A Knight In Shining Armor

It had been two days since Shining Armor had proposed to Princess Cadence, and already things were setting in motion.  Tens of thousands of flyers, invitations, and banners were being stitched and printed for the wedding, bakeries all through Canterlot fought tooth and hoof to prepare for small snacks, musical professionals had been called in from all across Equestria and were playing for an entertainer’s seat at the reception, and designers too from all over Equestria were sending their designs by the dozen to Princess Cadence and Shining Armor for evaluation.

Princess Cadence too had purchased Shining Armor a ring, but unlike the traditional marriage, she kept the ring’s design a secret from Shining Armor (playful payback at him for having kept hers’ a secret for so long).  Much to their joy, yet dismay from separation, many of the friends and ponies that had already gotten their invitations, frequently pulled them from their current task and asked them what they wanted as a gift.

One day, as Princess Cadence was talking to Princess Celestia, she made a comment that she couldn’t find a dress that she had liked.  It was then that Princess Celestia told her about Rarity, one of Twilight Sparkle’s friends.  She told her about how Rarity was an excellent fashion designer, and had so much faith in Rarity’s skills in fact, that Princess Celestia estimated she would be one of the most widely known designers in a very short time.  That was good enough for Princess Cadence!  A competent designer, and most importantly, a friend of Twilight Sparkle!  Princess Cadence requested to Princess Celestia that she have an invitation sent out to Twilight Sparkle and the rest of her friends whilst she ran to check on Shining Armor who had called her over to his headquarters.  With an easy smile on her face, Princess Celestia sent a note to the local printing press in charge of invitations with her orders.  Both Princess Celestia, and of course Cadence, were more than eager to see Twilight again.

Princess Cadence walked quickly through the streets toward Shining Armor’s home and walked into the cool air conditioned foyer.  “Shining Armor?” Princess Cadence called out to the empty house, “Sweetie?” she called again.  Shining Armor hadn’t sounded well when he asked her in person to come over not but an hour or so ago after being separated from her over a taste testing session with a local baker.  Princess Cadence was worried because it wouldn’t be the first time that somepony had tried to end the life of a Royal guard head, and none of the food was tested before given to either Shining Armor or Cadence.  In a panic, Princess Cadence trotted quickly into the kitchen, and then up the stairs, still finding the house empty.

Just as she turned to leave the bathroom not far from Shining Armor’s bed, he magically appeared with a smile on his face and a hearty laugh escaping from his mouth.  “Gets you every time doesn’t it?” Shining Armor laughed as Princess Cadence stood in front of him with a relieved look on her face.

She walked up to him and pecked him on the lips, “You scared me,” she said as she easily and playfully slapped him on the left cheek; her hoof remained on his cheek as she kissed him.

After the kiss was broken, Shining Armor looked down at her and with a playful tone in his voice said, “Oh?  Then do I need to be punished?”

Princess Cadence giggled softly, and catching onto the game said, “Yes, you do you very bad stallion.”  Before she could do anything though, Shining Armor grabbed her by the hoof and pulled her onto the bed with him.

“Looks like you’re going to have to do it here,” he said as kissed her softly on the lips.

Princess Cadence kissed him on the lips and said playfully, “I don’t have a problem with that.”  They smiled at each other and kissed passionately.  They kissed each other playfully on the neck, gently on the lips, and in a ticklish way on the stomach.  They went no further than that kissing though.  Going against not only their social customs, but also their personal beliefs, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor refused to fornicate; though there were many indicators exchanged between them that indicated they wanted each other in a more “passionate” way, though each was either too afraid or too embarrassed to make it crystal clear to the other.

After their make out session had ended, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor continued to lay on the bed and talk to each other as they stared up at the ceiling.  “I’m glad I’m marrying you,” Princess Cadence sighed, “but does it have to be so public and such a hassle?”  Shining Armor smiled over at Princess Cadence’s never changing personality as she asked, “I mean, why can’t we have just a small, private wedding?”

Shining Armor kissed her softly on the lips and tried to satisfy her question, “I don’t know, it’s just all part of royalty and marriage I guess,” he finished.

Princess Cadence returned to looking up at the ceiling as she sighed again and said, “You know, I’d do anything to just have one day in a regular pony’s shoes.”   Princess Cadence, unlike some others of the palace’s court refused to use the word “commoner” because she had always seen herself equal to them, if not only more privileged.

Shining Armor asked, “You’d miss it all though, wouldn’t you?  The palace, the fancy clothing, the galas and dances, the guards too?”  Shining Armor smiled over at Princess Cadence as he awaited her answer.

She shrugged and replied, “Still though, I’ve always been curious as to what it would be like.  Though…”Princess Cadence and Shining Armor met each other’s eyes, “If I wasn’t royalty, I don’t think I would have ever met you, the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”  Shining Armor and Princess Cadence kissed and continued their calm staring at the ceiling above.  “Do you remember that night?” she asked as she looked over at Shining Armor.

He looked back at her and said, “I remember that I hated seeing you that way.”  Princess Cadence smiled at him and kissed him.

“Thank you Shining Armor, thank you so much,” she said quietly, putting an end to their short conversation about the incident.  As the years passed on, it became less and less difficult for Shining Armor and Princess Cadence to talk about what had happened to her.  Princess Cadence’s injuries had healed too.  As they had conversations over the years since, Princess Celestia would secretly peer beneath Cadence’s coat to see the progress that the injuries were making; she never checked for new ones because something just told her that Shining Armor would be the perfect husband for her niece.  Princess Celestia (on some occasions) had also secretly wished that Shining Armor was her stallion, simply because he knew how to treat a mare right.

“So, what do you want to do for dinner?” Shining Armor asked about the dinner they had been planning since yesterday.

Princess Cadence thought a moment about where she wanted to eat (for it was her turn to choose), and replied, “How about The Cantering Buffet?”

Shining Armor pulled one of his many suits out, observed it, and then threw it back into the closet.  He smiled back at her and said, “Sounds like a plan to me.”  As shining Armor picked on, he eventually found a suit that fit his tastes, and dressed himself.  He then asked Cadence if she needed to anything else before they set out.  Unable to think of anything, she shook her head, and they went on their way.

It was a very fulfilling dinner as they talked and laughed with each other.  Like some of the books they had read about in the more retro days of Equestria, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor had also ordered a lover’s shake.  The two sat there and drank as they stared into each other’s eyes, excitement and love in them for the wedding and for each other.  After they had finished their shake and dinner, they left the restaurant and went for a short walk in the evening sun.  Things around Canterlot had begun to slow down, and many of the shops had closed so Princess Cadence and Shining Armor didn’t have to worry as much about being pulled away from each other.

“So, are you ready for the wedding?” Shining Armor asked his soon-to-be bride.

She looked up at him and said, “I’ve been ready all of my life,” she said with an easy smile on her face.  Princess Cadence truly was still in disbelief that her wedding, as well as her dreams, were only a few days away.  They stopped where they were and kissed.  A couple of Shining Armor’s friends (mostly recruits whom he had trained stupendously and who had risen like wildfire through the ranks) spotted them and whistled loudly and cheered, making the both of them pull their lips from the other, and look down at the ground in embarrassment.

“Go on, get out of here!” Shining Armor winked at a giggling Princess Cadence and chased after the laughing guards for a short distance where they magically transported away from him.  He returned to Princess Cadence who was still giggling and asked playfully, “What are you laughing at?”

Princess Cadence smiled up at him and said, “You run like a filly.”

Shining Armor smiled and cocked his eyebrow as they continued walking and said, “Oh, then maybe they should just make you the head of the royal guard?”

Princess Cadence giggled again, and said, “I think I’d do a better job of it than you.”

Shining Armor rolled his eyes playfully and said, “Oh, you’re a big, bad mare now aren’t you?”  He stopped her to kiss her.

After they kissed, Princess Cadence smiled easily and said, “You bet I am.”  She pecked him on the cheek and walked in front of him, lifting her tail and running its sweet smelling and silky hair just under his nose.

“I love it when you do that,” Shining Armor complimented a bit sheepishly to Princess Cadence.

She giggled and said, “You know I’d do anything for my big, bad stallion, don’t you?”