In Need of Comfort

A couple months had passed since the birth of Princess Flurry Heart and then her magical mishap which summoned a nasty snow storm on the Crystal Empire. Life had returned to normal for most of the inhabitants of the empire, except two. Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor were still getting used to life as parents. Shining Armor couldn't be happier as he had become the model father, catering to his new daughter's every need but something didn't seem right with Cadence. While she was a natural at providing the new princess with her needs, she just didn't seem happy. She wasn't happy at all, she felt miserable and Shining Armor could tell it.

Another morning arrived and it was not the sun that woke the two up, it was the cries of Flurry Heart. Shining Armor jumped up out of bed to see what was wrong while Cadence slowly crawled out of bed. When she arrived in the newborn's room she noticed that her husband had already changed her diaper and had given her a bottle. She said, "You know Shiny, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Shining Armor replied, "Well I love Flurry just as much as you do." He had put their newborn back in her crib but also noticed that his wife had a slight look of sadness on her face. He continued, "Honey, is everything ok?"

Cadence replied, "Yeah, things are ok."

Shining asked, "Are you sure about that? You just don't seem to be yourself lately."

Cadence didn't like where this was headed and this question irritated her. She snapped, "What do you mean I don't seem to be myself lately? I've done my royal duties and I've taken care of Flurry just like I have been. Nothing has changed."

Her snapping woke Flurry up and caused her to start crying. Shining smiled at her and said, "It's ok Flurry. Mama is just stressed."

He picked her up and began to rock her to sleep. While Cadence is the one that is able to spread love, it bothered her that her husband was so easily able to comfort their daughter. A few tears began to flow down her cheeks as she began to cry, "I don't know what's wrong Shiny, but I'm not happy. I just don't feel like I used to. I feel like I just want to crawl in a hole and hide."

This was not like his wife at all as, with the exception of Twilight, she is the most sociable of Equestria's princesses. Her unhappiness was hard for Shining to understand as immediately after Flurry was born, she was as happy as could be. He asked, "Honey, why don't you feel like you used to?"

She continued to cry, "Look, I don't know. I don't know if it is simple hormonal changes causing me to feel like this or what, but I don't feel as beautiful as I used to. I don't feel like I can mingle as much because I have to put Flurry Heart first and I really miss mingling with my subjects, I miss being able to just travel without having to worry about anything and I miss being able to go visit with Twilight."

Shining laid their now sleeping daughter in her crib and replied, "Honey, nopony ever said you couldn't go out and mingle and nopony ever said you couldn't travel or go visit with Twilight." He smiled at Flurry and continued, "And you know that I'll take good care of Flurry. You wouldn't have to worry about a thing."

Cadence continued to cry, "I know, that is what bothers me so much. You seem to take better care of her than me and a mother is supposed to always be there for her foal, no matter what. It seems like you are always there for her while I'm not."

Shining pulled her close and replied, "Honey, you are a princess and you have a lot of duties."

Cadence snapped, "I know but you're a prince and you should be fulfilling your duties in making sure the guards are doing their job instead of pawning that off on the second in command. Sometimes I feel like you care more about Flurry than you do the soldiers and even me!"

Again Cadence's yells woke Flurry up. Cadence heard this and only became irritated. She yelled, "You know what? I need some time away from here! Maybe if I have some time away from here I can be the super-parent you are." She sighed, "You know what, I need a few days away from here. Maybe if I spend some time with my aunts I'll feel better."

Shining was shocked that his wife would just up and leave like this. He asked, "What? What about Flurry Heart? She loves you honey, she will miss you."

Cadence sighed, "You know what, she loves you a whole lot more than she does me. I'm sure she'll do just fine without me around for a week."

Shining asked, "You're going to be gone for a week?"

Cadence replied, "Yes, a week. Hopefully by then I can get out of this funk and be as good of a parent as you."

Before Shining could say anything Cadence stormed out of the room crying angrily, "Why can't I be a good parent? Why can't I be as devoted to Flurry as Shining Armor?"

She headed to the train station and ordered to be taken to Canterlot. She thought that if she could spend a few days with her aunts and simply relax, that maybe she could calm down enough to handle both the responsibilities of being a good mother and being a good princess.