The Prince's Predicament 2: The Princess's Predicament

The ride back to Canterlot was long, but uneventful. If anything had happened to Cadance's containment, Luna would have plenty of time to set up defenses and warn Shining Armor. Thankfully, it hadn't come to that, and with a brief stop in Canterlot to make Cadance take her royal oath again, they were back on the road to the Crystal Empire.

"What was the point of having me do that?" asked Cadance. "I've already made my vows."

"Yes, but you forgot them," accused Luna. ""I shall do no harm to my subjects." Shining Armor is not true royalty. If a divorce were to happen, the crown would be held by you alone, and as much as he may have the support of the citizens, he would be unable to take the throne. He is, for all intents and purposes, a citizen of the Crystal Empire and, by extension, Equestria. He is one of your subjects, and I need you to remember not to do any harm to him."

"I had no intention of harming him," clarified Cadance. "And you've even mentioned that he's doing a good job of leading the Crystal Empire. Whatever harm has been done, he's clearly recovered."

Luna had to resist the urge to smirk. The damage Cadance had done was not something Shining had recovered from. He had accepted it as part of himself and moved on. Luna had seen into his dreams, and could see his pain laid bare before her. Likewise, she had seen him taking care of the Empire, and she knew a fake smile from a real one. He was always happy to do good for the citizens, but when he spoke of Cadance and her work, he always closed his eyes before speaking and pushed his jaw out. He was ready to keep up the appearance that they were standing united, but in truth, he was hiding his anger and hurt away behind a smile.

When they arrived, several guards joined up alongside them. They'd had four already, but now a dozen marched alongside the carriage. In addition, several crystal ponies joined up, cheering and applauding as Cadance and Luna rolled in. Cadance smiled and waved at each of them, while Luna kept mostly still, nodding and smiling only where fitting.

When they arrived at the palace, Cadance and Luna hopped out. A podium had been set up for them, so that they could address their subjects. No speech had been planned, but this sort of thing happened all the time.

Cadance took to the podium. "My little ponies, it brings me such joy to see all of your smiling faces again. For so long, I'd been away, trying to make things right, but with the crisis now solved, I am proud to take to the throne once again."

There was a loud cheer from the crowd.

"Princess Luna has kept me up-to-date on the big changes that took place here, and I'm so pleased to hear that everything seems to be going well. I look forward to seeing it with my own eyes in the coming weeks. However, there is something else that I need to see, first. Or rather, somepony..."

The crowd all had a good chuckle, encouraged by Cadance's smile.

"If you'll all excuse me, I need to go see my husband."

With a wave, Cadance stepped away from the podium to a loud cheering from the crystal ponies as she and Luna walked into the palace.

"Well, well. It seems your speech skills are still usable," snorted Luna.

"I haven't used them in years," growled Cadance back. "I hadn't prepared anything. It's not bad for a speech I made up on the spot."

"That you didn't anticipate a speech was worrying. Thank goodness Shining Armor will be around to carry you for awhile."

"Oh, come off it!"

"Nevertheless, we must go speak with your husband..."

The two made their way to the throne room to find it empty, aside from a single guard that pointed his spear at them until he saw who it was. "Put that away," commanded Luna.

"Yes, m-ma'am," he stammered. "My apologies."

"We are looking for my husband," informed Cadance. "Where might he be?"

"He opted for his lunch appointment in his bedchambers, highness," he stated. "I'll go let him know that you're here."

"No need," answered Cadance. "I know where my bedchamber is."

"B-but ma'am!"

Cadance paid little heed to the guard's objection as she left the throne room.

"It is possible, nay, probable, that he knew more of the castle's goings-on than you do," suggested Luna. "Have you stopped to consider that Shining Armor might be sleeping in a different room than when you left?"

"I have," assured Cadance. "There were six rooms he slept in, depending on what was going on that night. If he's not in the chamber we shared, I'll just check the next most likely room, until I've exhausted all of the options."

Arriving at the entrance to the royal bedchambers, Luna and Cadance both heard voices behind the door. They were muffled, but somepony was in there. Several someponies, in fact. Either Shining was having a lunch meeting in the room, as the guard had said, or somepony was going to be in a lot of trouble.

Cadance pulled the door open, and could not believe what she was seeing. Six guards were in a big pile on the bed, their uniforms tossed aside. The only indication that Shining was in the room was his leg sticking through a gap between the guards, his thigh covered in hoofmarks.

"You weren't kidding," grunted the guard whose back hooves were on the pillow. "I can't believe I've been missing out!"

"I told you he could take it," snorted another, bucking his hips wildly while smacking Shining's thigh.

Yet another grunted, unable to form words, as if his mouth was full of something.

"Couldn't have said it better, myself," chuckled another.

Luna turned to glance at Cadance, whose jaw had dropped. In front of her was an orgy comprised of seven stallions, rolling around on her bed, at the center of which was her husband. She couldn't see everything, as there were too many bodies in the way, but she knew that Shining Armor was on his back in the middle of it all, and she could hear him moaning through his nose.