Until Death Do Us Part
Why now? That is my only question.
I had known for a long time how this would end. Princess Celestia warned me. She warned me many times. She warned me of pain, of inevitable tears that would long for a past that I... No, that we could never have back. I told her to never speak on that subject again, not wanting to think of the end when you would move on, but I would remain, stuck here forever.
The thoughts and fantasies of many joyful years with you blinded me to how fragile life is. Every morning that I awoke with you by my side were the happiest moments of my life. I told myself not to worry; that I would have many mornings with you before my life and your death parted us from one another.
It brings me back to my question. Why now?
It’s like the punchline to a cruel joke.
I am given unending life, you are given a mortal life, and together we have less than a year...
You often spoke of strategy. You held the element of surprise as the best ally, and the worst foe in combat. Now, you have been taken from me completely by surprise and I can see why. The pain and suffering I was warned about, the pain I thought I could put off until farther down the road has attacked me without warning or mercy. It has attacked long before it should have.
I know that if you had the choice, you would do it again.
I know why you did it.
I know how it happened.
I remember clearly the dedication in your eyes when you said “I do” on our wedding day. It was the same dedication that you showed as a captain of the guard, as a protector of all of Equestria and all ponies. You died for being one who would stay true to that selfless dedication to others.
You were just walking home, and I was waiting for you as I always do. But that night, of all nights, you did not come home.
You told me before that your walks to our home gave you time to reflect on the day. What were you reflecting on that night? Was your day a good one? Was it disappointing? What I would give, what I would do to hear about your day just one last time.
The knock on the door. It was so late, but I was overjoyed at hearing the knock, thinking that you were home. Then I stopped. You never knock. You would have come in, take your helmet off, and embraced me lovingly. Then you would have apologized for whatever had kept you so late.
I could care less, just to know that you were home with me.
I opened the door to see two royal guards, standing at full attention as they addressed me in serious tones. I could see in their eyes that they brought word of you. Their words still ring in my ears as the scene plays over and over again in my mind.
“Princess MI Amore Cadenza, we... We bring news of your husband, Captain Shining Armor. Ma’am... Your husband was found... Dead one hour ago. We are here to escort you to Canterlot Tower, where Princess Celestia is waiting for you...”
The trip to the tower was a silent one. I refused to believe it.
When I arrived, Princess Celestia was waiting for me. I said nothing, encased in an invisible shield of shock and denial of reality as she told me what happened.
“I’m sorry Cadence... Shining Armor was killed on his way home tonight... Stabbed multiple times. Apparently he went down fighting several thieves who were attempting to rob someone else... The investigators have concluded while that he was walking home he saw the crime in progress. He attempted to stop them, despite the fact that they were armed and he was not and even succeeding for the most part, but one thief got the jump on him... According to the one being robbed, Shining Armor continued to fight them off despite his wounds. He ordered the victim to run... Shining Armor gave his life to give someone in danger a chance to escape. I know how much you loved him, and how much he loved you... But he’s gone...”
I did not know what to think at that point. You, part of me, was gone. Taken from me by something that you had nothing to do with. Something that your sense of duty dragged you into. I wanted to cry, I wanted to wail, and shout to the heavens demanding why this had happened.
In reality there is no mystery here for me to solve of why you are gone.
Just as before, your dedication to your word and devotion to the ponies of Equestria gave you no choice. You gave your life in the defense of someone you didn’t even know. You could have called for help, but the danger was there. You must have seen that that pony’s life was hanging over the edge.
You felt the ability to take action, and therefore the responsibility to do so.
They were armed, but you didn’t care. You charged into death’s embrace with all of your courage... All of your devotion giving you the weapons you needed to fight if only to give somepony else a chance to live another day...
But why now? Will I ever know the answer to that? Why were you taken from me in such a way so soon? Who would be so evil as to just take a life, with no thought of who he is taking that life from?
Celestia warned me of our limited time. But why did it end, ripped so far short of the years we would have spent together? Why was I allowed only one year to know the strength of character that I so love you for?
I remember our vows... “Until death do us part.”
That’s the problem right there.
You are a part of me.
Our two hearts became one.
How can a heart still beat when half of it is gone?
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Thanks to Foxi Hooves for the pre-read and for writing the story that inspired this one. Check it out here