A Knight In Shining Armor

Shining Armor rubbed the sniffling Princess Cadence’s back softly as they sat underneath the old peach tree under the light of a full moon and in the midst of a million fireflies.  “There, there,” Shining Armor tried to comfort the devastated Princess Cadence.

“It… It’s not fair!” Princess Cadence said rather loudly as she cried more tears and hoofed at the ground.

“I know, I know,” Shining Armor shushed her as she leaned into him.

“It’s all my fault,” Princess Cadence wept quietly to herself.  “It’s all my fault,” she repeated again, just as quiet.

“No, no, don’t you think that for one second,” Shining Armor tried to make her feel better.  He too was sad, but he couldn’t bear to see her like this.

It had been a horrible night for them.  Princess Cadence had gone into labor earlier that day, but to her great dismay, she had a miscarriage.  Princess Cadence was haunted by the memory of the tears streaming down her eyes as she refused to let go of her lifeless foal’s corpse.  Shining Armor had nearly become sick to his stomach at seeing his son die… as grim as it seemed, deep down he had hoped it would have been the other way around.

Once she had left the hospital, Princess Cadence ran to the spot where she had always come to think things through, and always seemed to get an answer, the old peach tree.  Knowing exactly where she had run to, Shining Armor took off after her and sure enough found her sitting under it in absolute devastation.

The minutes turned to hours as the two of them continued to sit underneath the old tree and merely think about what had just happened to them.  Princess Cadence had stopped her crying, and laid her head on Shining Armor’s shoulder as she asked, “What did I do wrong?”  Shining Armor looked down as he felt Princess Cadence shaking her head in disbelief.

Shining Armor brushed some of her mane aside, and said, “What did WE do wrong?”  Princess Cadence said nothing as Shining Armor continued, “None of this was your fault Cadence.  These things happen.”

Princess Cadence took a deep breath as she dried her eyes and said, “Y…You’re right.  I… I’m sorry for being so selfish.”

Shining Armor shook his head, and said, “You’re not selfish Cadence.  You want a foal as much as I do.”

Princess Cadence cocked her head and then looked up at Shining Armor.  She asked, “‘Want’?  Don’t you mean ‘wanted’?”  She had to make sure her ears and her yearning for a foal had not deceived her.

Shining Armor laughed under his breath softly and looked into her eyes, as he replied, “No Cadence, I did mean want.  Just before you came out here,” Princess Cadence blushed at having realized it was probably a foolish thing to do, “the doctor told me it was a one in a million accident.  He…” he smiled softly at her, “He didn’t say anything about not being able to try again.”

Getting the hint instantly, and feeling loads relieved (though still saddened at losing what she considered to be a part of her, something she would always love), she hugged into Shining Armor as she exclaimed, “Oh Shining Armor, I love you!”

Hugging her back, Shining Armor replied, “I love you too Cadence.”  Still wrapped in their embrace after a few minutes, Shining Armor asked, “So… we'll try again?"

Princess Cadence looked into his eyes, and with a weak smile on her face said, "We'll try again.  Thank you, Shining Armor."  After that, Princess Cadence laid her head down on his chest and closed her eyes as he stroked her mane and head softly.  And so it was that Princess Cadence and Shining Armor sat beneath the peach tree, counting the fireflies, and hoping, dreaming of the day that would come soon enough when they had a foal and a family of their very own.