I - To Be Young and Carefree
Cadence sat on the park bench, looking out over the quaint little grass patch that was known as "Canterlot Park." It was a small area on the far side of the city, located in the center of the more modest houses. Few, if any nobility actually knew about the park's existance, and even fewer actually visited it. Seeing royalty such as her there was a rare sight. Being a princess, she could have been in the royal gardens even. But, the young filly she was accompanying insisted that they play in this specific park. So there she sat, on a park bench in "Canterlot Park" watching the young, brilliant Twilight Sparkle fool around in the grass with a few other foals.
The Princess of Love smiled at the sight. Little Twily was so cute, so carefree. She was glad that Celestia had given her the task of raising her.
Twilight Sparkle's parents were both noble scholars. Her mother was a scribe and writer for the Academy, while her father was the high astronomer. Unfortunately, these two jobs meant that they had little free time to be home, and thus, their daughter needed somepony else to nurture her. Cadence was the one for that task, it seemed.
Cadence was jolted out of her reminiscence by the little lavender blur running up to her. "Cady! Cady!" it shouted.
"What is it, Twilight?" replied Cadence, smiling down at the filly's enthusiasm.
Twilight wrapped her surprisingly strong magic around once of the alicorn's forelegs and tugged. "Comere!"
Cadence chuckled and stood, following Twilight over to whatever it was she wanted to show her. Once again she got swept up in her memories of her time with the filly, and how much she looked forward the time she got to spend with her. This little filly was so full of pure love and adoration, and she always wanted to learn something new. Nothing at all seemed to be able to get in her way. And Cadence liked that. She found herself almost drawn towards Twilight, like a moth to a flame. Cadence was the Princess of Love and Twilight was like a beacon of love for her to follow.
"Look Cady!" Stirred from her thoughts again, the alicorn looked at what Twilight was trying to show her. The small filly had leaf aloft in her lavender glow, and on it was a bright blue caterpillar. The small bug was happily munching away at the vegetation, and paid no mind to the two giant ponies inspecting it.
"Nadata Gibbosa," Twilight recited. "They're usually green, but every so often, a blue one like this pops up! They're really rare!"
Cadence smiled at Twilight's excitement. "It's very pretty," she said, not knowing much about any bugs herself.
"Almost like you, sweetheart!"
The interruption came some behind them. The pink princess turned to greet her coltfriend. "Shining Armor," she said. "You flatterer." She mocking brought a hoof up to her breast.
"Shiny!" Twilight cried, gently placing the caterpillar down and trotting up to him. "How did you know to find us here?" she asked, wrapping her forelegs around him.
"Oh," he said, winking at Cadence. "Just a hunch."
Cadence smiled at Shining, but felt a pang in her heart as she did so. She knew the reason why, but refused to acknowledge it. The idea was too absurd, too taboo. Cadence refused to believe that was the real reason behind it.
"Hey kiddo," she heard Shining Armor say. "How about we go get some ice cream?"
Twilight jumped up and down on all fours at the offer. "Yea! Let's go!"
Shining looked at Cadence expectedly. "You go on ahead," she said, answering his unspoken question. "I'm not really in the mood for ice cream right now. I'll just wait here." Her coltfriend gave her an odd look. "I'll be fine," she reassured him. Shrugging, Shining left with Twilight in tow, leaving Cadence alone by the park bench.
The two of them had been dating for months. Cadence knew that Shining loved her deeply, and she did love him back. But over these years of foalsitting Twilight, she had unexpectedly grown quite close to the young unicorn. And her heart told her that she loved her deeply.
Cadence stood, and slumped back into the wooden bench. She was the Princess of Love, the unchallenged monarch to decide what love was acceptable, and what love wasn't. In all her years of study and relations, she had always said that what she was feeling now was wrong. A mare her age should not be so... infatuated with a young foal like Twilight Sparkle.
It just wasn't right.
And yet, here she was. Sitting at a park bench, daydreaming about later that night when just her and Twilight could cuddle up in a bed, and Cadence could read her a bedtime story. Cadence would extend her wing over the small pony, and would lull her to sleep with her calm tone. Twilight would snuggle up against the down of her wings, and let out cute little snores.
Just the thought made Cadence smile to herself, only to grimace immediately afterwards. She slumped forwards, putting her head in her hooves. 'What is wrong with me?' she asked herself. 'Why do I like her that way, she's just a filly for Celestia's sake!'
The sounds of Twilight and Shining's cheerful banter reached her ears, and she looked up, seeing the brother and sister walking back towards her. Ice cream cones were aloft in each of their magical glows. Her eyes locked onto Twilight's innocent, loving smile, and her heart swelled.
Princess Cadence loved Twilight Sparkle, and there was nothing that could change that, no matter how hard anypony tried.
Cadence reclined on the couch, watching as Twilight recounted stories about their day to her big brother. The stories themselves really didn’t have any specific meaning, except for the fact that it was Twilight who was telling them. That is what made Cadence want to listen to them forever. Shining also felt the same way, but for different reasons. After all, there was no real reason to care about some random new fact except that it was Twilight who had learned it.
Twilight finished retelling the events of their day, and Shining smiled, ruffling her mane. "Alright kiddo," he said. "How about we get you off to bed, it's waaaay past your bedtime." Twilight pouted. "Cadence can read you a bedtime story!" he added, trying to entice her to go to bed. It worked. Twilight's features lit up at the prospect of hearing the pink alicorn read her a story.
Shining looked over to Cadence, as if to say 'she's all yours now,' and went off into the kitchen after giving Twilight a good-night hug. Twilight bounded over to the couch, looking up at Cadence expectedly. The alicorn smiled down at her. "Alright, let's go read a story!"
It wasn't long before the young unicorn was all tucked up in bed, with Cadence laying atop the covers beside her. Twilight's ears were perked up as she watched Cadence's face, listening intently to the story she was reading. The book held aloft in the light blue aura was one of Twilight's favorites, Flooded Hearts. It was about a princess who was trying to help a flooded town, and in doing so, fell in love with a pegasus.
The ending of the story approached, and Twilight couldn't help but feel upset as usual. Even though this was her favorite story, it felt as though she were missing something every time she read it. As Cadence said "The end," and closed the book softly, Twilight spoke up.
"Cady," she said timidly. "You're the Princess of Love, right?"
Cadence started, taken aback by the apparently obvious question. "Uh, yeah," she replied slowly. "Yeah, I am." She placed the book back in its place on the shelf, and focused her attention on the small filly in the bed next to her.
Twilight played with her hooves, picking at her fetlocks. "What's... what is it like to love somepony?" She finally looked up at Cadence, her violet eyes wide and watery.
The alicorn's heart threatened to stop at the sight. "Twilight," she said softly. "What do you mean?"
The young pony looked back down at her lap, sniffling. "Like you and Shiny, how you kiss and stuff, like in the book. What's it like?"
Cadence didn't know what to say. Being the Princess of Love, she probably should of. But she didn't, and that's what hurt the most.
The larger pony leaned down and nuzzled Twilight gently. "Well, Twily," she said softly. "Your parents love you, Shining Armor loves, Princess Celestia loves you, I l-love you." Cadence stumbled on the last part. "Loving another pony comes in many forms, some more... powerful? No, that isn't the right word..."
She felt Twilight press her head further against her neck, leaning into the affectionate nuzzle. Cadence smiled as her train of thought derailed, and wrapped a feathery wing around the small pony. No matter how wrong everypony else thought this was, she couldn't help but feel it was just right.
"C-can you teach me, Cady?"
The voice shattered the moment, and Cadence froze, her pulse quickening. She broke the intimate contact, and looked down at the purple pools gazing up at her. "W-what?!" she asked.
Twilight climbed out from under the covers and closer to the bigger mare. "You're the Princess of Love," she said. "So you must know how to teach me to love!"
Cadence's face erupted in a deep blush, her ears perking up slightly. She fluffed her wings nervously. "How would I do that?"
Twilight's brow furrowed, deep in thought. Cadence couldn't help but internally gush at how cute she looked when she was like this. The hint of a smile tugged at her lips until Twilight's eyes lit up.
"Teach me how to kiss!"
Cadence's face blanched at the sight of the unicorn's eager grin. "Twilight, I... I can't do that!" 'Yes you can!'
"But, but you said you loved me!" Twilight countered.
'You did say that, Cadence.' "But that doesn't mean I can kiss you!" 'Yes it does!'
The little purple pony pouted. "Why not?"
'You have to kiss her now, you made her upset.' "I- I..." 'This is your chance! Do it!!!'
Twilight looked up at Cadence imploringly.
"No, Twilight." The last remaining pieces of Cadence's intact heart crumbled as Twilight's ears. She closed her eyes, fearful that she would tear up.
Twilight plopped back down on her flank. Once again her brow furrowed in concentration. Of all the interactions she had witnessed between ponies who loved each other, kissing was the most exclusive. So, it must be one of the core traditions between two lovers. Therefore, in order for Cadence to teach her how to love somepony, Cadence must teach her how to kiss. It made perfect sense.
Cadence's eyes popped wide open as Twilight suddenly lunged up and planted her lips against Cadence's own.
For a second that felt like eternity, Cadence just sat there, trying to process what was happening. Her heart suddenly began to rebuilt itself, as a chorus of 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' went off in her head. The feeling of Twilight's untrained lips against her own was the best thing she'd felt in a long time. She was just about to melt into the kiss, when her mind finally caught up with what was happening.
As if suddenly realizing what she was doing, Cadence pushed Twilight away from her, perhaps a bit more rough than she should've. The small filly fell backwards onto the bed with a startled yelp.
"Twilight!" the pink alicorn chastised.
Twilight looked back up at Cadence, her eyes watering and filled with fear. A fear that the alicorn had never seen before. A fear she never again wanted to see in that young filly's eyes ever again. It was a fear of her.
Cadence deflated at those eyes. Her own began to tear up as Twilight softly began to try. "Twilight..." she said again, very softly this time. "I'm not mad at you."
"Y-you sound m-mad hic," came the small unicorn's shuddering voice.
The larger mare winced. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell," she said quietly. "I was just very surprised." She watched as Twilight stayed where she was. "Come here, Twily." She extended a wing, and after only a moment of hesitation, Twilight crawled over and buried her tear-soaked eyes against Cadence's side.
The wing closed around the small pony, and Cadence lay back against the bed, Twilight firmly in her hold. "Shhhh, Twily, it's alright," she comforted, stroking Twilight's mane with a hoof. The unicorn's tears slowly came to a stop as the two lay there.
Finally, Twilight raised her head and looked at the mare holding her. "D-did I do it wrong?" she asked.
Cadence couldn't help but chuckle. "You didn't do it wrong," she replied. "But you still have a lot to learn." Twilight giggled. "But Twilight," her tone took on a serious note. "You can't just kiss random ponies without asking."
Twilight nodded, rolling her eyes. "Well, that's common sense. But you're Cady!" She threw her forelegs around Cadence's neck.
The alicorn smiled. The bundle of joy wrapped around her really was what she loved. Anypony who told her otherwise could stuff it up their rear.
Twilight let out a yawn. "Getting tired?" asked Cadence. The unicorn nodded, and Cadence slipped the covers out from under them. "How about we get some sleep then?" she suggested as the sheets draped over the two of them.
The lavender filly nodded, then looked at Cadence quizzically. "You're staying?" she asked.
Cadence nodded in reply. "Yes I am! All part of the 'loving-a-pony' process!" the two shared a giggle. She gazed at Twilight for a moment, then leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the filly's lips. "Goodnight, Twily."
"Goodnight, Cady."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Shining Armor stepped back out into the living room, only to see that Cadence had not come back downstairs. He raised an eyebrow, it had been more than an hour since the two ponies had gone upstairs. Confused, he turned towards the staircase, and walked up. The door to Twilight's bedroom was ajar, and Shining stepped towards it, opening it fully with his magic.
"Cadence?" he called as he entered the room.
His eyes widened as he saw his little sister curled up under the wing of his marefriend. Shining smiled at the sight of the two mares cuddling with each other. He quietly stepped over to Cadence, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"I love you, my princess," he whispered in her ear, before turning and leaving the room, closing the door completely behind him. Feeling a warm buzzing in his chest, he went to his own room, completely oblivious to what had happened earlier that night.
Author's Note
Interesting topic. Not entirely sure if it's an "appropriate" submission for the contest, but when brainstorming scenarios with cheating, this popped into my head. It seemed cute, and... weird (and we all know how I like to just play with pony psychology).
I also wanted to see what I could do by placing the Princess of Love herself in a situation dealing with taboo love. Would she reject it or accept it?
(I finished this story a week before it was posted. I was hesitant to enter it in the competition because of the subject matter, but as the kids say, yolo).
