The old world

This is just a pilot chapter and is my first attempt at writting. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Please tell me what sort of tags I should include if they aren’t there.

The first rays of Celestia’s sunlight filtered through the door way. Shining stepped out from the barracks. The cool air swept through the training fields, as he started his usual morning trot. Despite the satisfaction of being captain of the royal guard, he had realised that it wasn’t something he could deal with forever. The screams of ponies. The screeching of metal against metal. Blood raining from wounded Pegasi. The Great War had been costly for everyone involved. The griffons had fared no better than the ponies they fought against. Their once mighty empire was now nothing more than a small city state.

Shining struggled to force the memories out of his mind, without success. Cadence had been a huge help to him, but he knew that their relationship had been strained since the first incident. It all started when he had his first nightmare after returning home of fighting desperately for his life. The griffon he had been choking screamed in that high pitched tone, a tone which became more familiar until the griffon started shouting.

“Please…. stop, it’s… me. Please Shining, its me.”

The griffon had suddenly disappeared, only to be replaced by Cadence crying. He had lifted his hooves off her neck, backed away slowly and then ran out of the room, now crying, and hid himself in the bathroom. Turning on the tap, Shining sat on the floor sobbing, hoping that the sound of the tap could hide his sorrow.

Cadence slowly turned the handle and stepped inside. Shining looked up at her and backed away, glancing down at his hooves and then back to his wife.

“I’m sorry….. I… just…” His voice was unusually high and he couldn’t speak through the choked sobs.

“Shhhhh, it’s ok, you just had a bad dream. I’m here. You don’t need to worry anymore. I’m here.” Her soft voice was like a harp playing and it caused Shining to relax.

Even though he had almost killed her, she trusted him, and forgave him for what he had done. It was a realisation that allowed him to finally talk.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked, his voice not much louder than a whisper, “I was just, I’m sorry” As he came to terms with what he had done he started crying again uncontrollably. He was acting like a foal, how could he have just sat there and sobbed, he should have been comforting his wife, not the other way around.

“It’s ok baby… it’s ok.” Cadence was hugging him tightly, her right wing draped across Shining’s back as they sat on the ceramic floor.

As he came back to his senses from remembering the nightmare, Shining realised that he had been galloping and had almost reached the edge of the city. All he could think about were those last words as he fell unconscious on the grass from the physical exertion.

“It’s ok… it’s ok.”

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"Good morning Captain" Cadence said with a wink as Shining Stepped inside their house. He had only been gone for a couple of days but it felt like an eternity.

"Cadence, It's good to be home." There was nothing necessary to say as they embraced. Although they had been together for almost 20 years now, She appeared just as beautiful to him now as she did when they first met.

They walked in silence to the lounge, both leaning against each other as they walked. Once they sat down Shining told her the news she knew was coming but dreaded to hear.

"I've been re-assigned... It is an expeditionary voyage to the old world." Shining's face became downcast. "It will last for 3 years"

Cadence let out a small gasp at the thought of such a separation. Tears began to well up and she asked herself what she would do. Suddenly Shining started to smile.

"But on the upside, Princess Luna realised how hard this would be and offered you the place of foreign ambassador." All of Cadence's fears melted away at that. Sure it would be dangerous, but it would mean that they were together, and that was all that mattered.

"Twilight is coming as well. She will be there to learn about her new assignment on other animals and plants" Shining was starting to ramble. "And she will be able to keep you company on the trip and we can explore all the new places. Did I mention that she is bringing her daughter? But anyway she wi..."

"What!" Cadence was astonished. "She can't bring Sparkling, she is just a filly!" She had good reason to worry, Sparkling Seas had been the closest thing to a daughter that the pair could ever have, since Cadence had been unable to have foals of her own. The idea that she was coming on such a dangerous trip was unthinkable.

"Don't worry, we will have at least a battalion coming with us. She will be fine." Shining tried to reassure her, but she still had her doubts. Still, there was no other solution, since she was a single parent and Twilight would never deliberately endanger her child.

Pushing her thoughts aside she looked up at her husband. "So when do we leave?"

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The huge ship that stood before them was bristling with sails, and scores of ponies worked at loading all the necessary cargo and supplies. This vessel "The Chalice of Hope" was just one of five ships, which were being prepared along the Manehatten docks for the expedition. There were only a sixty four cannons on the ship, as they were not expected to meet any serious opposition, this was after all a peaceful voyage of discovery. The wooden planks creaked loudly as more supplies were loaded. Glad to see that everything was in order, Shining turned around just in time to see Sparkling sneaking up behind him.

"How many times i gotta tell you kiddo, you can't catch me" Shining teased the little filly who sat and gave an annoyed huff.

"Hi BBBFF!" Twilight walked slowly up to her brothers side. "I just know that this trip will be amazing, there is so much to learn about where ponies first came from"

"I thought you'd have a book all about it". Shining joked, but it only seemed to make the studious mare more talkative about the subject.

"Actually, little is known about our origins, only a few fragmentary fossils can be found in the southern most tips of Equestria, and they only date back abut 30 000 years" Twilight stopped herself when she saw Cadence talking with Luna.

"Hello Cadence, how have you been, Sparkling has been awake all night, she has been so excited to see you again."

Shining rolled his eyes after his attempt to reply to Twilight was cut short. After having been friends with Pinkie for so long, Twilight had become more impulsive.

"Auntie Cadence!!!" Suddernly a ball of aqua fur and feathers with a bright, white mane tackled into the princess. They both fell off the deck and into the water. Shining, Luna and Twilight raced to the side of the jetty to find the pair splashing each other and laughing.

"Honestly Twilight, you have the most adorable filly in the world" Cadence said between giggles.

"She gets it from Pinkie Pie" Twilight replied, trying to suppress her own laughter.

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After the pair were dried off, the final preperations were made and Luna bade them fairwell as she boarded one of the other ships "The Explorer" .

Shining turned towards his wife. "Lets make history".