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

With Mustard and Cinnamon already proving that this secret could be shared without bringing down the whole empire around him, Shining was more comfortable with the idea of confiding in Doctor Funi. He also had Luna step in to reinforce the idea for her own safety, but with the doctor now understanding the gravity of the situation, Shining felt safer letting him in.

Funi very shortly regretted being let in. Cadance was the one that had called him in, so knowing that she was capable of poisoning someone, even her own husband not being safe, he didn't exactly feel protected. Still, he was here to help Shining, so if he did a good job, that was at least some kind of protection that he might expect from Shining.

As they closed up their second session, Funi explained his plan to fix Shining's relationship problems. He and Cadance would go out on a date. He was less sure of this after hearing the tale of what happened to cause the problem, but going out into a public setting and just sitting and talking to each other was certain to bring out the complications of their relationship. If they did that, they could start putting it all back together. They may even remember why they fell in love in the first place.

The following night, Shining and Cadance made their way to a fancy dining establishment, the Red Door. "Isn't it odd," noted Cadance, "that the fanciest restaurants have the weirdest names?"

"I believe it's an attempt to be avant-garde," suggested Shining. "If ponies stop to wonder why it's called that, they might stop to consider that it has a different meaning, and may try to look for one. If they feel that they've found it, they may consider themselves to be more intelligent than they are, and doing so makes them feel superior."

"Okay, that accounts for the customers, but the customers don't name the restaurant. The owner does."

"The owner wants to pretend that there's a hidden meaning. It draws in business. Or, it actually does have a personal meaning, and they're smart enough to capitalise on that."

The waiter stopped by to collect their order. Shining had the spaghetti and garbanzo bean balls in spicy marinara, and Cadance had the ratatouille.

"I'm glad you asked me out," smiled Cadance, reaching across the table to take his hoof. "We haven't been out like this since I came back."

"It's been longer than that," clarified Shining. "When last we went out, you were trying to convince me to let other mares into our bed."

"I remember that night," smiled Cadance. "Our first addition was our waitress."

"Yeah. I was nervous about that, at first."

"You never did tell me why, though."

Shining sighed. "I didn't think it was important. There was a time when I did think my reason was important, but it's long past time to talk about it, now."

"Then we should talk about it."

Shining shook his head. "It definitely doesn't matter anymore."

"And yet, it may in the future," urged Cadance. "Shouldn't we talk about what's bothering you? If not what's bothering you right now, then what was bothering you back then?"

"It's not going to have any relevance anymore."

"But it may yet be useful. Not for its direct information, but why you were resisting back then. You might be using the same reason to resist other things."

Shining sighed. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"You were very strong back then, pushing your fears down to try something new. Now you pull away at the slightest touch. Why can't I have that Shining Armor back?"

"Because he's broken," he sighed. "That version of me was afraid of something that he knew wouldn't happen. This one is no longer afraid, because the damage has already been made real."

Cadance was silent for a moment. "You thought I would... you know?"

Shining shook his head. "I thought you were going to leave me."

Cadance had to stop herself from laughing. For a minute, she couldn't say anything, just looking up at Shining's serious, stony expression. He didn't think it was funny, and that just made it even worse for her.

When she finally recovered, she took his hoof again. "Shiny, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Why would I leave you?"

With every muscle in his face conveying that he truly felt this way, he took a deep breath. "Because I wasn't enough."

"What does that even mean? What did you think was going to happen?"

Shining was silent as their plates were placed in front of them, the exception being thanking the waiter before he left the table. He then took a breath before answering. "If I was enough, just as I was, then why would you need to enlist the help of others?"

Cadance took a bite of her eggplant. "You can't be everything I need, Shiny. Do you expect that every stallion can construct a home, do their own plumbing, handle the weather over their houses, which they'll have to weather-proof themselves, and on top of all of that, hold down a job, find a mare, wed, have children, and then raise those children with no help from anypony?"

"Like I said, the fear I had is no longer relevant."

"Exactly. We cleared this up ages ago."

"Which is why I suggested that it didn't matter anymore."

"If that's so, why did you resist so much bringing stallions into the bedroom?"

Shining finished his bean ball and swallowed. "No mare can fully replace me. I could stomach having a mare in the bedroom because they don't have the same equipment that I do. Any mare that would ever enter our bed would be incapable of having a dick bigger than mine. Unless she has a strap-on, but then it doesn't feel real. And I know that from experience, now. A stallion, on the other hoof... There are plenty out there that are bigger than me, stronger, more sensual, more aggressive, more dominant, and with bigger balls. Trust me, I've slept with them all. Each one of them has the capacity to fill my role in the bedroom, the capacity to accept your love, and a chance to take whatever power I may have on the throne. That's why I was okay with mares, and not with stallions."

Cadance grabbed his hoof again. "You can't have honestly believed that...?"

Shining didn't answer. He didn't need to. His tears betrayed his emotions. He honestly believed that, if Cadance found a better lover than him, she'd forget about him and leave him to suffer alone.

"...Shiny..."