Her Shield, His Heart

Shining had never seen his wife in a fury. He had seen her angry. He had seen her annoyed. He had witnessed her pouting. But never had he seen her like this.She stomped the marble floor of the palace and Shining would almost swear that they cracked.

"Why was I not informed of this immediately?!" She demanded.

Taking the brunt of this fury was none other than Princess Celestia herself. Like a stone battered by the winds and waves of a turbulent sea she merely stood while her niece threw a tantrum.

"When I found out, you were holding court. Then, I could not find you. It is generally considered the height of rudeness to interrupt a fellow sovereign's court." Celestia explained. Her face was a mask which betrayed no emotion.

Cadence closed her eyes, held out a hoof and breathed in a calming ritual. "Alright. I understand. So, the Empire has returned. Is anypony...are they alright?"

Celestia shook her head. "They were thrown through time and are disoriented. They need somepony to reassure them. Somepony they recognize. Somepony that they respect."

Cadence gulped as she grasped what her aunt was trying to tell her. "I was only a filly when Sombra conquered the empire."

"You are Empress Amethyst's daughter. You are the only living link to the Crystal Empire's glory days." Her tone turned deadly serious. "Cadence. They need you. I have arranged transport-"

"You had no right to do so."

"They are your responsibility. It is your duty."

Her tone allowed no argument.

Cadence sighed heavily. "They've been through so much. What can I possibly do to help them?"

"It might sound cliche, but talking would be a great start. Give a speech. Assure them that everything will be well."

"How can everything possibly be well with Sombra returned?"

"It will be. I trust in your abilities." Celestia said, softly nuzzling her. "Your ponies need you, Empress."

Cadence nuzzled her back while fighting the tears in her eyes. The weight of the title settled firmly on her shoulders. She could nearly feel her knees buckle at the idea. Princess of Equestria was one thing. She knew she shared power with Celestia and later Luna. Besides, there was Parliament and regional governments. If she screwed up there was someone to fix her errors. Now, she would be ruling alone. In addition, she would have the unenviable task of rebuilding an empire.

"Where is the transport?" Cadence asked.

Celestia led the way, down the halls of what had been Cadence's home for years. The chariot was waiting for her and Shining outside. It was manned by two Pegasii in golden armor. They nodded at the princesses and their captain.

Celestia hugged Cadence. "Good-bye for now."

Cadence returned the embrace. "Thank you, Auntie. For everything you've done for me."

Shining and Cadence got into the chariot which lifted into the sky and headed for the Northern Mountains. The higher the chariot got the colder it got so they snuggled against each other. The pleasant valleys and rolling, verdant hills of Equestria gave way into a rough and jagged terrain of snow-capped peaks and dusty, mountain paths. The sun slowly sank beneath the hills and darkness fell. The moonlight danced upon the snow and the lakes of the North.

"How much farther do you suppose it is?" Shining asked.

"About an hour, Sir." One of the Pegasii guards said.

Shining settled back into Cadence's side. The Princess of Love hadn't said a word since the journey had started.

"Cadence? Are you alright?"

"No." She stated flatly.

He had never seen her like this. Since Sombra had been mentioned she had gone from angry to sullen. Her wings were held close to her body as if she were trying to wrap herself up in them.

"Are you scared?"

She didn't answer. He wrapped a hoof around her. She stiffened, but didn't move away.

"Sombra murdered my father. He took away my home. I hate him." The words were spoken in a calm matter-of-fact way. "There. I said it. I hate him and I want him gone."

"He killed your father. That's an understandable response."

"Is it? I've never wanted to kill anything. I've never hated a single creature. But Sombra...if I could have him crucified I would. And I would laugh while the nails were driven into his hooves. That's how much I hate him."

She wiped at her eyes and he realized she was crying. The chariot crossed the Crystal Mountains. The landscape changed to one of snowy plains spreading out in all directions, a vast, dazzling, white expanse.

"And part of my hatred for him is fear. I know what he's capable of." Cadence continued. "I've seen the horrors he's committed. The ones he butchered. Things I won't describe. Memories burned inside my brain."

Shining thought back to countless nights where Cadence had tossed and turned, whimpering and crying in her sleep. He had held her close and his presence had seemed to calm her. Was she reliving the events of her early life in the Empire, a life shattered by Sombra's attack? Cadence lapsed back into silence. Shining could make out a shape on the horizon. His jaw dropped. Even in the darkness he could make out the shape of the vast spires and columns of a massive city. It seemed to glint in the light of the stars and moon and Shining realized he was looking at pure crystal. They headed towards the city. All of the buildings were built of crystal which glowed and sparkled in shades of grey and blue. Even at night the city seemed to glisten. It was laid out in a pattern resembling that of a snowflake, appropriate for a northern city. It was just one city though. What justified calling it an empire?

"There was once hundreds of towns and cities around here." Cadence whispered, as if she had heard his thoughts. "All of them were city-states in ancient times. My distant ancestor Onyx united them. He was the first emperor.  It was never a very large empire. Those city-states rebelled against Sombra. He...he...Oh God, Shining. He killed them all. A few fled to Equestria, but most of them were massacred by his dark magic."

She broke down and was soon weeping into his hooves. The pegasii guards landed by a large castle. They waited, almost embarrassed, as Shining comforted her. Suddenly, she stopped crying and pushed away from Shining.

"I can't do this. I have an empire to run." She stated firmly as she walked towards the palace. Shining followed her.

"Empress Amethyst, is that you?" A guard stationed at the gate asked. He blinked.

"I am Empress Cadenza, daughter of Amethyst."

He bowed low. "Your Majesty, you were so young when last I saw you. Only a little filly. Has it really been one-thousand years?"

"Yes. This is my husband, Shining Armor."

He bowed again. "Will you be wanting supper? I will have the chef prepare something."

It's like nothing has changed and I'm just coming back from a weekend trip. Cadence though. She half expected her parents to come out to welcome her home.

"That would be nice." Cadence told guard. The guard nodded and walked towards the palace. Cadence followed him. Memories played in her mind. The first half of her childhood had been in this place. They wandered the wide halls which were carved from crystal like the rest of the city. Lanterns guided their way into a spacious dining area. Everywhere were servants and palace staff walking with a dazed expression on their face. They bowed as Cadence walked by. The guard walked into the kitchen. Shining and Cadence sat down at the dining table.

"The city's  very...shiny." Shining said.

Cadence giggled. "At our height we had one of the most ornate cities on the planet. You're sitting in my father's chair."

"Should I move?"

"No. It's just strange seeing you there."

The maids brought them a supper of fried hay. It was all they had. After supper, Shining and Cadence were led to a bedroom. Shining fell asleep the minute his head hit the luxuriously soft pillow. Cadence decided to stay up and write a speech. At first, she imitated her aunt's style. She threw the first draft in the trash. It just wasn't her. The second and third draft went in the garbage as well. The fourth draft sounded a little better before it veered off into a tangent about a childhood anecdote. By that point, she had completely forgotten where she was going with it. A growl came from her throat before she gave up and just went to bed.

                                                                                                                                  ...

The next morning came too quickly for either Shining or Cadence's liking. After a quick breakfast and shower Cadence ordered the guard to send word throughout the city that she was to give a speech. Attendance was, of course, optional. In the meantime the pair decided to take a walk through the gardens. The roses were in bloom, blooming in shades of red and yellow. A spreading oak spread its branches over a field of marigold. Like yesterday, Cadence was strangely silent. She sat beneath the oak. Shining sat beside her.

"Cadence?"

"Hmm?"

"What ya thinking about?"

"What I'm going to say."

"What are you going to say?"

"I don't know. I tried to write something, but it just sounded stupid." She hid her face in her wings. "How am I going to reassure them? By the Sun, how do I restore an empire all by myself?"

Shining placed a hoof on her shoulder. "You're not all by yourself. I'm here for you."

She smiled and stood. "I think I know what to say."

                                                                                                                                   ...

Empress Cadenza I of the Crystal Empire, Heir to Onyx, stood upon the balcony. Upon her head was the crown and torc of her office. Beneath her a crowd was gathering to see what the latest heir to the throne was going to say. The empress stilled herself and brought to mind her husband's words. Then she looked out the crowd. They looked up. Their faces showed exhaustion, apprehension, fear.

"My little ponies," She began the way her aunt addressed her own subjects. "I know that many of you are afraid. And...well, you should be. Our empire has faced dark times. And there are dark times ahead of us."

Murmurs began to grow in the crowd.

"It is more than just one pony can face by themselves. More than I can do and more than any one of you. But together we are strong. If we all play our part, if each one of us can spread the love and light in our hearts, if we can support one another, if we can stand and defend this nation, the light in each one of us will defeat the darkness."

"What I ask from you, from each citizen of this great empire, is that we work together. Together we can overcome any challenge. Together, we can defeat any foe. Together, we are strong." Her voice rose to a crescendo. "We were great once. Together we can make this Empire great again!"

The end of her speech was met with a roaring cheer and the Crystal Ponies stamped their hooves in a boisterous applause. Still, there was a dullness in their eyes that just wouldn't go away. Even the cheering seemed somehow weak as if it was missing something.

It will take time.She thought to herself. But, we can do this.