Érōsby Ice StarChaptersChapter 1: True Love Waits (For You to Get Up)Chapter 2: True Love Waits (To See Your Smile)Chapter 3: True Love Waits (Just For You)Chapter 1: True Love Waits (For You to Get Up)The short, multicolored curls of Empress Cadance's bob-cut spilled out across the pillow. The waves of her mane were between regal and cascading, despite their short length. She listened to the sound of icy winds outside, whooshing through the streets of her Empire. She whistled along with the haunting melody, although she did so softly. Her tune was merrier than the sound of the storm outside; she'd no doubt picked up suck a joyous ditty from one of the many mead halls in the Empire. The storm was not a savage one, but Cadance knew that when it stopped there would be shoveling, snowball fights, and cocoa stands set up. The crystal ponies would be talking in the streets or watching the snowfall from their windows. School time for foals would be delayed because of the morning's white wonderland blankets, and she would have her kingdom no other way. Cadance smiled a little at the thought of foals, and like the snow outside, her thoughts drifted with her mood. First, they briefly went to her tiara, which rested on the nearby nightstand, but the flurry quickly strayed. This time, her mind turned to the castle. She thought of mornings, of a grand table set for three, and breakfasts of things both Equestrian in nature, like pancakes. Yet, all her time up north with her love and made it effortless for her to weave more native Crystalline aspects into their meals. The kitchen staff knew how to prepare dishes of their heritage more effortlessly than foreign food, and Cadance and Shining Armor's daughter thought that Equestria's cuisine was the foreign one. Mostly, she thought of Skyla among the dripping sounds of the room. The princess of the slowly growing Crystal Empire had been in power for over fifty years, growing into a capable mare who aided her empress mother and sweet father in their rule. Lying there, still trying to blink away tiredness, Cadance smiled a bit wider, and the gesture was still soft from sleep. Skyla would be up right now, already seeing to the first of her royal duties. Her mother knew that her daughter would surely be sneaking in a few extra bits of preening when nopony was watching on this cold, slow, sleepy morning. Such were the habits of the ambitious Princess Somber Skies. Sunlight was already slipping through the window, not longer dancing like it used to, but that was not much of a surprise when Cadance thought of who was raising it. Instead, she let her early morning thoughts drift back to her daughter, who could fly through the snow with an impressive strength for a pegasus, which was needed in a nation where the weather could not be domesticated by any mortal powers. Skyla was one of the few pegasi who lived this far north, and had a sharp mind instead of magic like a unicorn, demigod, Alicorn, or some other creature. By the time she had been a teenager, Princess 'Skyla' Somber Skies had been the one speaking over the advisor, Silver Lining, on matters about the home. Nothing made Cadance's heart feel such joy as knowing her only foal loved her kingdom as much as any crystal pony. Yes, Skyla would be done with breakfast now. To be late was to not be her, not when punctuality was in Skyla's bones. She was such a good girl, sort of. There was always a scheming, coy, and nearly sharp side to her that so many Equestrians found off-putting. Especially when facing the cool, reserved, yet sociable princess; she was too odd a blend for their soft, herd-driven sensibilities. She was very unlike her mother, with a small smirk-ish smile as smooth as her voice, a sweetly frosty demeanor, and an occasional snide quip. Cadance's daughter was the kind of mare who kept an impressive record of all the little deeds she saw you do when you weren't watching - and, of course, Skyla knew what she could get out of everything. The damn filly was already a proper politician long before she got her cutie mark. Everypony who never knew better — like a certain demigod aunt she never grew close to — thought she would be a mane stylist or clever designer like her quill-pal, Qilin. They were the ponies who hadn't known that it was Skyla who led the impossibly pure and fillyish Qilin off on this little scheme and that in the days they used to share together. Then. much to everypony's surprise, she grew up. Now, Skyla always stood with a quiet pride next to her brave, honorable, funny, level-headed father. It was Shining Armor whose love of his family was an almost amusing contrast to the vague, quiet arrogance that his daughter possessed. How she, the filly with thick tresses of stormy, dark gray-blue pinned away from her face was ready to face the world still mystified Cadance at times. She had grown from collecting unique mane clips to having a slim build like her bubbly, outgoing, and cheerful demigod mother. And yet, it was Cadance who was the one who really didn't want to get out of bed right now, and only just managed to reach up with a forehoof and rub the sleep from her lavender eyes. Cadance gave a small yawn, and gave the radiant ceiling mosaic one last look. The sun's light was still playing across it nicely. Then, she carefully sat up. An array of routine dripping sounds had been like a clock ticking through the night, though the I.V. hadn't had the same rhythm. Carefully, Cadance pulled her purple mantle closer around her, shivering slightly. The faux fur was warm enough. Still, there were some days still made her long for the southern nation she once called home, but only a little. One day Equestria stopped being her home, even if it never stopped being Shining Armor's. He was the All-Equestrian Colt somewhere in his heart still, but Cadance's own belonged to the Crystal Empire now. The hospital room had a subtle luster; the crystal floors and walls reflected faint silhouettes in all their facets. In them, Cadance was able to glimpse her form in blurs of pink. The rest of the room was shown in gleams and smudges of reflections in soothing hues: rose, purple, and blue were the predominant colors. Reflections of silver metal frames from the hospital bed could be glimpsed next to the few pieces of art hanging up. While Equestria had taken strides in recent years to make hospitals a place of healing via artistic presence too, the Crystal Empire's facilities had always done so. In the gorgeous designs were many figures familiar to the Crystal Ponies. The legends of their heritage, now revived, were vividly captured in watercolors. Within the plain frames, painted in pastels were the distant and simplified visages of long-gone Crystalline Alicorns, immortals of the past so unlike the fabled mortal Empress who viewed their modern rendition with such sleepy eyes. No Equestrian-bred resident other than Cadance herself would recognize what these figures were supposed to represent. However, ax-bearing crystal ponies, woad-streaked coats, rune-carved crystal pillars, and chain mail were heroes known to many. Cadance knew them better once, when then-young Skyla told her dear mother what she thought of the stories her father read her. Cadance always was up late, or asleep early. She always loved hearing how he could name every champion to his daughter. Little Skyla was the one who recounted the tales of fearsome boats and the mysterious, shadowy tales of the equally enigmatic Ouroboros. That story was one of her favorites: the tale of a serpent of shadow once said to be doomed to control the Empire — as said by the departed prophet-Alicorn queen Ezmeralda. Even now, Cadance thought there were better things to talk about over breakfast than apocalyptic fantasies. She was usually quick to agree with Shining Armor about hoofball, ice archery, hockey, and other things that only held so much of young Skyla's attention. Those were years she treasured. Cadance brought a forehoof to her mussed mane and yawned. Loudly. She stretched her wings gingerly but thoroughly, not wanting to disturb her husband slumbering beside her. No matter how late he had started waking, Shining Armor still needed his rest with such frequent hospital visits. "Shiny?" Cadance whispered, reaching out a youthful pink foreleg to better maneuver under the blankets. She prodded the shape of a sleeping stallion, whose century-old white coat had faded with time. Battle scars from old conflict marked his withers, sides, and legs. "You awake yet?" A tail of happy blue streaked with a lot of gray swiped out from under the covers. In response, a smile spread across Cadance's face. "Still sleepy?" A leg kicked out from the covers, playfully and a bit clumsily. There was a noticeable amount of feebleness there too. Another tug of the much-loved mantle again. It wasn't cold now, Cadance just liked the royal purple garment. "Alright, if you're going to be so stubborn, maybe I won't be getting you any scrambled eggs with your breakfast. You're only going to be getting those little Prancian toast sticks and hay bacon if you keep that up." And from under the hospital bed's blankets was a groan. "Cady," a tired voice rasped, "you wouldn't really do that, would you, dear?" Cadance's smile remained, and she wasted no time in leaning forward to wrap the blanketed figure in a hug. Her mantle fell over the sterile, wrinkled blankets that had been crinkled by Shining's movement. "I'll get us the biggest, best breakfasts, yo! The nurses say that the pancakes are super-duper good, and we're only going to be here for two weeks this time, Shiny! Just think of all the yummy breakfast rotations we'll get to try!" Cadance beamed at him. Shining Armor, prince of the Crystal Empire, snored a little. He managed a yawn that Cadance's many years of marriage to him had taught her the meaning of: It's Saturday, Cady. Lemme sleep. She did, lit her horn with her soft blue aura, and was careful to close the door quietly on her way out. Author's Note Chapter 1/3 [Revised for print on 11/26/2020] Chapter 2: True Love Waits (To See Your Smile)Cadance's hoof tapped the face of her sky blue acoustic guitar absentmindedly. She owned many instruments, since she took care to ensure that royal status didn't rob her of beloved hobbies. Shining knew she would own many more — including some that he would never see — but this guitar was quite new, and it was not the same as the usual bass she liked to play. Lighting her horn with a similar shade of blue, she plucked at a few strings and ran the arcane energy through her short-cropped curls. Even this far north, the noon sun hit them at just the right angle, illuminating the blonde streaks in it just right, and Shining liked that. Reminders of the land he once called home could be found anywhere, and often where he least expected. How could he not savor such treasures? The sports were different. Here, jousting was all the rage, and ice hockey was too. Stories and legends lacked the elusive Starswirl the Bearded that many foals had whispered about with excitement — a lone sorcerer, a mystery, and even Twily no longer spoke of her old idol. In the Crystal Empire, their great heroes were Crystal Alicorns, gleaming ponies of the past, Cadance, Shining himself, and Spike. And Spike? He now slept deep in the Gemheart Mountains caves, slumbering and collecting a hoard of his own. The huge drake could have no better place to sleep than in a nation that adored him. Shining cleared his throat, and his magic reached for the glass of ale next to him. The crystalline mug was carved with images of shieldmaiden mares — a tradition Equestria was foreign with. The Equestrian Royal Guard, his proud EUP, was unified and traditionally for anypony who identified as male. At least in his days. For decades, Luna had worked to completely overhaul the legionary unity and mostly-male force — diverse new magics, armor types, fighting methods, and everything state of the art ruled. The military he once knew was gone, and could no longer even be called the EUP. Non-ponies had been allowed in the royal guard for the first time under Luna's orders, and now all genders could be drafted in times of crisis instead of just stalli— err, males. He sipped his drink calmly, the only thoughts on his mind being the taste of ale, a dislike of hospitals, and how he savored every moment out of them... ...and of course... ...Cadance. She would be on his mind often — forever and always — especially if there was a world where they were divine. She was his wife, his one and only, his love. She was a demigod too, with a centuries-long lifespan. She was going to live beyond a normal pony's two hundred years. Sometimes he thought about that. Sometimes a bit too often. Maybe today was one of those days. "Dear," Shining said when Cadance still hadn't played anything, "is something wrong?" Cadance's purple eyes were now trained on him, with the barest hint of concern that he could recognize before anypony else when he saw her look like that. "No, Shiny. Just haven't thought of what I wanted to play." She pats the face of the guitar with a forehoof and lets the sound sink in. "Are you feeling okay?" "Mm-hmm, yes dear." It wasn't a mumble but he spoke quietly and quickly enough. Shining Armor took another sip. It was a slow day; a day to relax and savor laziness. He was no Twily, but he'd have to work out the knots of his thoughts some other time. Maybe later. He watched as Cadance scrunched up her muzzle. "Are you sure you're doing okay, Prince Brooding Armor?" Shining sighed. "Yes, Candybutt—" A hoof thumped the guitar in surprise. "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" his wife shrieked. Shining felt himself smile, and it occurred to him that was the first smile he had given all morning. To Cadance. To himself. And then he heard a quick guffaw die in his throat and a giggle. He mouthed 'Candybutt' in her direction, and she plucked a couple of guitar strings in irritation. Her muzzle still scrunched as sunbeams danced across it, casting stripes of light along her pink coat. Another guffaw escaped Shining, sounding half like a cough. But he was smiling as he did so. His horn lit up with his magenta aura, and he scratched his mostly gray beard. Did they need any words for moments like this? He didn't think so. Cadance smiled at him again, for what must've been the twentieth time this morning, and the gesture was still sweet. "You know what? I think, I know what I'm going to play—" Shining's smile stuck. "You do? What's it going to be, eh?" "Why don't you wait and see?" Cadance poked her tongue out at him and Shining even heard himself snicker. Today was certainly shaping up alright, wasn't it? "Fine," he said, voice oozing unsubtle mock-impatience, "keep me waiting forever." For a split second, there was a slice of silence between them that both understood. Then earnest, bubbly laughter from Shining's teasing wife was the only noise around them. "You won't be waiting forever," Cadance mutters, her cheerfulness unabashed by the slight slip, but there's still a sigh in her voice. Around them, the pause stretches, flowing thickly between them in the crystal-walled parlor. Shining wonders what shrewd Skyla will be doing this cold morning in her wing of the castle. Once his Empress Cadance retires, she will be able to step up and rule. Must his daughter really be the Crystalline sovereign so soon? He still remembered when she would canter out into the chill of sunrise snowdrifts right after breakfast as a little filly. Maybe he only thought it was a little cold today, even after all his years in the Empire. Cadance splits the silence with a hum and his name. "Shiny?" "Mhm?" "Are you gonna listen?" His smile is still there. "Yes, Cady, I'm all ears." From across the room, a burst of blue aura tugs at his mane. Cady pulls at the lock as she shoots him a stink eye that Shining Armor always thinks would be more natural on Luna, since Cadance always makes it look too playful. She then adjusts the guitar in her forehooves and leans back against the walls that Shining often found to be chilly even now, and the white outside the window acted as her backdrop. "Anyway," she said, posed over her guitar, "here's—" "Cady," Shining said, blue eyes lighting up and foalish whimsy causing his ears to prick forward — though not nearly as quickly as they used to. "Look outside." She turned around, mouth opening, and the breath of a question never spoken fogging the window. But Cady smiled a little wider when she saw the new snowflakes falling toward the ground below, dusting their empire with an enchanting layer of white. High above them, the Empire's aurora lit up the daytime snow with all the colors of the world brought to their cherished home. Author's Note [Revised on 11/26/2020 for print] Chapter 3: True Love Waits (Just For You)Shining Armor was not a stallion to sit by and contemplate the stars. Like most of Equestria, he barely gave them a second glance... or, at least that was the way things used to be. Ever since the First Longest Night, there was a night culture to Equestria that hadn't been there before. Astronomers, astrologers, night-painters, other artists, musers, poets, and more flocked to the quiet night hours that the day's social butterflies lacked. His days as a guard carried reminders of the cultured parties that would spring up. The light from such events seeped from buildings, only to be drowned by the shadows. Still, he wasn't one for stargazing, and he never thought to ask himself why that was. Even as a member of the royal guard, he found better distractions on night shifts than the sky, like daring a buddy to lick a lamppost on a chilly night, or whistling along with park crickets on a warm one. There were ponies like Twily, who had always relished in the daylight tried to understand the darker times merely by drifting to different lights — the stars — with all the logic of the daytime world. She measured, charted, and squinted at the pinpoints of light that were stars. It was as though she could understand them without imagination or any thoughts beyond charts, rules, and all orderly things. For the longest time, Shining Armor had never been like that. He didn't wonder about star-crossed things, and he didn't ponder constellations. It hadn't ever been a habit, to stay out late and just look out at the night in silence before. And now? Being a different nation entirely from Equestria, and predating it by thousands of years and more, the Empire's different culture never had an era that shunned the night. This resulted in the Crystalline subjects — even right after they were returned — to have a far more balanced culture than even modern Equestria. Crystal ponies had never lacked an active nightlife and night-culture to complement those of the day. Somehow, Shining Armor found a little bit of himself swept up in that after all his time here. Could anything else be expected when ruling over ponies so different than those he was raised with? Now they were so familiar to him, and he knew them almost as closely as he did his wife and daughter. Here he was, standing out on the same balcony he observed his first Crystal Fair from, quietly looking up at an indigo sky studded with stars and the tri-colored ribbons of the Northern Lights, produced from the Crystal Heart itself. Only since the Second Longest Night had the sky really been made a masterpiece truly worthy of being called the heavens. With a dark, lonesome sky like this filled with chill and isolation, maybe that's why the crystal ponies were never afraid. Sure, the coats of a true crystal pony were resistant to most of the Arctic cold in ways that even the hardiness of the pegasi of the south could not compare to. They sat here, with the stretch of space yawning above them — something the slightly earlier nights exaggerated — and they were on top of the world. How could they not revel in this? Only Yakyakistan and the odd snow dragon lived farther north than they! As a colt helping a young Twily set up more than one Junior Astronomer telescope kit, the stars had always looked so far away from where they twinkled in the sky. Those stars hadn't grown closer to him in the years since — the Crystal Empire just gave that gift. Lately, he'd been staring at them a lot. They were balls of fire and gas millions of miles away, if his tired mind was correct. That was what Luna and the recent scientific breakthroughs she patronized claimed. No god he knew ruled the stars, and if one did and really could, they were not of this world — his world. Luna, the Reapers, Discord, and all the other gods could not govern the stars or shape them. Every one of those stars and each possible world drifting around it was just as mortal as he was — at least compared to the divine. Mortal. No matter how silent the night would seem, thoughts that he previously gave no mind to had a way of roping themselves into Shining Armor's mind and staying there. That was a frequent occurence, and he felt the echoes of it often. To dwell upon mortality was to acknowledge that it was an existence defined by limitations — Luna had told him that once, on one of the many times she told him how alien and unrelatable the marriage 'his kind' had with death was. He liked to be matter-of-fact about the whole thing, so he'd narrow it down to naught but facts. Nothing but those indisputable things were allowed to trouble him. Things were better that way. Shining Armor knew death was natural for mortal beings. Shining Armor knew that ponies only lived two-hundred and thirty-some years maximum if they weren't demigods, thus enjoying a solid maximum lifespan. Shining Armor thought about living longer, but his ability to process that stopped eventually. Shining Armor did not want to live forever — his ability to come close to comprehending that was non-existent, except for the vaguest slice of fear built somewhere deep in him. Every time he looked at Luna, and laid eyes upon the Equestrian ruler, he would want to ask what being eternal was like, but never could. He didn't know how she could rejoice in that, and he couldn't begin to comprehend what it would be like to watch worlds wither underhoof as ages passed, remembering everything and every creature without time's perceptions playing with her immortal mind. When it came to gods, was ten centuries was no more to bear than ten seconds, no matter how many billions of years had passed? Though, he was only assuming that the last one was correct. With Luna, he made many assumptions; she was a private mare and more. He couldn't ever get that; he didn't ever want that. Such an experience was truly mind-boggling, but there were some occasions, where he would stand near her — never next to her — and try to look into eyes he could never understand. Of course, he only did so for only as long was polite. He never could bear longer than that. Then, Shining Armor would have to use all his will to see as much of her as he could understand, for she kept so much hidden, and he struggled with not asking her how she wasn't the loneliest creature in all the world. But he never did. Maybe she could see it in his eyes. Knowing Luna, she probably already knew. She just never said anything. Thankfully, he didn't either. Sometimes, it was impossible for Shining Armor to be around Luna, no matter how well she got along with Cadance. She was a cold mare, a mare he could never read, and when he looked at her he saw this alien equine and not a mare's body. Luna was quiet. She was more terrifying than beautiful to him, and he knew that she would outlive every star that would ever be, and Luna did too. She never hid it, and somehow that gave Luna Galaxia a power that her sister never had because Celestia never stopped feeling like a pony over an Alicorn. Luna was the only one who ever made Shining Armor feel like a child after all his years, and she did it without even trying. Here he was, standing out under the sky and feeling the faint chill of what was, without a doubt, Luna's night. His thoughts were on the stars. No matter how many there would be, it would always be Luna — and those like her — whose being was vaster. Looking at them made him feel young, but thinking about them made him feel old. Maybe he was used to it, at least in the way time softened most all things. The soft touch of feathers draped over his back and hugging his withers, pulling him toward the warm lover who he had quietly allowed to sneak up to him was something he was used to as well. "You're going to be drained in the morning, Shiny," Cadance whispered, nuzzling him softly with her velvety muzzle. Shining cracked a smile out of instinct. "Yes, dear, I know... I just can't sleep." Cadance didn't reply immediately, but eventually, Shining heard her whispering gently in his ear again. "A bit for your thoughts?" Nuzzling Cadance, Shining mulled over what his reply would be and how he would communicate everything in his mind to Cady. He knew she would understand. They often always knew when something was on the other's mind, but it was hard to guess what. "You... Cady... I won't have much longer — with you." There was no question to it. The old stallion sighed and the night winds ran through his faded beard. "And..." He paused, trying to think of what fits best, what came next in a sequence instead of cursing how eloquent not-so-little Twily could be, and that he still fumbled so. "And?" Cadance prompted gently. Her purple eyes gleamed in the dark, reflecting all the glimmers of the crystal around them, and starlight too. "...I was thinking about how everypony but them—" Cadance's quizzical stare begged for elaboration. "—gods, that is, are going to outlast all the stars... and even though you're no goddess—" In retaliation, the demigod mare booped her tired husband upon his muzzle suddenly. When he laughed softly, she smiled, and for that moment, everything was certainly quite peaceful. But Shining had to break that barrier if he wanted to get anywhere. "...You're still going to outlast me..." And with that, the silence resumed between them, heavily weighing upon both husband and wife. As it rolled on, Shining's heartbeat played in his ears, a nervous repeat that he hadn't heard in a long time. Cold sweat touched his brow and he prepared to say whatever words of heartfelt consolation popped into his mind first but- Cadance sucked in a shaky breath first and looked at Shining Armor with a shimmer of worry and melancholy bared to him in her eyes. Even in the dark, he knew that the sudden sorrow of his wife that was so plain to him was all his fault. "Cady..." he began, his own eyes wide and his body teetering with each step backward from every guilty thought on his mind. "Cady, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that-" Ugh, was that really the best he could do right now? That was the excuse of some love-addled colt, not a stallion of his station who really cared about such a noble wife, one who had been as loyal to her husband as he was to her. "Would you wait?" His ears pricked forward to catch the sound of that melodious, mournful whisper. Had he heard right? The soft rustle of fabric could be heard and the next thing Shining Armor knew, Cadance's purple mantle was draped around him and that same soft muzzle was nuzzling his cheek sadly. Two long, familiar forelegs wrapped around him, pulling him into a hug that was warmer than the mantle's fabric. "Would you wait for me?" Cadance whispered into his mane. Wait for her... Right then and there, Shining Armor wanted to bring a forehoof to his face. Of course, of course. How could he think about the whole thing like that, shoving everything into such a conventional box? He would be the one to die first. He would be the one leaving her. Shining Armor would be the waiting one. It was Cadance who would be yearning for the after-realm of Paradise. Finally reciprocating the embrace, Shining Armor pulls his empress, his wife, and his Cadance into a hug. All the while, he runs a forehoof through her candy-colored curls, whose colors he knew in the dark even if he could not see them. "Of course, Cady. I'll wait just for you." She nodded quietly, pulling him closer and they both turned their gazes to the stars in silence, waiting for morning to come. "I always will." Author's Note It wouldn't be a story be me without some kind of reminder of mortality. [Revised for print on 11/26/2020]
Chapter 1: True Love Waits (For You to Get Up)The short, multicolored curls of Empress Cadance's bob-cut spilled out across the pillow. The waves of her mane were between regal and cascading, despite their short length. She listened to the sound of icy winds outside, whooshing through the streets of her Empire. She whistled along with the haunting melody, although she did so softly. Her tune was merrier than the sound of the storm outside; she'd no doubt picked up suck a joyous ditty from one of the many mead halls in the Empire. The storm was not a savage one, but Cadance knew that when it stopped there would be shoveling, snowball fights, and cocoa stands set up. The crystal ponies would be talking in the streets or watching the snowfall from their windows. School time for foals would be delayed because of the morning's white wonderland blankets, and she would have her kingdom no other way. Cadance smiled a little at the thought of foals, and like the snow outside, her thoughts drifted with her mood. First, they briefly went to her tiara, which rested on the nearby nightstand, but the flurry quickly strayed. This time, her mind turned to the castle. She thought of mornings, of a grand table set for three, and breakfasts of things both Equestrian in nature, like pancakes. Yet, all her time up north with her love and made it effortless for her to weave more native Crystalline aspects into their meals. The kitchen staff knew how to prepare dishes of their heritage more effortlessly than foreign food, and Cadance and Shining Armor's daughter thought that Equestria's cuisine was the foreign one. Mostly, she thought of Skyla among the dripping sounds of the room. The princess of the slowly growing Crystal Empire had been in power for over fifty years, growing into a capable mare who aided her empress mother and sweet father in their rule. Lying there, still trying to blink away tiredness, Cadance smiled a bit wider, and the gesture was still soft from sleep. Skyla would be up right now, already seeing to the first of her royal duties. Her mother knew that her daughter would surely be sneaking in a few extra bits of preening when nopony was watching on this cold, slow, sleepy morning. Such were the habits of the ambitious Princess Somber Skies. Sunlight was already slipping through the window, not longer dancing like it used to, but that was not much of a surprise when Cadance thought of who was raising it. Instead, she let her early morning thoughts drift back to her daughter, who could fly through the snow with an impressive strength for a pegasus, which was needed in a nation where the weather could not be domesticated by any mortal powers. Skyla was one of the few pegasi who lived this far north, and had a sharp mind instead of magic like a unicorn, demigod, Alicorn, or some other creature. By the time she had been a teenager, Princess 'Skyla' Somber Skies had been the one speaking over the advisor, Silver Lining, on matters about the home. Nothing made Cadance's heart feel such joy as knowing her only foal loved her kingdom as much as any crystal pony. Yes, Skyla would be done with breakfast now. To be late was to not be her, not when punctuality was in Skyla's bones. She was such a good girl, sort of. There was always a scheming, coy, and nearly sharp side to her that so many Equestrians found off-putting. Especially when facing the cool, reserved, yet sociable princess; she was too odd a blend for their soft, herd-driven sensibilities. She was very unlike her mother, with a small smirk-ish smile as smooth as her voice, a sweetly frosty demeanor, and an occasional snide quip. Cadance's daughter was the kind of mare who kept an impressive record of all the little deeds she saw you do when you weren't watching - and, of course, Skyla knew what she could get out of everything. The damn filly was already a proper politician long before she got her cutie mark. Everypony who never knew better — like a certain demigod aunt she never grew close to — thought she would be a mane stylist or clever designer like her quill-pal, Qilin. They were the ponies who hadn't known that it was Skyla who led the impossibly pure and fillyish Qilin off on this little scheme and that in the days they used to share together. Then. much to everypony's surprise, she grew up. Now, Skyla always stood with a quiet pride next to her brave, honorable, funny, level-headed father. It was Shining Armor whose love of his family was an almost amusing contrast to the vague, quiet arrogance that his daughter possessed. How she, the filly with thick tresses of stormy, dark gray-blue pinned away from her face was ready to face the world still mystified Cadance at times. She had grown from collecting unique mane clips to having a slim build like her bubbly, outgoing, and cheerful demigod mother. And yet, it was Cadance who was the one who really didn't want to get out of bed right now, and only just managed to reach up with a forehoof and rub the sleep from her lavender eyes. Cadance gave a small yawn, and gave the radiant ceiling mosaic one last look. The sun's light was still playing across it nicely. Then, she carefully sat up. An array of routine dripping sounds had been like a clock ticking through the night, though the I.V. hadn't had the same rhythm. Carefully, Cadance pulled her purple mantle closer around her, shivering slightly. The faux fur was warm enough. Still, there were some days still made her long for the southern nation she once called home, but only a little. One day Equestria stopped being her home, even if it never stopped being Shining Armor's. He was the All-Equestrian Colt somewhere in his heart still, but Cadance's own belonged to the Crystal Empire now. The hospital room had a subtle luster; the crystal floors and walls reflected faint silhouettes in all their facets. In them, Cadance was able to glimpse her form in blurs of pink. The rest of the room was shown in gleams and smudges of reflections in soothing hues: rose, purple, and blue were the predominant colors. Reflections of silver metal frames from the hospital bed could be glimpsed next to the few pieces of art hanging up. While Equestria had taken strides in recent years to make hospitals a place of healing via artistic presence too, the Crystal Empire's facilities had always done so. In the gorgeous designs were many figures familiar to the Crystal Ponies. The legends of their heritage, now revived, were vividly captured in watercolors. Within the plain frames, painted in pastels were the distant and simplified visages of long-gone Crystalline Alicorns, immortals of the past so unlike the fabled mortal Empress who viewed their modern rendition with such sleepy eyes. No Equestrian-bred resident other than Cadance herself would recognize what these figures were supposed to represent. However, ax-bearing crystal ponies, woad-streaked coats, rune-carved crystal pillars, and chain mail were heroes known to many. Cadance knew them better once, when then-young Skyla told her dear mother what she thought of the stories her father read her. Cadance always was up late, or asleep early. She always loved hearing how he could name every champion to his daughter. Little Skyla was the one who recounted the tales of fearsome boats and the mysterious, shadowy tales of the equally enigmatic Ouroboros. That story was one of her favorites: the tale of a serpent of shadow once said to be doomed to control the Empire — as said by the departed prophet-Alicorn queen Ezmeralda. Even now, Cadance thought there were better things to talk about over breakfast than apocalyptic fantasies. She was usually quick to agree with Shining Armor about hoofball, ice archery, hockey, and other things that only held so much of young Skyla's attention. Those were years she treasured. Cadance brought a forehoof to her mussed mane and yawned. Loudly. She stretched her wings gingerly but thoroughly, not wanting to disturb her husband slumbering beside her. No matter how late he had started waking, Shining Armor still needed his rest with such frequent hospital visits. "Shiny?" Cadance whispered, reaching out a youthful pink foreleg to better maneuver under the blankets. She prodded the shape of a sleeping stallion, whose century-old white coat had faded with time. Battle scars from old conflict marked his withers, sides, and legs. "You awake yet?" A tail of happy blue streaked with a lot of gray swiped out from under the covers. In response, a smile spread across Cadance's face. "Still sleepy?" A leg kicked out from the covers, playfully and a bit clumsily. There was a noticeable amount of feebleness there too. Another tug of the much-loved mantle again. It wasn't cold now, Cadance just liked the royal purple garment. "Alright, if you're going to be so stubborn, maybe I won't be getting you any scrambled eggs with your breakfast. You're only going to be getting those little Prancian toast sticks and hay bacon if you keep that up." And from under the hospital bed's blankets was a groan. "Cady," a tired voice rasped, "you wouldn't really do that, would you, dear?" Cadance's smile remained, and she wasted no time in leaning forward to wrap the blanketed figure in a hug. Her mantle fell over the sterile, wrinkled blankets that had been crinkled by Shining's movement. "I'll get us the biggest, best breakfasts, yo! The nurses say that the pancakes are super-duper good, and we're only going to be here for two weeks this time, Shiny! Just think of all the yummy breakfast rotations we'll get to try!" Cadance beamed at him. Shining Armor, prince of the Crystal Empire, snored a little. He managed a yawn that Cadance's many years of marriage to him had taught her the meaning of: It's Saturday, Cady. Lemme sleep. She did, lit her horn with her soft blue aura, and was careful to close the door quietly on her way out. Author's Note Chapter 1/3 [Revised for print on 11/26/2020]
Chapter 2: True Love Waits (To See Your Smile)Cadance's hoof tapped the face of her sky blue acoustic guitar absentmindedly. She owned many instruments, since she took care to ensure that royal status didn't rob her of beloved hobbies. Shining knew she would own many more — including some that he would never see — but this guitar was quite new, and it was not the same as the usual bass she liked to play. Lighting her horn with a similar shade of blue, she plucked at a few strings and ran the arcane energy through her short-cropped curls. Even this far north, the noon sun hit them at just the right angle, illuminating the blonde streaks in it just right, and Shining liked that. Reminders of the land he once called home could be found anywhere, and often where he least expected. How could he not savor such treasures? The sports were different. Here, jousting was all the rage, and ice hockey was too. Stories and legends lacked the elusive Starswirl the Bearded that many foals had whispered about with excitement — a lone sorcerer, a mystery, and even Twily no longer spoke of her old idol. In the Crystal Empire, their great heroes were Crystal Alicorns, gleaming ponies of the past, Cadance, Shining himself, and Spike. And Spike? He now slept deep in the Gemheart Mountains caves, slumbering and collecting a hoard of his own. The huge drake could have no better place to sleep than in a nation that adored him. Shining cleared his throat, and his magic reached for the glass of ale next to him. The crystalline mug was carved with images of shieldmaiden mares — a tradition Equestria was foreign with. The Equestrian Royal Guard, his proud EUP, was unified and traditionally for anypony who identified as male. At least in his days. For decades, Luna had worked to completely overhaul the legionary unity and mostly-male force — diverse new magics, armor types, fighting methods, and everything state of the art ruled. The military he once knew was gone, and could no longer even be called the EUP. Non-ponies had been allowed in the royal guard for the first time under Luna's orders, and now all genders could be drafted in times of crisis instead of just stalli— err, males. He sipped his drink calmly, the only thoughts on his mind being the taste of ale, a dislike of hospitals, and how he savored every moment out of them... ...and of course... ...Cadance. She would be on his mind often — forever and always — especially if there was a world where they were divine. She was his wife, his one and only, his love. She was a demigod too, with a centuries-long lifespan. She was going to live beyond a normal pony's two hundred years. Sometimes he thought about that. Sometimes a bit too often. Maybe today was one of those days. "Dear," Shining said when Cadance still hadn't played anything, "is something wrong?" Cadance's purple eyes were now trained on him, with the barest hint of concern that he could recognize before anypony else when he saw her look like that. "No, Shiny. Just haven't thought of what I wanted to play." She pats the face of the guitar with a forehoof and lets the sound sink in. "Are you feeling okay?" "Mm-hmm, yes dear." It wasn't a mumble but he spoke quietly and quickly enough. Shining Armor took another sip. It was a slow day; a day to relax and savor laziness. He was no Twily, but he'd have to work out the knots of his thoughts some other time. Maybe later. He watched as Cadance scrunched up her muzzle. "Are you sure you're doing okay, Prince Brooding Armor?" Shining sighed. "Yes, Candybutt—" A hoof thumped the guitar in surprise. "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" his wife shrieked. Shining felt himself smile, and it occurred to him that was the first smile he had given all morning. To Cadance. To himself. And then he heard a quick guffaw die in his throat and a giggle. He mouthed 'Candybutt' in her direction, and she plucked a couple of guitar strings in irritation. Her muzzle still scrunched as sunbeams danced across it, casting stripes of light along her pink coat. Another guffaw escaped Shining, sounding half like a cough. But he was smiling as he did so. His horn lit up with his magenta aura, and he scratched his mostly gray beard. Did they need any words for moments like this? He didn't think so. Cadance smiled at him again, for what must've been the twentieth time this morning, and the gesture was still sweet. "You know what? I think, I know what I'm going to play—" Shining's smile stuck. "You do? What's it going to be, eh?" "Why don't you wait and see?" Cadance poked her tongue out at him and Shining even heard himself snicker. Today was certainly shaping up alright, wasn't it? "Fine," he said, voice oozing unsubtle mock-impatience, "keep me waiting forever." For a split second, there was a slice of silence between them that both understood. Then earnest, bubbly laughter from Shining's teasing wife was the only noise around them. "You won't be waiting forever," Cadance mutters, her cheerfulness unabashed by the slight slip, but there's still a sigh in her voice. Around them, the pause stretches, flowing thickly between them in the crystal-walled parlor. Shining wonders what shrewd Skyla will be doing this cold morning in her wing of the castle. Once his Empress Cadance retires, she will be able to step up and rule. Must his daughter really be the Crystalline sovereign so soon? He still remembered when she would canter out into the chill of sunrise snowdrifts right after breakfast as a little filly. Maybe he only thought it was a little cold today, even after all his years in the Empire. Cadance splits the silence with a hum and his name. "Shiny?" "Mhm?" "Are you gonna listen?" His smile is still there. "Yes, Cady, I'm all ears." From across the room, a burst of blue aura tugs at his mane. Cady pulls at the lock as she shoots him a stink eye that Shining Armor always thinks would be more natural on Luna, since Cadance always makes it look too playful. She then adjusts the guitar in her forehooves and leans back against the walls that Shining often found to be chilly even now, and the white outside the window acted as her backdrop. "Anyway," she said, posed over her guitar, "here's—" "Cady," Shining said, blue eyes lighting up and foalish whimsy causing his ears to prick forward — though not nearly as quickly as they used to. "Look outside." She turned around, mouth opening, and the breath of a question never spoken fogging the window. But Cady smiled a little wider when she saw the new snowflakes falling toward the ground below, dusting their empire with an enchanting layer of white. High above them, the Empire's aurora lit up the daytime snow with all the colors of the world brought to their cherished home. Author's Note [Revised on 11/26/2020 for print]
Chapter 3: True Love Waits (Just For You)Shining Armor was not a stallion to sit by and contemplate the stars. Like most of Equestria, he barely gave them a second glance... or, at least that was the way things used to be. Ever since the First Longest Night, there was a night culture to Equestria that hadn't been there before. Astronomers, astrologers, night-painters, other artists, musers, poets, and more flocked to the quiet night hours that the day's social butterflies lacked. His days as a guard carried reminders of the cultured parties that would spring up. The light from such events seeped from buildings, only to be drowned by the shadows. Still, he wasn't one for stargazing, and he never thought to ask himself why that was. Even as a member of the royal guard, he found better distractions on night shifts than the sky, like daring a buddy to lick a lamppost on a chilly night, or whistling along with park crickets on a warm one. There were ponies like Twily, who had always relished in the daylight tried to understand the darker times merely by drifting to different lights — the stars — with all the logic of the daytime world. She measured, charted, and squinted at the pinpoints of light that were stars. It was as though she could understand them without imagination or any thoughts beyond charts, rules, and all orderly things. For the longest time, Shining Armor had never been like that. He didn't wonder about star-crossed things, and he didn't ponder constellations. It hadn't ever been a habit, to stay out late and just look out at the night in silence before. And now? Being a different nation entirely from Equestria, and predating it by thousands of years and more, the Empire's different culture never had an era that shunned the night. This resulted in the Crystalline subjects — even right after they were returned — to have a far more balanced culture than even modern Equestria. Crystal ponies had never lacked an active nightlife and night-culture to complement those of the day. Somehow, Shining Armor found a little bit of himself swept up in that after all his time here. Could anything else be expected when ruling over ponies so different than those he was raised with? Now they were so familiar to him, and he knew them almost as closely as he did his wife and daughter. Here he was, standing out on the same balcony he observed his first Crystal Fair from, quietly looking up at an indigo sky studded with stars and the tri-colored ribbons of the Northern Lights, produced from the Crystal Heart itself. Only since the Second Longest Night had the sky really been made a masterpiece truly worthy of being called the heavens. With a dark, lonesome sky like this filled with chill and isolation, maybe that's why the crystal ponies were never afraid. Sure, the coats of a true crystal pony were resistant to most of the Arctic cold in ways that even the hardiness of the pegasi of the south could not compare to. They sat here, with the stretch of space yawning above them — something the slightly earlier nights exaggerated — and they were on top of the world. How could they not revel in this? Only Yakyakistan and the odd snow dragon lived farther north than they! As a colt helping a young Twily set up more than one Junior Astronomer telescope kit, the stars had always looked so far away from where they twinkled in the sky. Those stars hadn't grown closer to him in the years since — the Crystal Empire just gave that gift. Lately, he'd been staring at them a lot. They were balls of fire and gas millions of miles away, if his tired mind was correct. That was what Luna and the recent scientific breakthroughs she patronized claimed. No god he knew ruled the stars, and if one did and really could, they were not of this world — his world. Luna, the Reapers, Discord, and all the other gods could not govern the stars or shape them. Every one of those stars and each possible world drifting around it was just as mortal as he was — at least compared to the divine. Mortal. No matter how silent the night would seem, thoughts that he previously gave no mind to had a way of roping themselves into Shining Armor's mind and staying there. That was a frequent occurence, and he felt the echoes of it often. To dwell upon mortality was to acknowledge that it was an existence defined by limitations — Luna had told him that once, on one of the many times she told him how alien and unrelatable the marriage 'his kind' had with death was. He liked to be matter-of-fact about the whole thing, so he'd narrow it down to naught but facts. Nothing but those indisputable things were allowed to trouble him. Things were better that way. Shining Armor knew death was natural for mortal beings. Shining Armor knew that ponies only lived two-hundred and thirty-some years maximum if they weren't demigods, thus enjoying a solid maximum lifespan. Shining Armor thought about living longer, but his ability to process that stopped eventually. Shining Armor did not want to live forever — his ability to come close to comprehending that was non-existent, except for the vaguest slice of fear built somewhere deep in him. Every time he looked at Luna, and laid eyes upon the Equestrian ruler, he would want to ask what being eternal was like, but never could. He didn't know how she could rejoice in that, and he couldn't begin to comprehend what it would be like to watch worlds wither underhoof as ages passed, remembering everything and every creature without time's perceptions playing with her immortal mind. When it came to gods, was ten centuries was no more to bear than ten seconds, no matter how many billions of years had passed? Though, he was only assuming that the last one was correct. With Luna, he made many assumptions; she was a private mare and more. He couldn't ever get that; he didn't ever want that. Such an experience was truly mind-boggling, but there were some occasions, where he would stand near her — never next to her — and try to look into eyes he could never understand. Of course, he only did so for only as long was polite. He never could bear longer than that. Then, Shining Armor would have to use all his will to see as much of her as he could understand, for she kept so much hidden, and he struggled with not asking her how she wasn't the loneliest creature in all the world. But he never did. Maybe she could see it in his eyes. Knowing Luna, she probably already knew. She just never said anything. Thankfully, he didn't either. Sometimes, it was impossible for Shining Armor to be around Luna, no matter how well she got along with Cadance. She was a cold mare, a mare he could never read, and when he looked at her he saw this alien equine and not a mare's body. Luna was quiet. She was more terrifying than beautiful to him, and he knew that she would outlive every star that would ever be, and Luna did too. She never hid it, and somehow that gave Luna Galaxia a power that her sister never had because Celestia never stopped feeling like a pony over an Alicorn. Luna was the only one who ever made Shining Armor feel like a child after all his years, and she did it without even trying. Here he was, standing out under the sky and feeling the faint chill of what was, without a doubt, Luna's night. His thoughts were on the stars. No matter how many there would be, it would always be Luna — and those like her — whose being was vaster. Looking at them made him feel young, but thinking about them made him feel old. Maybe he was used to it, at least in the way time softened most all things. The soft touch of feathers draped over his back and hugging his withers, pulling him toward the warm lover who he had quietly allowed to sneak up to him was something he was used to as well. "You're going to be drained in the morning, Shiny," Cadance whispered, nuzzling him softly with her velvety muzzle. Shining cracked a smile out of instinct. "Yes, dear, I know... I just can't sleep." Cadance didn't reply immediately, but eventually, Shining heard her whispering gently in his ear again. "A bit for your thoughts?" Nuzzling Cadance, Shining mulled over what his reply would be and how he would communicate everything in his mind to Cady. He knew she would understand. They often always knew when something was on the other's mind, but it was hard to guess what. "You... Cady... I won't have much longer — with you." There was no question to it. The old stallion sighed and the night winds ran through his faded beard. "And..." He paused, trying to think of what fits best, what came next in a sequence instead of cursing how eloquent not-so-little Twily could be, and that he still fumbled so. "And?" Cadance prompted gently. Her purple eyes gleamed in the dark, reflecting all the glimmers of the crystal around them, and starlight too. "...I was thinking about how everypony but them—" Cadance's quizzical stare begged for elaboration. "—gods, that is, are going to outlast all the stars... and even though you're no goddess—" In retaliation, the demigod mare booped her tired husband upon his muzzle suddenly. When he laughed softly, she smiled, and for that moment, everything was certainly quite peaceful. But Shining had to break that barrier if he wanted to get anywhere. "...You're still going to outlast me..." And with that, the silence resumed between them, heavily weighing upon both husband and wife. As it rolled on, Shining's heartbeat played in his ears, a nervous repeat that he hadn't heard in a long time. Cold sweat touched his brow and he prepared to say whatever words of heartfelt consolation popped into his mind first but- Cadance sucked in a shaky breath first and looked at Shining Armor with a shimmer of worry and melancholy bared to him in her eyes. Even in the dark, he knew that the sudden sorrow of his wife that was so plain to him was all his fault. "Cady..." he began, his own eyes wide and his body teetering with each step backward from every guilty thought on his mind. "Cady, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that-" Ugh, was that really the best he could do right now? That was the excuse of some love-addled colt, not a stallion of his station who really cared about such a noble wife, one who had been as loyal to her husband as he was to her. "Would you wait?" His ears pricked forward to catch the sound of that melodious, mournful whisper. Had he heard right? The soft rustle of fabric could be heard and the next thing Shining Armor knew, Cadance's purple mantle was draped around him and that same soft muzzle was nuzzling his cheek sadly. Two long, familiar forelegs wrapped around him, pulling him into a hug that was warmer than the mantle's fabric. "Would you wait for me?" Cadance whispered into his mane. Wait for her... Right then and there, Shining Armor wanted to bring a forehoof to his face. Of course, of course. How could he think about the whole thing like that, shoving everything into such a conventional box? He would be the one to die first. He would be the one leaving her. Shining Armor would be the waiting one. It was Cadance who would be yearning for the after-realm of Paradise. Finally reciprocating the embrace, Shining Armor pulls his empress, his wife, and his Cadance into a hug. All the while, he runs a forehoof through her candy-colored curls, whose colors he knew in the dark even if he could not see them. "Of course, Cady. I'll wait just for you." She nodded quietly, pulling him closer and they both turned their gazes to the stars in silence, waiting for morning to come. "I always will." Author's Note It wouldn't be a story be me without some kind of reminder of mortality. [Revised for print on 11/26/2020]
