadance splashed some cold water on her face and checked her reflection in the mirror. Wow, she thought, I do look tired. Above the din of running water, Cadance could hear the music as it floated through her bedchambers. Even though the door was closed, she could still smell the aroma of the freshly cooked food her husband had brought for her. As Cadance washed her hooves, she felt her wedding band on her hoof. I can’t believe he still remembers, she wondered, thinking back to their honeymoon.

“Welcome to Falls View,” the hostess said with a gentle smile. “Is this your first time dining here?”

“We’re here under the reservation for Armor, Miss Charm,” Shining Armor replied, glancing down at the mare’s name tag.

Charm’s eyes widened as she glanced at Cadance’s wings. “Oh, of course!” she exclaimed. “How could I not have known. Of—of course! Please follow me.”

The newlyweds were seated in a secluded part of the restaurant. Cadance looked out the panoramic window and took in the sight. Neighagra Falls towered before them, sending torrents of water tumbling down below. The lights reflected off of the waterfall, giving the appearance of a wall whose paint was continually moving.

Moments later, a waiter came by with their meal they had already ordered. As soon as Cadance saw the meal, she squealed with delight.

“Spiced carrots?” she asked. “And penne with tossed spinach? Shiny, how did you remember the meal we had on our first date?”

Shining Armor shrugged and gave a smirk. “I remember everything when I’m with you.”

“Like how nervous you were when you first said ‘hi’?” Cadance asked, laughing when Shining Armor blushed. “I love you, Shiny.”

“I love you, Cady.”

Shining Armor reached out his hoof. Cadance smiled and reached out her own, but the moment her hoof met his, it felt like she had touched fire.

Cadance gasped and shook her head. She looked around and realized she was still in her bathroom, staring at her own reflection. The faucet’s hot water was still running and a steady stream of steam flowed over her hooves into the sink. Cadance pulled her hooves away from the scalding water and blinked and few times before using her magic to turn the knob off. As she set her hoof on the floor, she winced as the burned hoof touched the cold tile. Once the aroma of the food on the other side of the door filled her nostrils again, however, Cadance smiled and headed out. When she opened the door, she saw Shining Armor standing at the balcony door, staring off into the distance and sipping from a wine glass.

“Shiny?” Cadance asked.

“You didn’t take your Somnia tonic last night.”

Cadance took a step back and glanced over to the table, where she saw the vial sitting next to the opened bottle of wine. Her eyes widened when she saw a pair of books on the other side of the bottle. She tried to force herself to speak, but nothing would come out.

“Those books aren’t going to help, you know,” Shining Armor continued as he took another sip of wine.

“Shiny, there is something going on,” Cadance replied. “I know it.”

The way Shining Armor’s head twisted towards Cadance made her jump. The moment her forehooves landed, she grit her teeth. Shining Armor set down the glass and made his way towards her.

“Let’s at least have dinner,” Shining Armor suggested. “We can have a conversation while we eat. You need to eat, Cadance.”

Cadance nodded and looked down at the food in front of her. Just like at Falls View, she thought as she levitated a fork. She smiled as she took a bite. It’s gotten cold, she thought as the smile left her muzzle, how long was I daydreaming? Still, her stomach rumbled, so she continued to eat. As she finished her plate, she finally noticed that Shining Armor had been watching her intently the entire time.

“You were in there for a while,” Shining Armor commented.

“Shiny?” she asked, not quite hearing what he said.

“I agree with you that there is something going on,” Shining Armor said, ignoring his previous statement. “And I want you to be honest with me.”

“What?” Cadance asked.

“Look,” Shining Armor sighed. “I know you must be going through a lot right now.” He took a seat in front of his plate. “Running an empire is not easy, especially in the beginning.”

Cadance leaned back in her seat. “You think that is why I’m worried?” she asked. “Have you been listening to a single word I said?”

“King Sombra is not in those mountains, Cadance!”

Shining Armor clenched his eyes shut and prepared to slam his hoof onto the table. He froze with his hoof inches from the surface and gasped. He opened his eyes and looked up pleadingly at Cadance. Shining Armor glanced down at his hoof and cradled it in his other hoof.

“I found a doctor,” Shining Armor continued as he composed himself. “He knows about discretion, so we won’t have to worry about this getting to the citizens.”

Cadance felt her stomach turn. Her eyes darted back and forth, unable to tell for sure whether what she was seeing was real.

“Why won’t you believe me?” Cadance asked.

“Because it’s not possible,” Shining Armor replied. “We both saw him explode that day and—”

“But umbrum regenerate, Shiny.” Cadance levitated the books over to her as Shining Armor sat dumbfounded. She flipped the books open and began to read. “When Princess Amore wrote In Regards To Negotiations With The Umbrum, she mentioned specifically about how difficult it was to defend the Crystal Empire in the early days due to the ability of the umbrum to regenerate. They had to be defeated by pure light.”

“Cadance,” Shining Armor asked. “Isn’t the energy from the Crystal Heart pure light?”

“I thought so, too,” Cadance said, glad that her husband was finally listening. “But if you look at Marechel De Notrecheval’s works, you get a prophecy, and—”

“Prophecy?” Shining Armor asked, unimpressed.

Cadance knew was losing him. She could see the way he rolled his eyes and shook his head. Please, Cadance prayed, please, just listen for a while longer.

“She divided her quatrains by ‘ages’.” Cadance slowly opened the leather-bound book. Shining Armor glanced over to the potion, then back to her. Cadance reached out to grab his hoof before he turned away. “Please?” she begged. “Just hear what I have to say.”

The last part sounded like the whimper of a dying animal. Shining Armor frowned, closed his eyes, and slowly nodded. Cadance smiled weakly and turned back to the book.

When thine heart’s pure light is broken

Even the shadow’s smallest thorn

Shall one day find a way in

The shadow shall be reborn

Cadance looked up from the book, her expression hopeful. However, the moment she saw Shining Armor’s expression, all of the hope faded. Shining Armor’s expression was cold as he stood up from the chair and made his way to the door. The doorframe turned red as he began to open the door with his magic.

“I’m getting the doctor,” he said.

The aura around the doorframe turned blue; the door slammed shut. Shining Armor turned around and saw Cadance glaring back at him, her horn aglow.

“No,” she replied, he face unflinching.

Shining Armor’s gaze narrowed. The doorframe turned red again.

“You need help.”

“Then why aren’t you helping me?”

“I am helping you!”

The voices grew louder as their horns grew brighter and competed with the music that continued to play. The door behind them continued to shimmer from red to blue, the wood creaking with each change of color. Cadance saw the door begin to bend, and knew that the two of them were loud enough for anypony outside to hear, but she no longer cared.

“Fine!” she screamed. “If you won’t help me find Sombra, I’ll find him myself!”

The moment she shouted the last word,cracks of light splintered the door and it burst into a thousand pieces. Shards of wood landed on her fur, piercing her skin. She started to scream but felt Shining Armor’s hooves wrap around her and pull her away. She landed on the bed and gathered herself just in time to see Shining Armor’s horn glow once more as he let go of her. A small, rose-colored bubble formed around her. She reached out to tap the bubble her husband had just made.

“Shiny…” Cadance begged. “Shiny, please.”

Shining Armor galloped to the ruined doorway. Before he left, he turned back to her, tears streaming down his muzzle.

“I’m doing this for your own good, Cadance.”

Shining Armor galloped away, leaving the princess sobbing on the bed. Cadance looked over to the table at the plate of uneaten food that Shining Armor had only picked at. The two books now lay sprawled out on the ground, pages missing. Maybe I am crazy, Cadance thought, sniffling into her hoof.

Next to the bed, the phonograph’s music began to fade. For a moment, everything was quiet. Cadance glanced around the room, noting the wreckage once more—dinner plates lay shattered on the floor, pieces of wood wound along the tile, missing pages with words now devoid of context—and her lip quivered. She glanced towards the open balcony door. At that moment, the next song began to play. The strings echoed mournfully throughout the room, and she slowly turned to the phonograph.

Shades of night are falling, and I’m lonely…

Cadance’s ears twitched as the mare’s contralto voice began to waft through her bedchambers. There was a sound at the balcony, and she twisted her head back just in time to see something cross along her vision just outside. Her body shook the moment she realized what had just passed by.

Guess I’ll wind up like I always do, with only…

Me… and my shadow…

“S-Shiny?” Cadance whispered, wanting desperately to move, but for some reason, was unable to do so. She tapped against the bubble, praying that it wasn’t a soundproof one. “Can anypony hear me?” Cadance pounded on the bubble. “Please?” she cried. “Please, please, please!”

She saw it again. It was just another flash, but she knew what it was—it was a shadow.

But when it's twelve o'clock… we climb the stair…

We never knock… cause nopony’s there…

She stopped pounding on the bubble the moment she saw the shadow return. It edged along the balcony, the darkness slowly seeping into the room until it touched the end of the bed. The moment the shadow touched Cadance’s tail, a tear fell from her eyelid and a cry broke from her lips. She glanced at the doorway to the hall once more, wishing desperately for her husband to return before the shadow fell upon her. As the shadow’s form edged inevitably near, Cadance finally closed her eyes. Why couldn’t you have just believed me? Cadance wondered as she sobbed into the bedsheets.

Just me and my shadow…

All alone and feeling blue…

Cadance heard tapping on the bubble. She opened her eyes and saw Flash Sentry standing at the end of the bed, his face stricken with worry.

“Your Highness,” the sergeant said. “Stay calm.”

“Y-you can hear me?” Cadance asked.

Flash Sentry nodded as he checked the perimeter. His helmet rocked back and forth with each shake of his head. “It’s muffled, but I heard you while on my first round.” The stallion looked down at the floor and took note of the destruction. “What attacked you?”

At the mention of the word attack, Cadance grew still. The moment Flash Sentry’s gaze met hers, her eyes glistened and she turned away. Cadance heard Flash Sentry pick up some of the broken plates and set them on the table. He sighed and made his way back to the balcony.

“I shouldn’t be here,” he said as he spread his wings to fly away.

“Don’t go!” The sergeant froze and turned back to the princess. Cadance sighed. “Sergeant Flash Sentry, what I tell you cannot leave this room.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

She pointed to the books. “I have reason to believe that Sombra is alive.” The pegasus’ eyes widened. “I can feel him inside, drawing near.” As Flash Sentry nodded, it only served to remind Cadance even more of her husband’s look of disbelief. As she continued, she felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks. “I have to get to the bottom of this, but I cannot do anything while trapped in here—I am defenseless. So please, stay.”

Flash Sentry nodded again, but when he did, his helmet nearly came off. Cadance watched as he struggled to keep his saddlebags balanced and narrowed her eyes when she heard a familiar clinking sound.

“If you must, you can leave your supplies on the sidebar,” Cadance suggested.

Flash Sentry emptied the pockets and set the flashlight, hoof knives, and the energy serum next to the books. He paused, turned his face up in disgust when he realized what bound the pages together, and then turned back to Cadance.

“Is there anything I can do?” Flash Sentry asked as he glanced around the room.

“Keep watch as I try to break through this defensive bubble,” Cadance replied, shutting her eyes.

In the darkness, the rhythm of Flash Sentry’s hooves grew even louder. Still, Cadance focused all of her energy on finding a weakness in her husband’s defensive magic. As she focused, she suddenly realized how tired she had become after so many sleepless nights. The hooves seemed to soothe her, and she felt her consciousness waver back and forth, as though she herself flew in between a dream not yet made and a memory not quite recalled.

“Would you like to repeat that, Cady?”

Cadance and Shining Armor sat on a picnic cloth atop a hill in near the borders of the Crystal Empire. In the distance, Cadance pointed to a family of crystal ponies watching over a flock of ewes. A mare and a stallion watching on—as did Cadance, in secret—while a small colt bounced up and down next to the ewes, pretending to bleat just like they did. The family shimmered in the afternoon light, hues of pink, blue, and green refracted off of their fur.

“Do you think they can really learn to love me?” she asked.

“Why would you even ask that, Cady?” Shining Armor asked as he leaned in and nuzzled Cadance’s neck.

Cadance leaned in. “I want them to know that I love them. I don’t want them to run away.” She frowned and looked down at the grass. “It’s just I always wonder if they truly love me or if they’re just glad I’m not Sombra.”

“Well,” Shining Armor replied with a cheeky grin. “I’m certainly glad you aren’t Sombra.” Shining Armor wrapped a foreleg around Cadance and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I’m not exactly on board with the idea of chains.”

Cadance’s eyes widened. “Shiny, you stop that talk this instant.”

Try as she might, however, his reply sent her into a fit of giggles. She shook her head and glanced back out into the distance, but gasped when she saw the family once more. The mare’s and stallion’s fur had lost their luster, and the colt’s fur had grown dark. Cadance felt frozen when she saw the colt’s eyes stare back at her. The pupils began to grow, eating up the irises and expanding into the white, until all that was left were two black holes.

“Cady?” Shining Armor asked.

Cadance looked down at the foreleg wrapped around her shoulders and tried to suppress a scream when she saw that her husband’s once white fur had now turned to grey. Trembling, she turned to Shining Armor, only to see a pair of red eyes staring back at her. The stallion snarled, revealing a row of pointy teeth and a tendril-like tongue.

“What are you doing here?” Shining Armor shouted.

Cadance leaped up and opened her eyes in time to see Shining Armor charging through the room towards Flash Sentry.

“What are you doing here?” the captain asked again.

Cadance could see through the translucent bubble as Shining Armor stomped closer towards the pegasus. Though Flash Sentry tried to remain in as strong a stance as possible, it was clear from the slight tremors of his helmet that the stallion was shaking. The look of anger in Shining Armor’s eyes caused Cadance’s chest to burn. The sensation traveled down to her gut, releasing a heaviness that caused her to nearly vomit the dinner she had just eaten. As the anger grew inside of her, Cadance could see the cracks begin to form on the defensive bubble.

“Flash Sentry is here…” Cadance could feel herself growling in the depths of her throat as more cracks appeared. “Because… I told him to.”

“While performing my rounds, I found Her Highness incapacitated—”

“She was not incapacitated, sergeant,” Shining Armor replied, his eyes narrowing. “She was safe within my defensive magic.” He stomped a hoof. “Now, explain your—”

“Shiny, let me out!” Cadance shouted, as the bubble grew faint.

“After she advised me of the return of Som—”

“No!” Shining Armor bellowed. “No, stop!” the stallion turned his furious glare towards Cadance. “I told you that we had to keep this information a secret!” He pointed a hoof at Flash Sentry. “Why would you tell him?”

“Because…” Cadance shouted through gritted teeth. “He listened to me!”

The moment she shouted the last word, the bubble around her popped. Both stallions leaped back at Cadance’s outburst. Shining Armor backed against the table, sending it sliding across the room. Another plate crashed to the floor. Flash Sentry hit the nearby wall with a grunt. His helmet fell off, clanking against the tile floor and finally rolling over to the sidebar. The force was enough to send the phonograph needle sailing across the record with a screech.

None of the ponies moved. Outside, the wind from the Frozen North picked up speed, while inside, the sound of the needle at the end of the record emitted a tick every few seconds. Shining Armor finally broke the silence.

“Sergeant Sentry, return to your post immediately.” Shining Armor said coldly.

“Y-yes sir.” Flash Sentry stood at attention and saluted. He galloped to the balcony and prepared for flight.

Shining Armor looked down and noticed the helmet near his hooves. “Sergeant Sentry, your—” the captain paused for a moment as he levitated the helmet midair. His eyes darted back and forth and his eyes narrowed. He took a few methodical steps forward. “You forgot your helmet.”

Flash Sentry gasped and galloped to the captain to grab his missing piece of armor. He pulled it out of Shining Armor’s magical aura, but the captain didn’t move. Instead, he tightened his lips and turned his head slightly towards the sidebar. The vial rose through the air via his telekinetic grasp and levitated over to Flash Sentry.

“Your shift is only just beginning,” Shining Armor said. “And it’s getting colder out there.”

Flash Sentry saluted and immediately flew away into the night, leaving the royal couple alone once more. Shining Armor sighed, shook his head, and walked slowly to the phonograph. Rather than use his magic, he simply lifted the needle with his hoof and set it aside. He didn’t speak for a while, choosing instead to simply stare at the wall.

“I’m going back there,” Cadance said as she made her way to the books and placed them into her saddlebags. She waited for the demands to stop, but when Shining Armor didn’t say anything, she glanced behind her. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

Shining Armor slowly turned away from the wall. His shoulders were hunched and his head hung lower than usual. Rather than look directly at her, Shining Armor’s gaze was cast to the side, in the direction of the balcony.

“…You don’t have to go, you know.” Shining Armor said in almost a whisper.

Cadance shook her head. Of course he still isn’t listening.

“Yes, I do,” She said as she flew out the window.

As Shining Armor watched his wife disappear into the night, a gust of wind blew into the room. An orange feather flew up from the floor and across the bed. His withers trembled. Shining Armor took a hesitant step towards the table, but stopped when he heard a crunching sound at his hoof. He looked down and saw the picture frame he had placed on the table, now with a deep spiderweb of cracks.

Shining Armor’s gaze grew dark. He took a deep breath and willed his horn to light. A bright white flash appeared, and a moment later, he was gone. Another gust of wind blew through the room. The photograph was pulled out of the picture frame. It flew in ever tightening circles around the room before the wind sucked it out through the balcony window, where it fluttered down the castle tower.

Flash Sentry made another pass around the perimeter of the castle. The wind was picking up, and as the pegasus squinted, he swore he could see a few stray snowflakes fluttering in the distance.

“It’s too early in the year for snow inside the empire,” he muttered to himself as he banked left.

As he approached the mezzanine just above the bedchamber windows, he swore he saw a flash of light coming from inside. He bit his lip, but invariably shook his head as he landed on the small platform above the balcony. Flash Sentry ruffled his feathers and swished his tail back and forth, brushing away the errant dust and dirt that had managed to collect on the mezzanine before he took a seat.

Flash Sentry took in the cityscape vista before him: the buildings glistened in the moonlight, the streets ran black and empty, and in the distance, the clocktower face glowed as bright as the moon itself.

“Just about one-thirty,” he mumbled to himself as he struggled to suppress a yawn. “Still another six and a half hours to go.”

Flash Sentry waited another moment before standing to his hooves. He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out his vial of energy serum. A breeze blew by, sending a chill up his spine as he unstopped the cork and drank the potion in one gulp. He set everything aside, readjusted his armor and helmet, and took to flight.

As he scanned the ground and the air, Flash Sentry smiled as the warm liquid ran through his system. The wind must have stopped, because he no longer felt its biting cold on his fur. The crystal buildings began to glow even brighter, their edges glistening like stars. The moon, too, continued to grow, until it’s pale, white light took up all of his vision. A gentle breeze ran through his feathers, and Flash Sentry started to laugh softly at the sensation. His hooves tingled, and as his eyes began to close, he swore he could feel himself being wrapped up in the wings of Luna herself.

The clock tower rang the two chimes to signify the half-hour. At this time of night, there were no other ponies around to see the orange pegasus fall to the ground like a piece of amber. The second chime’s echo finally silenced. The only other sound in the night was that of a heavy thud as Flash Sentry’s sleeping body landed on the road.