A Knight In Shining Armor

The playground was nearly abandoned as Princess Cadence and the young Twilight Sparkle pranced happily onto its ground, Twilight of course heading directly for the inviting swing set.  Princess Cadence giggled quietly as Twilight jumped up onto the right swing (which was her favorite) and said in her little filly voice “Push me Cadence!”  Princess Cadence once again giggled and trotted up to the rear of the swing.  She gave Twilight a gentle push and laughed as Twilight let out an excited “Weee!!!!” and smiled, that cute little smile warming her heart every time she saw it.

Eventually the two friends struck up a conversation (as they always did when Princess Cadence foal sat for Twilight).  Twilight said “I am so lucky to have you as my foal sitter!”

Princess Cadence smiled at having been told this regularly by Twilight and replied, “I’m the one who’s lucky Twilight,” smiling more with each push that passed.

Twilight replied with, “But you’re a princess,” Cadence rolled her eyes playfully, not really caring that she was royalty in the first place and listened to Twilight finish “and I’m just a regular old unicorn.”

Princess Cadence stopped her pushing and pulled Twilight playfully off the swing as she cuddled her and said “You’re anything but a regular old unicorn,” Cadence then sat Twilight down on the ground and the two did their special hoofshake, reciting each word and doing each playful move in unison.

As all good things unfortunately must, their day ended rather swiftly, for Twilight Sparkle’s parents returned home from their appointments early, and the two were forced to part ways.  Princess Cadence and Twilight giving their tight, and to some degree emotional, parting hugs before they did so of course.  Twilight Sparkle stood in the open doorway and waved bye to Cadence as she walked off, excited even now for the next session she would have with her foalsitter.  Princess Cadence turned around and smiled, waving back to Twilight as she cut a corner and headed for greater Canterlot.

While she was walking through the grand, bustling streets though, she heard her stomach growl.  She frowned down at it as the smell of baked goods, freshly chopped salads, and delicate fruits wafted up into her nostrils; she hadn’t eaten all day, having sacrificed her planned lunch time to play in the park with Twilight.  Putting a smile on her face, she walked over to a nearby salad kiosk and ordered herself something to eat and drink, taking a solo seat at a nearby table after doing so.  While Princess Cadence was royalty, it was true that she wasn’t very social, meaning of course that she didn’t have that many friends or admirers as opposed to Princess Celesita or others of the royal family and its court.  Princess Cadence sat quietly in her chair, casting the occasional magical spell on her mane to fluff it up or correct a crease, entertaining herself and quelling her boredom.  The time when Twilight and Cadence had to leave each other was the time that Cadence often dreaded most.  Twilight was much more than a foal to foal sit, she was a friend.

A short time later Princess Cadence finished her meal and again used her magic to gently pat her lips clean.  She got up and tossed her garbage in the can, thanked the vendor once more and walked back out into the bustling streets.  Not really wanting to return to the palace just yet, Cadence decided to walk around Canterlot and window shop, an activity which she rarely had the time to do.  Staying on the same street she had been on, Cadence walked straight ahead and looked inside window after window, and compared the gorgeous gems, elegant dresses, and fine materials.  Whilst she was looking at some dresses, she eyed a wedding dress.  Its beauty stunned her!  The way it was perfectly woven, the way the elegant design practically forced ones’ eyes to stare, and even the way it was positioned on the model all struck her with a longing.  Then she smiled to herself and knew that someday she’d be wearing a dress just like it.

Then, her stallionfriend showed up.  Champion was a large black brute, the head of the Royal Guard, and what seemed to be one of the largest stallions in Equestria.  “There you are,” Champion spoke to her hatefully, “I’ve been looking for you all day!  Where in the name of Equestria have you been?” he demanded.

Cadence went back to looking at her dresses and said “Foal sitting,” quietly as she looked away from him.

  Then Champion started to raise his voice “Well what’s your problem?  I was only asking.  You don’t have to be so uptight about it.”

Cadence turned and said “I am not uptight!”  As soon as those words left her mouth, Champion raised his great hoof and struck Princess Cadence clear across the face with it, seeming to not care that they were in public.

Princess Cadence’s eyes were watering, her head turned in shame as she held a hoof to her injury.  “What did you say to me?!” A flash of anger could be seen in Champion’s stern brown eyes.

Head still turned, Princess Cadence replied, “Nothing.  I didn’t say anything,” quietly, her voice choked with tears.

Champion turned swiftly and said, “I thought so.  Now come along Cadence.  Me and you are expected at the dinner party tonight, which I’m sure you would have known if you wouldn’t have been so busy with you stupid foal sitting.”  Princess Cadence wanted to say otherwise, but she knew that doing so would only get her into more trouble; she was afraid.

“Y…Yes, I suppose you’re right,” was all she could manage.  Princess Cadence then hung her head in shame and walked at a slow pace behind Champion.

As she walked, Cadence thought silently to herself, though keeping her senses alert in case Champion were to ask her a question or say something.  She knew how he could get when she ignored him.  Throughout all of her thinking, she thought about how Champion was right, maybe she should have skipped foal sitting today and spent most of her time preparing for the Royal Dinner Party.  “He was doing it all in my best interests…right?” she thought as she continued to walk “Maybe he is the stallion I’m destined to marry?”