In Need of Comfort

While the train ride home for Cadence seemed to go by quickly, it was still agonizing for her. She knew that it would likely be a few months if not more before she would be able to unwind with Celestia again. Despite her crying becoming less apparent the closer they got to the Crystal Empire, her sadness was still clearly visible.

Her personal attendant noticed this and asked, "Your Majesty, are you going to be ok? I don't think it would be in your best interests to be like this when you get home."

Cadence sighed, "I know but I can't help it." Without thinking she slipped, "You have no idea how wonderful of a time Celestia and I had. It was the first intimacy I......."

Her attendant gasped, "What? You and Celestia were intimate?"

Cadence whispered, "Don't tell anypony but yes, we were."

Her attendant was appalled at what she did. She asked, "Your Majesty, do you know how wrong that is? Not only did you cheat on Shining Armor but you committed incest with your aunt."

Cadence snapped, "You know what? What I do is my own business. I needed this. Celestia and I both enjoyed it and I'm warning you, if this gets out to anypony you'll wish you had kept your mouth shut."

Her attendant sighed, "Yes your Majesty, my lips are sealed."

An hour later the train pulled into the Crystal Empire and Cadence headed towards the castle. She forced a cheerful smile and waved at her subjects as she walked by them but she was anything but cheerful. Deep down she dreaded getting to the castle and having to deal with all her responsibilities.

When she arrived at the castle she was greeted by Shining Armor. He hugged her and said, "Honey, I'm so glad your home."

Cadence sighed, "It's good to see you too."

Shining Armor was concerned that his wife's greeting was so nonchalant. He asked, "Are you ok? You seem like you are still really down."

Cadence snapped, "I'm fine so just drop it, ok?"

Shining Armor was nervous, very nervous over his wife's attitude. He almost wondered if she wasn't going to be worse until he heard a cheerful "How's my little filly?" come from upstairs.

He headed upstairs to find Cadence holding and nuzzling Flurry Heart. "Who's a cute little filly? You're a cute little filly!"

Shining couldn't help but smile as he saw the Cadence he knew so well holding and bonding with their foal. He asked, "Honey, I take it you are feeling better now?"

Cadence replied, "Yeah, I am. Seeing Flurry Heart has made my day a whole lot better."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and asked, "What about me? Doesn't seeing me make you feel better too?"

Cadence sighed, "Yeah, you do too."

She then turned her attention back to Flurry Heart and continued to talk to her. While she was doing this one of the guards rushed up and said, "Your Majesty, there are some ponies here to see you. They need an issue resolved."

Cadence glared at the guard and replied, "Tell them that I am spending time with my daughter. I'll put up with them later."

The guard gasped, "But your Majesty, it is part of your royal duties!"

Cadence's scowl at the guard only intensified, "Look, I'm going to tell you again, my daughter is far more important than some petty squabble that could probably be resolved without me."

The guard sighed, "Alright, but they won't be happy."

Shining Armor was a bit concerned when Cadence said "my daughter." He asked, "Honey, when you said 'my daughter' is more important, didn't you mean our daughter?"

Cadence replied, "Yeah, I meant our daughter."

After a couple of weeks things had returned to normal for the most part for Cadence. She realized that she had no choice but to juggle her responsibilities as a mother and a princess despite it being rather stressful. While her bond with Flurry Heart grew exponentially, she just couldn't bond with Shining Armor like she used to. While she did love him, it was Celestia that she desired and this did cause her desire for intimacy with Shining Armor to decline significantly. Every night, she would lay there remembering her wonderful times with Celestia and would hope that someday, once Flurry Heart had grown up and could rule the Crystal Empire on her own, that she could be with Celestia for all eternity.