“So where is he taking you exactly?”
I looked up to see my Aunt Celestia standing in the doorway as I ran a brush through my mane. “Burger Princess.” I saw her muzzle wrinkle and had to laugh. Auntie had never been a huge fan of what she called grease cuisine. “It’s just a nice date Auntie and he wanted to treat me.”
“I’ll make certain the chef makes you a nice healthy dinner then.” Celestia shook her head before smiling. “I do have to respect a young stallion who chooses to treat a Princess rather than assuming that she’ll pay for herself.”
I smiled as my horn glowed, my magic pulling my mane up into its normal pony tail. “Well Auntie, how do I look?”
“You look wonderful. Cadance, don’t worry so much about how you look. You have a special some pony who greatly cares for you. You and not your title. That is a blessing, little filly. One I do not have.” Celestia wrapped a pink ribbon around the elastic I had used to pull my mane up. I leaned into her chest and nuzzled close. Auntie smelled like the perfect summer day. It always comforted me.
“I know you’ll find somepony who sees Celestia and not just the Princess of the day. I just know it.” I looked up to see Auntie smile down at me, though it didn’t seem to reach her eyes. I opened my mouth to reassure her that it would happen when I heard somepony clear their throat behind us. I looked over to see a soldier standing there.
“Princess, A stallion caller for you has arrived.”
My ears perked up before I looked back at my aunt who just smiled and nosed me towards the door.
“Go on Cadenza. You are only young once and who knows how long your gentle stallion will wait for you, hmm?”
I poked my tongue out at my Aunt. She knew I hated to be called Cadenza, but she was right. I checked my mane and makeup once more in my vanity mirror, then trotted as politely as I could past the guard even as my brain wanted me to gallop. It didn’t take me long to get down the stairs however and I saw him waiting at the bottom of the staircase, chatting with one of the off-duty guards.
“Yeah I’ve started Junior Guard training. Sargent Hard Iron has said that he is planning to recommend me for the Officer training program.”
I saw the off-duty guard nod before clasping Shining Armor on the shoulder. “Hoping to be assigned as the personal guard of a certain pink Princess, hmm?”
I covered my smile with my hoof as Shining Armor started to turn pink. The mare laughed.
“I don’t think he’ll need to be assigned to watch over me, Vigilant Wing. I think he’ll happily choose to do it.” I walked over and kissed my colt friend on the cheek. “Hi, Shining, sorry I took so long.”
He smiled at me and I felt my stomach do flips while my heart pounded. That smile… “No problem. Cady. I wasn’t waiting very long. Are you ready to go to lunch?”
I nodded eagerly and followed him out of the palace. “You have no idea how much I had to beg Auntie to let me go with you without a guard tailing us. Seems the fact you are going into the guard is enough for her.” I giggled as I recalled our many stand offs on the issue. “If only barely!”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that the Princess thinks so fondly of me.” I looked up to see Shining shake his head, a bit of laughter escaping his muzzle. “Oh! Before I forget Mom wanted me to ask if you might be free Monday night to watch Twily? She has a book signing and Dad promised to take her to dinner afterwards. And well, you are like the only foal sitter Twily will listen to! She is always asking Mom when Cadance is coming back.” He smiled and my heart paused mid-beat. “You really made an impression on my little sis.”
I grinned and slugged him in the shoulder. “Well, don’t you know Shiny? I’m only with you to get closer to Twilight.”
“I should have known! Using me to get at my three year old sister!”
We laughed as we reached the doors of Burger Princess. “I’ll get us a table while you order, okay?”
Shining Armor nodded. “A double cheese with hayfries right?”
“Yep! Massive amounts of grease and deliciousness. Oh, get me a medium lemonade too, will you?” I glanced behind my shoulder to see him nod before snagging a window seat. All around me were other teenage couples including two very cute stallions nuzzling one another. I almost began to squee at the sweetness of it, my horn glowing just a bit.
I gave them a small blessing. It would give them good luck for the next few hours. I heard Shining set down the tray with our meals. I licked my lips and lifted my burger to my mouth and took a big bite as Shiny started telling a story about his last ogres and oubliettes session.
“And then my paladin had to climb the mane of the Moon Mare to retrieve the cap and return her to her normal adorable self of Woona.”
I snorted at the name Woona and swallowed at the same time. I then took a drink of my lemonade and paused. I coughed, trying to clear my throat, but I wasn’t able to cough very well. My eyes went wide as a single breath wheezed out of my throat. My hooves went to my throat as I locked eyes with Shining Armor.
“Ar-are you ok, Cady?”
I shook my head trying to cough to get the bite out but nothing!
“Are you choking?” Shining stood up and rushed over to my side of the table as I nodded, wheezing another breath. He wrapped his forelegs right under my ribs and thrusted hard, almost lifting me off the floor. I could hear his voice in my ear as he performed the heimlich. Another pony had raced out to get the pegamedics.
“I’m not letting you leave me!”
My eyes stared ahead, looking out the window we had sat next of as I felt the hard thrusts into my abdomen. I’m not going to leave you! After a few more thrusts I vomited all over the table. Tears poured down my cheeks, snot and vomit ran out my nose and mouth as Shining continued to hold me, ready to start thrusting again as I was able to take a deep breath through my nose, a cry escaping my mouth.
“I told you I wasn’t going to let you leave me, Cadance…”
I smiled, still coughing fluid up as I trembled in his forelegs “I know,” my voice whispered in a scratchy manner. “I wasn’t going to leave you.”
A few moments later the pegamedics arrived and got me onto the stretcher. Okay now or not as the Princess I had to be checked out at the hospital. I reached for Shining Armor’s hoof as the restaurant broke into applause and hoots. One of the stallions I thought was adorable clasped Shiny on the shoulder.
“Way to go, man! That was bucking romantic!”
I started to laugh even as I began coughing again, worrying the pegamedics. Shining Armor blinked.
“I’m sorry?”
“You saved your marefriend! Didn’t even hesitate just wham you were there! I admire that. She's lucky to have a hero like you!”
As Shining Armor blushed and they carried me from the restaurant I smiled, squeezing his hoof. That colt is right, I’m so lucky to have a hero like him. Now I’d just have to convince Auntie to ever let me leave the palace without a battalion of guards for our next date.
Author's Note
I finished this before I wound up in the hospital. I've just been waiting till I felt well enough to approve the edits and post it. I hope you enjoyed.
