Author's Note

Forgive me ponies for I have sinned, it's been ten years since my last story post on FIMFic.

While I never dropped out of the community, life got in the way as they say, and with one thing and another I have not written horsewords in quite some time.

The past year though, I've been heavily immersed back in Equestria and have started to feel the need to tinkle on the old keyboard.

For those of you who have read my incomplete first fic Flying Dreams, the good news (if you liked it) is that I'm finally actively working on some new chapters. It was never intended to leave off where it did.

This fic is something I've had bouncing around in my head for a little while now, inspired soley by some of the terribly cute art of Cadance wearing diapers that exists on the internet in various horse related image repositories. I've enjoyed fleshing the bones of this idea out with some additional OC characters and backstory and I hope it can serve both as a fun fetishy romantic clop fic and as a light psychological examination of some of some of the common issues experienced by those in the ABDL and /ageplay community.

While the first chapter barely hints at it, please note as above that this will contain ageplay, diapers, daddy issues, and other such things that some ponies find repugnant, so if that is not your thing please trot along and read something more aligned to your interests. Forewarned is forehooved.

~ Millyhooves

Chapter 1: Serotonin

Princess Cadance leaned back in her seat, trying to enjoy a moment of respite while the carriage was otherwise empty. It wasn’t a very comfortable respite; The Crystal Flier had been commissioned for the occasion of her accession as the Princess In The North, and her and Shining Armor’s subsequent royal tour. The train was stunning, but somewhat imposing, the outside of the carriages having been hewn out of solid crystal of various hues, with diamond shaped polished sections serving as windows. It looked like something she would have drawn as a filly, but with enough hard edges that there was no mistaking it as anything but a projection of the Crystal Empire’s power. What she hadn't expected when she signed-off on the concept drawings was for most of the interior - including the seats - to be made out of crystal too.

Her latest trip to Canterlot had gone well, if predictably. She had ostensibly been visiting to open a new wing of Canterlot Academy - her old alma mater - and to meet with a delegation from the Equestria Games organizing committee. However Celestia had made it clear in private that the main reason for her visit was to ensure she was getting plenty of sunlight away from the long northern winter. As Princess of the Sun her aunt was of course uniquely disposed to assist with this, and had ensured beautiful autumn weather in Canterlot, the local weather team working overtime to keep the skies empty of clouds for the duration of her stay.

Taking time out from the northern winter had been nice, but she knew her aunt’s intentions weren’t purely motivated by her health. Serotonin production from exposure to sunlight was known to be an important factor in lessening or avoiding anestrus, the fallow periods in a mare’s estrus cycle. Celestia - and just about everypony else in the royal court circles it seemed - had made it crystal clear on her accession that her and Shining’s first duty should be to ensure a Northern Line of Succession.

The connecting door to the forward carriage opened, and her equerry Charteris Stone came trotting back inside, levitating two tall drinks in front of him. He set one down on the small drinks table protruding from the carriage wall in front of Cadance’s seat, and the other on the matching table in front of his own seat facing hers. He gave her a polite but professionally reproachful look, and she quickly moved her hind-hooves from his seat, sitting upright.

The unicorn reclaimed his vacated seat. His coat was light grey, with a shimmering silver mane and an opalescent white horn. Immaculately dressed as always, he sported a charcoal grey blazer and a black and silver striped tie. Only his regimental tie pin marked him as a high ranking E.U.P. officer and member of the Northern Equestian Household Cavalry, now colloquially known as the Crystal Guard since it had re-absorbed the Crystal Empire’s defense forces. “Not long to go now Your Highness. Another half-an-hour and we’ll be back home,” he said, noting her tired appearance. “You might want to go freshen up before we get to the station,” he added, taking a sip of his drink, his nose wrinkling slightly.

She sighed. As much as she was looking forward to seeing Shining again, his insistence on meeting her at the station would no-doubt have alerted the local paparazzi to her arrival. Quite why that was considered news she had yet to work out, but she needed a drink before she was ready to deal with that, and was thankful that Charteris had come through for her on this.

She levitated the glass to her lips, taking a sip, then almost spat the drink out as she tasted it. “Perhaps there has been some mix up with our drinks?” she said, a sly smirk spreading on her face as she knew a mistake in etiquette of this magnitude would be sure to embarrass her normally stone-faced equerry. “I asked for a G&T, but this seems to be some kind of rather inferior non-alcoholic lemon, lime and bitters.”

“I’m afraid not Your Highness, not today,” he said with an apologetic smile. “It’s that time of the month.” He tapped a leather-bound folio beside him on the seat. “I’m sorry,” he said doing his best to appease her frustration. “If it’s any consolation, the G&T isn’t very good either. I don’t think the onboard bartender has ever met a fresh lime. They don’t grow natively in the northern climate you know,” he said, sounding pained.

Cadance clasped her hooves together in annoyance, looking out the window. In the past few minutes the landscape outside had transitioned from bright autumn foliage to snowy pine barrens, corroborating Charteris’ statement that they were getting close to home. She felt as frigid and devoid of energy as the landscape outside. Home was a relative word. Both ponies had been born in Canterlot and while the royal genealogists had insisted conveniently that she shared an ancestral link to the Crystal Empire, to say it felt like home yet to either of them was a stretch.

She reluctantly drank the sweet non-alcoholic beverage in front of her, sipping in silence. These days it felt like everypony had more control over her time and her body than she did. She knew for a fact that Charteris was more in tune with her estrus cycle than she was, since she had never been that good at keeping track, and he was keeping an official diary on the subject.

Finishing her drink, she excused herself to the bathroom as Charteris had suggested, her state rail carriage being equipped with its own en-suite. Slumped on the cold crystal toilet, she buried her head in her hooves and sobbed.

When she and Shining had first gotten married they had frankly gone at it like rabbits for the first few months, taking their duties seriously but managing to have a lot of fun with it. Getting to know each other’s bodies intimately after having saved (most of) themselves for their wedding had been exhilarating.

Most palace courtiers had assumed that she would be with foal imminently, but when no pregnancy had materialized after the first six months, whispers had started around court that perhaps the couple were barren. Less savory tabloid publications had even started reporting conspiracies, such as claiming that the real Princess Cadance was dead, murdered by Shining so he could elope with the harlot changeling Queen Chrysalis masquerading as Cadance.

With no apparent forthcoming issue from the couple, Celestia had started paying close attention, and for the past month any number of court appointed fertility experts had been circling around the couple like discreet buzzards. Keeping an estrus schedule had been her sister in law’s suggestion, bless her hooves. Medical tests suggested there was nothing physically wrong with either party, but the increased pressure had taken its toll, leading to performance anxiety on both sides. They were still very close as a couple, but the joyful novelty of sex had given way to a series of carefully scheduled appointments organized around that damned diary.

According to the diary she should be horny right now and needed to have sex with Shining at the earliest opportunity, but after a full week of diplomatic and social engagements all she felt like doing right now was curling up into a ball under a blanket and forgetting all about her Celestia-damned adult responsibilities.

Ten minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom looking much fresher, her mane freshly brushed, and any sign of tears having been carefully wiped away, with eye makeup reapplied. She was wearing her usual game face for the waiting media, and anypony who didn’t know her well would be hard-pressed to tell that anything was wrong.

It was approaching dusk as the train pulled into Crystal Central Station. Shining was there waiting for her as promised, along with the expected gaggle of media. His face lit up as she alighted from the train, stepping onto the arrivals platform, her suitcase floating behind her.

“Cady! I’ve missed you!” he said excitedly, stepping forward to hug her.

“Missed you too!” she whispered in his ear as she returned the hug, conscious of the clicking of the media’s cameras. She could feel her spirit lifting from seeing him again.

Charteris stepped off the train behind her, levitating only a red leather royal dispatch box beside him. Adjusting his tie, he gave a nod of greeting to the Prince’s Equerry, a crystal pegasai captain named Lock Step. “Your carriage awaits your royal highnesses,” Charteris said, checking his pocket watch, ever conscious of the official schedule.

The media pack in the Crystal Empire was relatively small and well behaved compared to Canterlot and the other larger cities, but it didn’t stop them shouting out daft things like “Cadance - when are you expecting?!” and “Princess - how are you and the Prince getting along?!”

The young royal couple spent a few moments ignoring questions and smiling for the cameras before trotting over to the black state carriages. Shining opened the door of the lead carriage and held it open for Cadance. “Your ride awaits, Mi Amore,” he said playfully waggling his eyebrows and motioning inside the carriage with his hoof. He knew she loved to hate him using her official name. “You are my royal ride, you dork,” she said once the door was closed, sticking her tongue out at him and enjoying watching him blush. That never got old.

Charteris and Lock Step boarded the rear carriage with Cadance’s luggage. The two carriages pulled away from the station and into traffic for their short journey from Crystal Central up Crystal Mall to the Crystal Castle.

Protocol dictated that Charteris should accompany the Princess in the lead carriage for her service and protection, but he was smart enough to know when he was getting in the way, and had every confidence in the Crystal Guard driving teams in the unlikely event of a security threat.

He felt the other officer’s hoof slide on top of his own, and smiled. Plus he hadn’t seen Lock Step in over a week and it was nice to have a few minutes of discreet alone time together.

He kissed the pegasus stallion's cheek and leaned his head on his shoulder. “Missed you.”

“Those two must be glad to see each other,” Shining said cheerfully, looking back over his shoulder at the rear carriage and noting the blinds had been pulled down “Lock has been looking mopey all week.”

Cadance smirked. “You know relationships between EUP officers are technically forbidden. We’ll have to pretend to find out sooner or later.”

“I’m sure that’s part of the excitement for them. And it’s just too precious watching them sneaking around trying to hide it. Especially when Charteris is normally so reserved,” Shining said, turning back to look at his wife.

“You don’t think I should have them punished then?” she said, laying a hoof on his flank.

Shining had been constantly exposed to his sister’s love of checklists growing up, and some of it had rubbed off on him, a skill that had actually come in useful as an officer. Closing his eyes for a second he composed a quick mental list, taking a deep breath.

“OK, firstly,” he said opening his eyes to look at Cadance, holding up his left forehoof, “they are not even from the same regiment. Secondly,” he held up his right forehoof, “As personal equerries, they are on secondment to the royal household, and only ceremonially representing their regiments...”

“Doesn’t the fact that they’re ceremonially representing their regiments mean it’s more important they don’t disgrace themselves?” she asked sweetly, playing Tirek’s advocate.

Shining ignored her. “Thirdly,” he said, running out of forehooves and resorting to raising his left hoof higher, “that rule is only ever enforced at the CO’s discretion, even in Canterlot, and as Knight-Commander of the Crystal Empire and the North you’re technically their commanding officer, so they are at your discretion love. And fourthly,” he waved his right hoof, “We’re...”

“Not in Canterlot anymore,” she finished his sentence for him grinning.

“Exactly.” He looked at her with puppy-dog eyes, “Oh go on, can we keep them? Please? Lock is much better than my previous Aide-de-Camps, and I know you don’t hate Charteris.”

She rolled her eyes. “Only if you look after them and promise to give them walkies every day. And if their relationship causes any issues, I didn’t know about it and they’re your problem. I have plausible deniability.”

“Deal!” he said, giving her a peck on her cheek.

There was a slight jolt as the carriage left the road, rolling over the crystal cobblestones lining the triangular courtyard beneath the towering Crystal Castle.

“What’s up with you anyway? You seem in an unusually playful mood.” She jabbed him in the ribs with her hoof as the carriage made its way to the postern gate nearest the castle’s living quarters.

“What makes you say that? Can’t I just be happy to see my lovely wife?” he said, trying to sound hurt.

“You can... But you’re a terrible liar, and I’ve known you long enough to tell when you’re excited about trying to keep a secret.” She looked at him with a stern expression. “Please tell me you’re not throwing me a surprise welcome home party? I’ve only been gone a week, and I really just need to put my hooves up for a bit.” And curl up under a blanket.

He gulped, looking crestfallen. “Er, no. No, not a party, just a small surprise.”

“Does it have anything… per chance… to do with why your coat is covered in paint splotches?” she asked innocently.

“I guess you’ll have to wait and see,” he said, grinning sheepishly, looking down at the flecks of pink paint on his fetlocks.