Her Shield, His Heart

Summer had begun to fade from the land of Equestria. The leaves had begun to turn shades of fiery reds and orange. A cool wind blew throughout the land. A chill spread through the ancient halls of Canterlot Castle. Day Court, Night Court and Love Court fell into a rhythm of routine. Cadence, taking her aunt's advice, had imposed a ten-appointment limit. She had become skilled at helping couples that could be helped. It still bothered her to grant divorces, but duty was duty. Some couples couldn't be helped and were better off apart. She spent long hours in the library looking up marriage and divorce law. She had couples demanding alimony and custody and she was grappling with how to settle disputes fairly. Sometimes, she just gave up and sent them to one of her Aunt's Courts. She was continually shocked by how cruel and petty pony nature could get. One mare had suggested that her and her husband's foal be split down the middle and her husband could have one half and she could have the other. Cadence only hoped she'd been sarcastic. Another had come to blows over custody of their pet goldfish. Yet another petitioned for divorce due to the husband's love for some foal's show called My Big Human. She had absolutely refused to grant a divorce on such absurd grounds and sent them to a marriage counselor. She had started sneaking out of the palace to drink. On one of these trips she stumbled upon Applejack's One-Hundred Percent Proof Hard Apple Cider.

It was this delightful beverage she was currently dragging behind her in her magic as she walked down the halls of the palace. The drinking capacity of Alicorns was known to be rather high so it wasn't such an unusual sight to see a Princess carrying around a pitcher. The Guards didn't even bat an eye at this point. Shining was walking down the hall as well and noticed his wife.

"Hey, Cadence, mind sharing that?" He asked as he trotted up to her.

"With you? Sure." Cadence answered. "So, how was drills?"

Shining rolled his eyes. "I swear kids today are so soft. One of the colts asked for a break. I tore him a new one. Asked him if the enemy would let him take a break. When I was training I never asked for a break."

Cadence giggled. "You're starting to sound like an old stallion. Next thing I know you'll be sitting on a park bench yelling at kids to turn down their music."

"Well, pop music today...oh, Celestia I DO sound like an old man."

Then the Thought passed between. He was mortal and she could be ageless. Every other alicorn was immortal. Was she too? Would she live on while he...Cadence placed a wing over his back. He nuzzled her.

"You're not too old, ya know." Cadence said as she opened the door to their room. "Thirty-three is hardly old."

Shining cast a spell and a roaring fire blazed to life in the fireplace. Cadence levitated two cups and poured the cider. They sat down by the fire. She wrapped a wing over him while he wrapped a hoof around her neck. They sipped the cider. A companionable silence descended. A few glasses later they were pass buzzed, but in a comfortable state of inebriation that wasn't quite drunk. He nuzzled her. She flicked a wing down a ticklish part of his back and his back leg jerked. She giggled and continued sweeping the wing down his back. Shining valiantly held back his laughter, but the giggles escaped his lips. She knew every part of him, all his secret places just as he knew all her secret places. He ran a hoof down her side that he knew was ticklish. Her wings suddenly retracted as she fell over squealing. He pounced on her.

"Does somepony want a belly rub?"

His hooves dug into her tummy and she helplessly giggled. She lifted her wings and stroked down his sides causing him to fall back laughing.

While she continued tickling him he ran his hooves across her belly.

"Hey! Shiny, how come you never sing to me anymore?" Cadence asked.

"Huh?"

While he was distracted she kissed him. The tickling ended while he returned the kiss.

"Seriously, you don't serenade me anymore! You used to show up outside my window and sing to me all the time. How come you don't sing to me anymore?" She exclaimed when she broke off the kiss.

He lied next to her and poured himself another drink.

"I could sing to you...but I don't sing so well when I'm drunk."

"I still want to hear it...what was that song...at the wedding..." She curled up next to him.

He started humming it to himself.

"How'd it go...? Oh yeah."

Love is in bloom,,

a handsome bride a beautiful groom...wait."

"A beautiful bride, a handsome groom." Cadence offered.

"That was it. A beautiful bride, a handsome groom

Two hearts becoming one."

They began to sing together, their voices blending.

"A bond that can not be undone

because love is in bloom,

a beautiful bride, a handsome groom,

starting a life and...something...something..."

At this point they were pretty drunk. The harmony cut off as they both began singing separate versions of the song, each going in a different, mangled direction.

"Some good stuff right here." Cadence said, pouring herself another drink.

Shining poured himself another drink and they clacked them together.

"To love!" Both proclaimed, then drank down the cider.

The fire merrily roared on as they curled closer. Cadence licked his horn.

"Ah! Cadence! That feels weird."

"I thought unicorns liked that. I wanted to try something different."

"I have no idea where ponies get that notion." Shining said. "Even some unicorns think it."

Cadence pouted. "I just wanted to make you happy." She teared up. "I just wanna make you happy, Shiny!"

"Aw, Cady, you do make me happy." He said and gave her a hug. She rubbed her horn on his.

"You like this?" She whispered in a sultry voice.

"Oh....oh...I do. Horn resonance. Lovely little tingle."

"But no tongue?"

"No tongue." Shining said. "Besides, you could cut yourself on the tip. It's sharp. Happened to Twily once."

"Huh?"

"She was experimenting with a coltfriend. That didn't last a month."

"Oh, yeah. I remember that colt. What happened to him?"

"Heck if I know. He dumped my little Twily. I'd have skinned him alive if I could."

"Aww! You're so protective of  Twily. Hey, y'know what we need? Foals!" Cadence said, her eyes shining.

"I would like that. Foals are nice. I like foals." Shining said. "I'd like to have some of my own."

"Then, next time I have my heat we do it! Let's have foals next year!"

Shining grinned. "Yeah. Yeah, let's do that."

There was a knock at the door.

"May I come in?" Celestia asked. Her voice was strained.

"Yes, Auntie?" Cadence asked. She had never heard this sort of strain in her aunt's voice.

The solar princess stepped inside. Cadence and Shining Armor stood.

"Cadence. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I didn't know how to tell you." Celestia began.

"Tell me what?" Cadence said.

"The Crystal Empire has returned. And with it, King Sombra."