Guarding the Heart

Chapters

1: What warmth feels like
2: could you possibly... call me by my name
3: Cadance
4: One step at a time
5: She is my everything
6: It was genuine
7: At Ease
8: rose tinted magic
9: impact
10: dancing about the dusty space

1: What warmth feels like

Throughout the years of training, honing the body and mind for protecting royalty, Shield had never thought that anything could have surprised him until being assigned to this alicorn.

"Sir Shield, what would you say about this one!" The Princess called out to him as she used her magic to open the dressing room curtain revealing her young daughter Flurry Heart with a baby blue bow tied neatly to her head, pulling a small tuft of hair up from her face. 'Cadance said you are quite stiff Shield, I am going to need you to loosen up, don't be so up tight' The command his superior gave him caused him to wince at the thought of allowing his senses to be dulled by distracting himself while working, but the command isn't only from his commanding officer but also the new Prince by marriage to her Majesty Princess Cadance. Forcing his scanning gaze to stop searching for threats and putting on his best smile Shield spoke,

"Absolutely stunning Your Highness". With a frown Princess Cadance changed her stance and shot a glance his direction.

"I don't appreciate the forced expression Shield, you need to be honest with me" The Princess stated with a huff before the curtain began to glow with the wisps of her magic closing the curtain again, causing Shield to note how useful magic would be for daily tasks before directing his attention elsewhere. Before Shield could continue his scan of the area Princess Cadance began to speak again.

"I am sure my husband spoke to you about my feeling towards your work ethic," The alicorn called out as the sounds of muffled attempts at dressing a young filly echoed from beyond the curtain of the parlor, "despite me asking him to not do that specific thing" she finishes as the sounds of fabric ruffling dampens the sound of a filly angrily fighting her mother.

"I do apologize for my innate worrisome nature" Shield calls out to The Princess quite matter of factually. The statement being met with a giggle from behind the colored fabric separating them.

"You don't need to apologize for being worrisome as a bodyguard Shield," Cadance laughs before popping her head through the curtain to peer in his direction, "I believe that side of you is the very reason you're the first earth pony to attain role of personal bodyguard to royalty" The princess said with a smile.

It's true, despite him not wanting to focus on it and plateau his career, Shield would be lying if attaining the highest honor of guarding royalty despite being an earth pony wasn't a point of pride to him. So fearful of failing to exceed expectations that he may have been a bit, overboard on protocols and caution. Although while other guards may have the ability to use magic to catch a knife mid strike or fly quickly to intervene with an attempt to kidnap royalty Shield didn't have that luxury. Being overprotective and watchful at all times is how he could level the playing field with those who have more options than himself.

"I hope that I didn't offend you Sir Shield" Princess Cadance speaks up noticing his silent demeanor, before breaking his focus internally causing him to stare blankly processing what she had said.

"Absolutely not Your Majesty," With a jump of realization Shield barked, "I took it as a compliment" before bowing his head and kneeling ever so slightly.

Princess Cadance watched him for a moment, before nodding and retreating back to the confines of the dressing room. Raising his head Shield turned his attention to the large mirror to his right and looked himself over. His brown and white fur kept trimmed and proper, and his short cut light brown hair made sure to be kept out from his eyes to ensure he could stay vigilant without distraction or obstruction. He saw an earth pony in over his head, somepony who was looking to prove a point to a ghost. All these years later and he finally made it, the highest qualifications a guard could attain and yet despite the overwhelming joy he felt when he was first told of his new position a feeling of dread overcame him when he was told who he would be guarding.

Quickly scanning the area before turning his attention back towards the jostling curtain Shield thought back. 'Ten years? Perhaps eleven' All that time ago he still remembered it clearly. Within his first year after joining the guard, training daily and studying constantly to ensure he was ready for anything. His ambition was met with disdain from his peers simply trying to find a easy post and live the easy life, being seen as a overachiever was a clear cut way to be marked an outcast. Then one day a special mission was given to all the green members of the guard, a group of royalty would be visiting the barracks on a trip to visit a high ranking officer. Everything had to be perfect.

A DECADE PRIOR

Shield had gotten up particularly early that morning and made sure everything was spotless, completing every task that the others were given to ensure that their incompetence doesn't cause issues to arise. As he was finishing cleaning up the last of the main entryway the doors had flung open, allowing the cool breeze of the morning air roll in. The sun hadn't even been lifted by Celestia before a beautiful pink alicorn walked through the doors. He turned towards her and immediately raised a hoof in salute to the royalty, he hadn't been told who would be visiting and he wasn't positive who this alicorn was but anypony alive knows if you see an alicorn they are most positively royal or close to it.

The alicorn jumped back in shock at the appearance of another being awake this early in the day aside from the night guards posted at the gates, but quickly softened her expression and smiled.

"Good morning young guard, ensuring the cleaning duties are taken care of I see" She giggled as her eyes inspected him closely. 'Young?' Shield thought to himself before quickly forming his reply.

"Of course madam, I hope the barracks are to your standards!" Shield said without breaking his salute.

Turning her gaze towards the rest of the hallway and interior rooms and noticing the sparkling from the tiles on the floor she turned back to him.

"I beleive this may even exceed them" She said with a smile, Shield could have sworn the sun had risen with how bright the room appeared to get as he stared at her. True he had heard that all the princesses were to be praised for their beauty but her... she was beyond even his wildest dreams. He had seen others he thought were attractive and finding a warmth in him for them, but this alicorn changed his perspective entirely. Being in her presence was akin to finding a bon fire after walking through miles of snow and ice and realizing you didn't know what warmth feels like. The small bits of it he felt before now felt like jumping into a frozen lake compared to how he felt looking at her.

Realizing he was staring too long at her he shifted his gaze outside the open doors, as he did the alicorn giggled a bit and continued to smile.

"I thank you good sir..." She lingered awaiting an answer.

"Shield" he stated while continuing to observe the darkness for movement.

"Sir Shield. It's a pleasure" she stated before beginning to walk off.

"Your name?" Shield called out reflexively, before realizing the brashness of his tone, "Your Majesty!" he added in a haste turning back to her.

"Cadance" she smiled, "Princess Cadance". As he turned the outside world began to light as the sun rose up through the sky causing the alicorn to be lit ablaze in color. Her pink fur and gorgeous mane refelcting the light flawlessly, as if the sun was created for the sole purpose of showing her beauty in the definition it deserved. She turned, nodded, and walked down the hall.

Author's Note

Heyo I am horrible at writing so please be gentle, if you find typos and errors please let me know! I will be writing this and continuing it as I can!!! :3

2: could you possibly... call me by my name

Shield watched carefully the duo he has been tasked to protect at all costs. The mare he had foolishly fallen for the charms of and her baby. The Princess galloped with a slight sense of haste to return home before her husband, all while magically carrying Flurry Heart to ensure she stayed asleep until they arrived at her destination. Having reminisced about his first meeting with the Princess had actually calmed him a bit, her smile had a tendency to do that to him.

The doors of the crystal palace swung open allowing the group to enter after the long day about the town. The Princess carefully set down Flurry Heart and then proceeded to slump over against the wall, clearly drained from the day. Shield walked over quietly to not awake the sleeping baby and gently set down a glass of water he had prepared for this very situation, having seen it several times in the past.

"Thank you Sir Shield" The Princess coughed before taking a drink. The Princess stopped and stared at Shield briefly before setting the glass down on a small table near them and then resumed her inspecting gaze on the earth pony.

"Your Majesty? Is there something wrong?" Shield piped up confused by the sudden interest. Though he tried to ignore it he could feel his cheeks redden slightly and he could see his strict business only demeanor faltered ever so slightly in the reflection of her pink eyes.

"You know Shield," The Princess started with a slight smirk, "I remember when we met you were much the same as you are now. Albeit you've improved your poker face a bit" she finished with a slight laugh.

"You remember back then?" Shield asked, shocked they both remembered their first meeting.

"Why of course, I was out visiting Shining Armor and a guard was up earlier than me making sure that there wasn't so much as a speck of dust to block my way" The princess said while nodding, as if confirming her own memories with herself.

"What do you mean my poker face has improved?" Shield asked shifting to one side, somewhat mimicking her posture.

"I mean that back then I could tell you were quite flustered being caught out and about by a surprise guest, now whenever something unexpected happens you simply adjust and move on without even a moment to distract you" The Princess spoke a bit quieter to ensure that Flurry Heart stayed asleep. Shield smiled at the compliment and motioned towards the awaiting chair he had prepared before they even left the palace to begin with,

"You should rest, I am sure His Highness will return soon" Shield suggested, offering a hoof to help her up. The Princess gladly excepted the offer and they both headed a bit away from the sleeping child, making sure to keep her in sight in case of any surprise attacks. The Princess sat down and visibly relaxed her muscles after the long day. Hey eyes closed and she sat in thought.

Shield couldn't help himself but stare at her, not in the way you'd expect a trained bodyguard to watch their client, more like the way a art connoisseur would stare at a masterpiece from a expert in their craft. He looked at her soft mane, flowing down and around her form, never once has it ever looked messy to him. He directed his gaze down towards her lips, gently parting as she took slow deep breaths. In every way one could imagine, Princess Cadance was a perfect form of beauty and Shield knew nopony could deny that.

Suddenly the Princess shifted and stared directly at her bodyguard, causing Shield to jump slightly being broken from his trance. On her face a wicked smile began to creep up her face, one that Shield knew all too well now. 'She is about to suggest something I would be against' He thought to himself before clearing his throat.

"What are you thinking about Your Majesty?" Shield asked knowingly.

"Shield you've been such a hardworking pony for us, why not relax and take a load off? Perhaps with some wine? or liquor?" The Princess asked, her face telling him that this wasn't a question and in fact a order.

"If I drink Your Majesty, I may be unable to properly fulfill my duties to you" Shield stated in a defeated tone.

"We are in the palace! We have many guards staffed here Shield, please relax tonight. You've worked plenty hard enough for today" The Princess says, her face painted with mischievousness. Then before Shield could interject her horn began to glow alight with magic and then a bottle of red wine flew towards them alongside two glasses. Shield stared down at the table as the glasses flung themselves onto the crystal table, and then the bottle tipped and began to fill them with a deep crimson. 'She must have uncorked it in the next room to avoid waking Flurry Heart' Shield thought, 'Wait... She had this ready?' He realized. Looking up towards her the smile on her face told him that she was going to try and get him to open up about himself again. As she has tried many times before, but with the assistance of intoxication this time.

Sighing Shield stared into the glass for a while, before finally raising his hoods and bringing the glass to his lips. The aged wine went down smooth, it's flavor was sharp and it sat on his tongue allowing him to taste the care that went into creating it. He didn't know how expensive it was and truthfully he didn't want to know. With a satisfied expression, the Princess also raised her glass and took a drink.

"Shield I believe my husband will be returning a bit later in the evening, could you please indulge me a bit with some stories of your past?" the Princess asked with a pompous tone.

'There it is'

"As I have said before Your Majesty, I believe that my past is irrelevant. Truthfully there isn't anything fantastic about it" Shield replied as he took another sip.

"Surely the past of the first ever earth pony royal bodyguard has to be fantastic in some way" she snapped back, not giving him time to collect himself. Shield shot a glance towards her as she took another sip of her wine.

"Truly it wouldn't be noteworthy Your Majesty, it is one that I barely remember. Nor do I want to" Shield said, only realizing he let more slip than he should have. Looking at her face told him that she had him.

"You don't want to remember your past? I am sorry to hear that" Princess Cadance said with a hint of remorse for pushing, but alongside that a hint of curiosity. Taking a deep breath in Shield held it for a moment, before breathing out and then raising his glass high and drinking the rest of the glass in one big gulp.

"Shield!," Princess Cadance called out shocked, "this is a strong wine meant for sipping, not that!" the sheer shock on her face was enough for Shield to let out a smile and chuckle slightly at her. The Princess then shifted into a more gentle expression as she continued. "I didn't expect that when I offered you wine you'd do that!" she laughed.

The sensation of the alcohol did take him, it had been slowly working through him and drinking that much was sure to have an effect. Better than continuing down the path of his past, no matter what the effect may bring. Shield looked back towards Cadance, his eyes locking onto her. Watching the slight bits of tears form in her eyes from laughing at his actions, watching the way her expression seems to be fighting between joyous laughter and pain as she lets down walls of her own.

He hadn't thought about it, but truthfully he never got to see Cadance truly herself either. Always assuming the role of the Princess and ruler of the Crystal palace or mother to her daughter. One could assume that she is being herself in those roles, but part of Shield wanted to know if she was hiding something beyond that mature caretaker role. With her horn alight he watched as the alicorn poured him more wine.

"Sip it this time! Please" she laughed, "I would like you to be able to get yourself to your bed"

"Cadance," Shield started, "you ask me about my past and who I am quite often, I feel like it is only fair that I get to ask about you as well" he said with a smile as he took another sip from his wine. Looking up at her he realized his mistake immediately. Her expression was one of shock, he had just referred to her as Cadance and not Your Majesty or Princess!

"Your Majesty!" Shield quickly bent into a bow ducking his head past the table, "I apologize for that outburst, I-"

"You know" the Princess cut him off with a soft tone. Shield raised his head slightly to look at her soft smile before she continued, "Nowadays I expect everypony I meet to refer to me as Princess or Your Majesty or the like, aside from my husband and my sister in law on occasion. That I sort of felt like I was losing who I was" she sat back in her chair and stared off in the distance lost in thought. "It felt like the Princess, the ruler of the crystal palace, the one in charge was replacing me while still being me. Do you know what I mean?" Cadance said softly, almost to herself.

"... I understand, to a extent" Shield replied. Causing the melancholic alicorn to shoot a glance his way.

"You do?" she asked.

"To an extent. I had to forget the pony I was to raise through the ranks and become your guard Your Majesty. He was only holding me back"

Cadance sat in thought and smiled before looking him up and down.

"I hope you didn't get rid of that stallion Sir Shield, I would truly like to meet him one day" Cadance said with a smile.

Suddenly a burst of air whipped into the palace as a member of the guard rushed in, the sudden change in pressure awakening the once slumbering Flurry Heart in a jolt as she began to cry.

"Your Majesty!" the guard exclaimed, "news from His Highness".

Cadance shifted in her seat a bit, hiding her dissatisfaction that it wasn't her husband trotting through the door.

"What news do you bring" The Princess asked with a stern tone, losing the playful way of speaking she had before.

"He was unable to return again due to his mission, he is still ensuring safe procurement of exterior settlements in the Crystal Empire. He wishes that you continue to await his return and that his sadness in not being able to see you once again is causing him great pain" the guard recited perfectly from the scroll he held aloft in from of him.

Looking over Shield watched as the Princess stared coldly at the guard before simply opening the far doors he had come through with magic and gesturing for him to leave. He did so post haste. After he left the room Cadance turned over to Flurry Heart who was now crying after being awoken from her nap.

Quickly Shield stood up before the Princess could make a move and trotted over to the filly. Gentle as if she were made of glass on the brink of shattering, Shield lifted the filly into his hooves and began to rock her. The crying soon subsided, instead changing to yawning and staring at Shield's face. A small smile broke out on her face before her eyes began to slowly close once again.

"You are so good with her" Cadance whispered, her hot breath warming his ear and neck, the sudden realization she was so close nearly made him drop the baby. He looked back at the Princess and could tell that his actions had allowed the soft spoken mischievous mare to return.

"I wouldn't say that, I have always been good with kids in general" Shield replied. Cadance smiled at that and locked eyes with him.

"Another new piece of information about the mysterious Sir Shield" She smiled and then stared at her daughter. "If it is all the same to you Sir Shield," she continued, "could you possibly... call me by my name when we are alone?" she asked hesitantly.

Shield turned back looking at her,

"If that is what you want, Your Ma-" Shield stopped catching himself,

"If that is what you want, Cadance" he said softer than before.

Shield looked down to avoid having his blush spotted by the alicorn and realized that Flurry Heart had fallen asleep, and laid her back down on the small soft blanket she was laying on. Turning back he saw the mare that he had fallen for all those years ago staring back at him.

"Thank you Shield, I will take it from here" Cadance said graciously before using her magic to pick up her child and the blanket and begin trotting back towards her sleeping quarters. Shield stood and began to head to bed in turn before one last interjection from Cadance caused him to stop.

"Goodnight Shield, I hope to see the you again tomorrow" before turning and leaving the room.

3: Cadance

Awakening in the dark, Shield sat up and stared straight at the mirror on the far wall from him, his reflection hinted at by the faint moonlight shining through the nearby window watching him back.

"What in Celestia's name is wrong with me" he called out to the mirror image of himself, hoping to find the answer stirring up from within. Shield sat in silence awaiting anything that could help pardon his actions earlier that night.

Then the memory of holding Flurry Heart from earlier popped into his head, 'Yes I was only taking care of the child of Her Majesty,' he reasoned with himself, 'nothing more than that'. Then the memory shifted to Cadance's form behind him, her hot breath on his neck causing his hair to stand on end even now hours later. The calming way she spoke, the way her eyes locked onto his.

He needed to shake the thought, it was the only way to continue performing his role as royal bodyguard. He stood and made his way out back into the hallway leading from his room to the main entrance hall of the Crystal Palace.

Exiting the hallway he was greeted with silence aside from the chuckles of the night guards outside the palace doors on watch. Shield stood there scanning the room for a moment before the colors of the eye catching mural to his left caught his attention.

Staring down from the painting was the royal family of the Crystal Empire. Shining armor adorned in his regal fitted armor, Princess Cadance standing proud near him dressed in a beautiful gown matching her stunning makeup. The sight of them together caused Shield to stop and breathe, 'They are married Shield,' he reasoned in his mind before dropping his gaze down to the smiling Flurry Heart depicted in a similar cute bow that Cadance had been searching for earlier yesterday morning.

"They have a daughter..." Shield said aloud, staring at the artwork in a daze. The daze only broken by the sound of a scraping from above, Shield looked up quickly and spotted a figure moving rapidly outside the windows of the palace. He galloped to the doors leading out and ripped them open, surprising the two guards stationed there.

"Ah! Sir- I-" the guard on his right stuttered out of surprise. Shield ignored him and stared upward to try and find the source of the movement and sound only to find nothing, Shield turned to look at the guard who was still attempting to ascertain what was happening.

"Guards!" Shield barked,"Tell me why you are joking around when you are on duty!" he said angrily through his teeth.

"Sir!" the guards jumped into a salute quickly realizing the severity of what the question posed, "We have been keeping an eye out among the streets and watching the perimeter as ordered. We have yet to spot any oddities or possible dangers" they repeated in unison, almost as if it was practiced.

Shield snapped his head back up towards the palace exterior searching for the shadow to no avail, then without turning back to them he started again.

"Guards, please keep note not only of the ground level. There may be those with wings who could fly above and watch through the windows" Shield ordered.

"Yes sir!" they snapped, both holding the salute higher than before.

Shield turned and walked back into the palace thinking to himself, 'I am exhausted, it was most likely nothing other than a bat flying past' he reasoned. Still the feeling didn't sit well, he had been too lax earlier and needed to ensure Her Majesty's safety. He walked past the hallway leading back to his bedroom and instead headed towards the royal bedroom, where Princess Cadance had retired to earlier in the evening.

Turning a corner he spotted the door still being latched and closed, giving him a bit of ease to his nerves that were on edge. Still he walked over quietly and then sat alongside the doorway in watch. He couldn't just go back to bed after seeing any possible risk to Her Majesty, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to her. He watched through the hallway and listened patiently.

Shield opened his eyes and the light of the morning struck him, causing him to flinch back as the sunlight assaulted his eyes. He raised a hoof to clear the bits of sleep from the corners of his eyes,

"Sir Shield" Her Majesty spoke gently right next to him, the sudden realization of her presence caused him to snap his head over and his muscles to tense. He looked over at the visage of the Princess staring at him curiously through the door, her mane shining a reflective haze of color onto the door around her, bouncing the light of the morning elsewhere.

"Your Majesty!" Shield knelt into a bow, mentally screaming at himself for having fallen asleep while on watch.

'Must have been the damned wine' Shield thought, a small frown appearing on his face.

"Why were you outside my door asleep?" the Princess asked curiously, tilting her head outward a bit more to see what was happening and causing some of her hair to slip off her shoulder and fall towards the ground.

"I had worried that there may have been an interloper in the palace Your Majesty, I was simply acting out of caution for your sake" he replied, holding his bow to refrain from staring at her too longingly. The effects of the wine still causing him to hold onto his feeling too closely.

The Princess turned and frowned at him before walking out of the room into the hall and glancing about. She stood for a moment, then glanced about the hallway seemingly looking for something, or somepony, before turning back to him in a huff.

"There isn't anypony around Shield" she said in a questioning tone. He looked at her expression and could visibly see the frustration on her face, 'I overstepped' he thought to himself.

"I am quite sorry Your Majesty, I will not bother you as I have this morning again" Shield replied quickly, staring to gauge her reaction.

The Princess visibly deflated at the statement and turned and stared down the empty hall once again, before letting out a breath.

"Of course Sir Shield" she said in a monotone voice before beginning to head down the hall towards the restroom to ready herself for the day. 'She seems annoyed at that answer? Did she want me to continue guarding her room? Or perhaps she is mad I didn't think of her daughter first! Or-'Shield stopped in his tracks and stared at the alicorn walking down the hall.

"Cadance" Shield called, causing the alicorn to stop and look back with a blank expression, "I am sorry for forgetting your request so quickly," he shifted a bit trying to get used to the feeling of not using a title for her before finishing, "I won't forget again" he said with a serious expression.

Cadance watched him silently, looking at his movements and listening to his tone. She then fully turned and smiled brightly at him,

"You better not!" she laughed before turning and continuing down the hall to start her day.

Shield watched her carefully, the way her mane bounced about when she walked and the way she was trotting made it almost look like she was bouncing like a giddy filly on her way to a exciting event. Shield smiled, closed the door to her bedroom, and followed behind her.

4: One step at a time

Author's Note

Trigger warning, description of blood and abuse.

4: One step at a time

Shield came to a stop, his hooves kicking up dirt as he skid to a stop in his sprint. Due to the fact that there was very little risk near the Crystal Palace Shield knew that he could get some exercise in whilst Cadance played with Flurry Heart at the nearby park, as well as the fact that Cadance had ordered him to go enjoy himself too. Other crystal ponies stay clear of them as they expected they wanted to be alone.

There was a talk about the town, one that Shield had been hearing on the grapevine so to say. A rumor that Cadance has been becoming more and more restless as she has been tasked with taking care of her daughter more or less alone whilst her husband was out making sure the transition for exterior settlements in the Crystal Empire was safe and completed without issue.

He did notice her temper and patience was wearing thin, remembering the instance a week ago when the guard came in while they were drinking and Cadance's forceful and cold dismissal of the messenger. Staring off at the pair giggling and playing about the park one would have a hard time seeing such a loving mare being suggested to be cold or ruthless.

As he stared at them and noticed the bits of sweat rolling down his brow he had made the realization that he would have to get his mane trimmed, it was unprofessional of a stallion in the guard to be on duty with a messy mane clouding his vision. As he watched their surroundings he noticed Cadance looking around before finally turning his direction and perking up with a smile. She raised a hoof to her mouth and began to loudly say something he couldn't make out, then the gesture that said 'Come over here!'told him what it was about.

As Shield trotted up to them he smiled and glanced around to make sure that nopony was close enough to hear him,

"Yes Cadance?" he asked with a curious voice, despite it being a week of her request at refraining from using titles for her in private it still was a adjustment process he was taking slowly. As he approached Cadance turned and smiled at him.

"Look!", Cadance beamed with a gesture towards Flurry Heart, "Flurry Heart dear, pick up the grass!" she asked the filly. The young pony turned towards a bit of torn grass clippings and Shield watched her horn begin to glow a light yellow.

Shield watched intently as the young filly struggled while the grass began to shake a bit and then fall back to the ground and her horn dimmed back to its original state. Cadance smiled even brighter and turned to Shield again.

"See that! This is so exciting! She is nearly getting it. Just a little bit more and she will get a grasp on her magic" Cadance's spoke with so much joy it was overwhelming.

The warmth in his chest returned, the very same that he felt when he first met Cadance years ago. The sun seemed brighter, the wind felt crisper, all his senses heightened to imprint a memory of her smile into his memories.

Shield stared down at her and glanced about towards the other ponies that were going about their business. Many of them were a trio, husband and wife and child. They all seemed so happy and turning back to Cadance he look into her eyes.

"Cadance," Shield started, "I-" his thoughts were culled as a blur of color shot down from the sky directly towards Cadance. Shield jumped into action, his muscles still warm after training before it took him less than a second to jump in the way of whatever was coming. He couldn't catch it, but he could stop it.

In an instant the object slammed into Shield, puncturing through his leg causing a spurt of blood to erupt out onto Cadance. He fell back into her a second later, both toppling over as the object pushed them back. Shield finally was able to ascertain what the object was, a metal spear launched towards Her Majesty. He rolled and regained his footing quickly, ignoring the pain in his leg as the spear remained lodged firmly in him.

'Damn it! I knew to be more cautious, they were waiting for me to be distracted!' Shield's thoughts raced as his heightened senses scanned for another attack. The feeling of his blood trickling down his hoof onto the grass caught him for a moment. Looking down he realized the amount of blood he was losing was more than he expected, looking back he spotted the spear head was hollow. Whoever had attack fully intended to kill Cadance. Turning back towards her Shield saw the horrified expression on her face.

"Shield! Your leg!" Cadance shouted as she regained her posture and looked over towards Flurry Heart. As Shield followed her gaze he saw Flurry Heart staring over at him with tears in her eyes.

"Cadance! Grab Flurry Heart and run back to the palace, I will follow close behind" Shield barked out the orders as the pain slowly crept into his mind, his adrenaline was still pumping though and he was going to make use of it. Turning back he noticed Cadance was still staring at the spear in his leg un-moving.

"Now!" Shield snapped at her, that action finally pushed the alicorn into motion. With haste Cadance picked up her daughter with magic and started into a gallop towards the palace. They weren't too far from it, but that was even more worrisome for Shield.

'How did they get close enough to the palace without being spotted, and how did they attack and get away during the day!' Shield thoughts screaming as he started pushing his limbs to their limit. Every hoof fall into the ground felt like he would tumble and fall but his training kept him up. Turning about he noticed all of the ponies were stunned and frightened at the sight.

"Everyone! Scatter! Get back to your homes!" Shield shouted out as he ran. Turning forward he saw the gap between Cadance and himself widen as he couldn't catch up to her speed with a busted leg. Keeping an eye up towards the sky there was no sign of another attack or even who had done it. Still they weren't out of it yet, Cadance was getting closer to the palace but still needed protection.

Shield screamed as he stomped the injured hoof down and ignored the pain shooting through him, kicking into the ground and pushing himself. One step at a time, his joints screaming to stop. Shield kept pushing forward, faster and faster. His thought sent him back into the past. The pain was familiar to him. A knife to the leg, a hot pan pressed against the bottom of his hoof, a kick from a stallion bigger than him. The visage of his father made Shield enraged as he stomped forward even faster.

"Shield!?" Cadance called from his side. Looking up Shield realized he was in a full gallop as the metal spear sat in his leg, he had caught up to her. Shield looked around once more. The whistle of wind caught his ear directly above him, without looking his body reacted. He pushed to the side and shoved the Princess causing her to lose balance and shift to the side.

"Hey! Shield-" as Cadance snapped at him another metal spear slammed into the ground between them, right where Cadance would have been. Sliding to a stop Shield looked upwards again to find the source. A faint shadowed figure high above in the clouds looked down at them, too high for Shield to get a read on any features. Suddenly they leaned back and disappeared behind the cloud cover. Then it happened.

Another spear flung out of the cloud, causing it to burst with motion. The flight sent it directly towards the fallen Princess. Shield looked over stricken with fear, he couldn't make it. His leg began to give out, he had done too much.

"Cadance!" Shield screamed out in vain as the spear hurdled downward.

CLANG

Suddenly a pegasus shot into his view right above the Princess, his ready metal shield ringing as the spear slammed into it. The guards from the palace finally had made it. Looking over Shield focused on Cadance's face as she did the same to his. He smiled. Then his vision faded from him as he collapsed.

5: She is my everything

drip drip drip

Shield awoke to the sound of liquid dripping from a faucet across the room. He was in a bed, blankets messily draped over top him. It was dark, Princess Luna must have raised the moon at some point. He felt dizzy, a bit nauseous, and completely exhausted. Suddenly he jerked upright, looking about the room with a fear in his eyes. Then he found what he was looking for.

A pink alicorn resting peacefully leaning on the side of the bed he was in, sitting in a chair she must have had brought in and placed right next to him. She must have been there for sometime because where she was leaning there was a puddle of drool drenching the sheet.

Shield let out a sigh of relief upon seeing her, unharmed and safe inside the crystal palace. Then he flinched, the pain from the wound he received finally came back to him. That flinch was enough to awake the sleeping Princess, who snapped her eyes awake and looked at him. The moment her eyes focused and adjusted to the darkness in the room Shield could see tears forming.

Princess Cadance leapt into his arms from the chair. The tears already flowing down her face from relief and stress. He looked down at her, her face buried into the fur of his chest. The surprise from the action caught him off guard, but slowly he lowered his hooves to her mane.

"Your Majesty, I am glad you are safe. What of Flurry Heart?" Shield asked, concerned of what had transpired after he blacked out. The question caused the Princess to whip her head up and sternly berate him.

"We're fine! You're injured Shield worry about yourself!" Cadance snapped at the earth pony in her grasp. Before hugging him again and letting the tears flow more. She caught her breath before continuing, "I thought you were going to die" she said with a slight hiccup as she blew her nose a bit to clear her throat.

"Princess. It is my duty to die for you. You can't have this reaction" Shield stated with a concerned voice, "What would others think if they saw their Princess crying over a mere guard?"

"You really think you are just a 'mere guard'?" Cadance asked bewildered by the idea. "That you are replaceable?" she continued, wiping the tears and mucus from her face, "You saved my life Shield. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you" she finished with another burst of emotion causing the tears to flow again.

Shield looked down at the mare in his arms. To him at that very moment there wasn't a Princess, an alicorn, or a ruler of an Empire. In that moment he looked down at Cadance, her truest self, and he had made her cry. The sight of her crying in his arms stabbed a pain through his heart far worse than the one in his leg. He looked down and hesitated, he knew that no matter what he was her shield, he was a guard, he was a pawn in the game of royals. He used the entirety of his strength to force a smile onto his face.

"I am sorry for worrying you" Shield spoke up, then Cadance pulled back and looked up at him as the moon sunk into view of the window lighting the room with faint light. Then he saw her, the beautiful mare he has been watching from afar for years. The mare that caused the fearless soldier to be tongue tied. The mare that he had to stay away from, and she was in his arms.

"Beautiful"

The words slipped from his mouth before he realized he could react. He brought a hoof to his mouth and covered it, eyes going wide and reeling his whole body back. He looked out to her expression. She looked at him stunned, she opened her mouth ever so slightly and then closed it again. He could barely make it out but he could see her pink fur around her cheeks redden slightly. He felt as if his face was about to burst into flames. Then Cadance closed her eyes and took a breath and sat in silence for a moment, then opened them and gazed into his stare. Feeling as if she was looking into his soul.

"Handsome"

She said with a smile, face still stained with tears and blushed. She looked down at her hoof that was against Shield's chest. He followed the stare and then realized that her hoof was right over his heart, the heart that felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. He turned back to look at her before Cadance sat back and slide off the bed in a haste.

"Ahem... I uh-" Cadance stuttered as she stood, looking about the room and being masked by the shadows the moonlight couldn't quite reach. Shield continued to sit back, covering his face in shock and fear and excitement and a plethora of emotions he could barely understand. Then clearing her throat more thoroughly Cadance began to speak again.

"Shield. I thank you, for your incredible service and skill earlier yesterday. If not for you I wouldn't be here" she spoke in a clear and concise manner. The Princess was back. "I also wanted to thank you, for always being there for me and Flurry Heart" she said and then turned quickly and moved out of the room before he could interject.

Shield watched as the doors swung open more so and two guards rush in, assessing his injuries and asking him questions about the pain and the experiences he is feeling. Although he didn't answer, his eyes were fixated on the mare he loved walking down the hall in a fit of embarrassment and confusion. As he watched his mind went back to the mural he had seen.

'She is married. She has a child. She is a Princess' he kept repeating in his mind. He was drilling the facts of reality into his head to forget whatever foolish ambitions he might have at the moment. What idiotic plans he was trying to fabricate to ruin everything he worked up until now for. He was going to forget this all.

Cadance stopped at the end of the hall before it jutted to the left and turned back to look into his room. Lit up by torch light he could see her so clearly. A mare with a blush covering her face, looking longingly back at him, before biting her lip and galloping away. Then Shield's head cleared, it was all clear to him. The one thought in his head told him the answer.

'She is my everything'

6: It was genuine

Cadance hadn't come to visit Shield since he complimented her that night. It had been three days since he last saw her and despite frequent requests and questions to the doctor and guards that tended to revolve shifts through the day refrained from answering him whatsoever. At least his pain faded enough to stand, against the doctors orders as it would reopen his wounds, but he couldn't wait any longer.

Shield glanced about the room he has been locked to for the last few days, sliding to the edge of the bed and quietly shifting his weight up and off onto the floor. The moment his hooves made contact he felt the pressure build into his injured leg, the pain following soon after. Looking towards the window he could gauge the day to nearly be over, Princess Luna should be raising the moon very soon. Walking to the doorway of the room he pushed open the door, revealing the day guards stationed there.

"Sir! It is good to see you up" the unicorn guard to his right called with a salute. Turning to the left guard he noticed they were a pegasus, 'She isn't taking any risks with that threat in the clouds' Shield thought to himself.

"At ease" Shield replied, allowing the two to relax their posture. Looking back at the guard to his right he spoke up again, "Soldier, where is the Princess?"

"Her Majesty is in her study sir" the unicorn stated, motioning with his hoof down the hall.

"Thank you", turning to walk down the hall Shield noticed a faint glow of magic on him. The source, Shield found, being the unicorn.

"Sir I am sorry but you need to rest, you are not fully healed" the guard piped up.

Looking down to his leg Shield noticed the streak of blood seeping through the bandage that was wrapped around it. Then he realized just how matted his fur coat was with dried blood, his whole leg and stomach was crusted with a layer of thickened blood. 'An artery must have been cut' Shield's eyes widened at the thought, had he truly ran and caught up with Cadance losing that much blood?

Looking back at the guards Shield snapped,

"I have urgent business to discuss with Her Majesty and it cannot wait. It is imperative for her safety"

The guards looked at one another, both staring silently as if having a discussion with each telepathically, then turned back to Shield after a brief nod from the pegasus and sigh from the unicorn.

"Do not strain yourself, we will be coming to get you back to bed within the hour before our replacements arrive" the unicorn said sharply.

With the warning placed the unicorn released his hold on Shield, allowing him to go on his way. Shield bowed in thanks before trotting through the hall. The guards weren't wrong, his leg was most definitely not healed enough to be up. Shield smirked, 'A few loose stitches is a small price to pay to see her again' he thought. Then made his way to the study.

The hallway to the study was lined with guards, and most assuredly the balcony outside had more. They all nodded to him in understanding but a few did have am expression Shield couldn't quite gauge. When he tried to read them they quickly became stoic as stone, hiding whatever they were thinking.

Walking past the guards Shield walked to the door and knocked. No reply, Shield furrowed his brow and knocked again. Yet again more silence, the worry inside him raised to a breaking point before he pushed open the door without waiting for approval. There, asleep and slumped on a book and scroll covered desk laid the pink alicorn he was searching for.

Walking closer to her Shield looked down and inspected her, her eyes were puffy and she looked thinned. How long had she been crying and why? For him? Three days is far too long a time for her to worry like this. He turned back to ensure the door had swung closed, once confirming it had Shield knelt down to get his head more level with hers.

"Cadance?" Shield said in a soft tone, not to scare her awake. The alicorn shifted and blinked her eyes. She turned and stared at him still half asleep before jolting upright.

"Sir Shield!" Cadance started in a confused frenzy, "why are you up! You need to rest! How did you get in here who helped you?" She started rattling off questions so rapidly Shield had a hard time keepimg them sorted. He cleared his throat and started, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"I am alright, truly. I needed to see you" he spoke in a gentle voice, trying to calm her. "You hadn't been by for me to know you were safe so I had to come here myself to make sure" he finished.

Cadance stared at the stallion with a shocked expression before looking down at his wrapped leg. Then readying herself she spoke again, more professional and regal then prior.

"Sir Shield you must rest and this is an order. You are not to be up moving about until your leg is fully healed" she spoke with a stern tone, her face staring daggers into him.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for being up and about while injured. I had to make sure you were safe!" Shield proclaimed, then hesitently spoke up again, "and because I needed to ask you something"

Cadance visibly tensed as he spoke, her eyes shifting from a determined look to a worried one. She shifted back a bit into the chair she was in and stared out at him.

"Cada-" Shield was cut off by The Princess holding up a hoof and letting out a slight whimper.

"Shield I am sorry!" She spoke out, not letting Shield gain a moment to regain his composure she spoke again, "I have to apologize to you. I have been using you" The Princess squeaked out from a trembling voice. Shield stared confused at her in silence, before the Princess readied herself and started again.

"Let me explain," the Princess adjusts herself in the chair and stared at Shield with a saddened expression, "Shining Armor has been gone for some time now on his mission to ensure the further out settlements of the Crystal Empire are brought into our control safely and without worry from our citizens" the Princess stares at a painting on the wall depicting the Prince in his armor. "I have been left here to not only run this Empire but also raise a daughter. I was exhausted and frustrated. Then that's when I had the idea, the idea of bringing a earth pony I had met before that left a impressive impression on me" she stated looking back towards Shield.

"You asked me for personally?" Shield asked, his voice barely reaching the Princess in front of him.

"I did, I needed help. I needed company. I needed... Shining Armor. But I knew he had to leave to complete this task. As such I seeked a-"

"Temporary replacement"

"Yes. I figured you'd fill that role perfectly"

"So when you complimented me..."

"It was genuine Shield" the Princess spoke up jolting Shield aware again, his expression telling the Princess that he didn't quite understand the meaning behind her words. The Princess picked up once again,

"It was genuine. I had placed you as my guard to be a pseudo-husband to me. Somepony to rely on when it was all too much. I never intended it to go any further than that" the Princess closed her eyes and sighed, "then you had to be like that" she said in a exasperated breath.

"Like that?" Shield asked

"Good with Flurry Heart. Kind to me. Protective in every way. There when I need you. It was all a lot, I didn't think I had gotten so close to you until I asked you to call me Cadance..." she said defeated. "Then you saved my life, my daughter's life, twice" she emphasized the feat.

"I never actually intended for you to get hurt, I didn't think anypony would attack me this close to the Crystal Palace... until that day at the park" she spoke in a hushed tone.
"The way you jumped into danger, ready to die for me. It was too late, as soon as you did that I couldn't deny what I was feeling"

Shield looked shocked at the Princess, the idea that Cadance had felt this way for him. He steadied himself and got control of the butterflies in his stomach, as for the heat he felt flush his cheeks and his heart beating faster than in combat, those he had to ignore.

"How were you feeling... Cadance?" Shield asked, heart nearing shooting from his chest.

The Princess looked over the quivering stallion attempting to put on a calm bravado and smiled weakly. Before quickly wiping it away from her face and glaring at him again.

"I felt like you were my husband Shield. I felt as if you had always been" she said with frustration in her voice, "I realized it when I called you over to watch Flurry Heart perform magic for the first time. Just before we got attacked" she put her face in her hooves, "I realized as you looked at other families that when I wanted to share in the first moments of Flurry Heart's magic I didn't even think of Shining Armor. I thought of you" she said sadly.

Shield could barely stand as the revelations came flowing into him. His idiocy wasn't misplaced. He didn't necessarily need to fail. He could be with her. He could show her how much he cared for her. He could-

"All of that is the first reason, I am afraid, I need to remove you from your position as royal Bodyguard" the Princess spoke in a disheartened tone.

"What?" Was the only answer Shield could give.

"I am a Princess married to a Prince," she stated, her face turning red with frustration emphasizing each word, "also should I remind you that we have a daughter?" the Princess snapped.

Shield stood stunned from the turn of the conversation. The pain from his leg numb compared to the pain in his chest. Everything was falling apart. He thought back to his father's eyes locked on him, the disappointment and anger they conveyed. Shield was speechless, what had he been doing? 'Of course this was doomed to fail. I am such an idiot' his thoughts ringing in his otherwise empty mind. Then Shield remembered the phrasing the Princess had used.

"That's the first reason?" He choked up, holding down his emotions.

The door behind Shield swung open as the air from the hall blew back some papers the Princess had on her desk. The sound of a pony entering behind made Shield's reflexes turn him around, ignoring his mental state and readying for another attack.

Instead a guard sat in the doorway shocked at the ready and injured Shield. The guard then turned to the Princess sitting at the desk and called out,

"Your Majesty! His Highness will be arriving shortly!"

7: At Ease

"Shining will be back within the hour Shield" the Princess called from behind, "tomorrow you will be sent off to begin your recovery process and be relieved of your duty to protect me"

"I am fine Princess!" Shield called out as he turned towards Cadance again, "my injuries are not enough to stop me from performing my duties" he pleaded. Princess Cadance stared at the stallion with a stoic expression. Shield's eyes snapped onto her horn as it began to glow a pastel blue, then a nearby rounded chest was slid over towards him and dropped. Cadance staring at it intently.

"Shield, jump over that chest" She asked, her voice more monotone than usual. The chest must be about half his height, under normal circumstances this wouldn't be a problem. Doing it with a hole through his leg is a different story.

"It is not my place Your Majesty," the guard standing in the doorway piped up, the same who brought news of the Prince's soon to be return, "but this task seems cruel" he look over at Shield's bloodied bandages then back towards the Princess. Shield turned and seen Cadance again, a expression of worry on her face.

"Quite!" Cadance barked before using her magic to once again move the chest away from Shield, "Sorry I don't know what had gotten into me. Guard," Cadance looked over, composing herself, "your name?"

"Risky Waters Your Majesty" the guard knelt into a bow revealing his pegasus wings, then standing at attention once again.

"Risky Waters, please see that Sir Shield be brought to bed immediately" the Princess ordered, waving her hoof towards the door.

Shield looked at the guard with an expression of fear, then back to the Princess.

"Your Majesty, I do not want to fail you" Shield begged while lowering his head. The sound of the guard trotting closer causing his heart to begin to race.

"You aren't a failure Shield, you saved my life, but you need to recover" the Princess said with a cold voice, her eyes locked on Shields. "Besides, once Shining is home then your protection will not be needed. I am sorry Sir Shield, I truly am" as she spoke she turned her eyes downward to her desk once again.

Waters wrapped a wing around Shield, obscuring his vision towards her. Finally the pain in his leg was too much to bear and Shield shifted and sunk, blood dripping from the bandage down his leg. Looking down at the line of crimson forming on his leg against his white fur before sinking to the floor, a sickening feeling overtook him. Leaning to the guard to keep upright, the pegasus gladly help hold him up. Then with a nod from the guard, they exited the room.

Each hoof fall Shield had place left another bloodied print on the crystaline flooring, marking the exact path they had walked from the study back to his temporary bedroom. With a huff Shield was hefted up onto the bed, his leg stabbing pain into him. 'It was foolish to approach her so carelessly' he thought as he sat back onto his bed, resting his side and head on the bed frame. Looking over Shield noticed the pegasus still standing near the bed, his blue fur caked with blood wear Shield's leg was pressing against him.

"I am sorry for the mess" he coughed from the bed, following the trail leading out of the room that he had left. "Perhaps I should have listened to Hey Majesty's orders the first time" he spoke out, reciting his own thoughts aloud.

"I have to disagree," Risky Waters interrupted, causing Shield to shoot a look in his direction before he started again, "at least it was necessary for the the rest of the guards" he stated. Then looking back down the hallway and stretching his wings quickly before the pegasus spoke without looking at Shield.
"You do realize we had heard you call her Cadance?"

If Shield's stomach wasn't already sunk to its lowest point, it would have been now.

"No, I didn't" Shield said, anger in his eyes directed at himself.

"We had also noticed how strange you two have been acting. The way you both looked at each other," Waters spoke out turning back to Shield. The only expression Shield could gauge on his mostly vacant face was disappointment, then he continued, "We all knew there was something going on. All while the Prince was gone too. Many of us were ready to spill the beans to His Majesty once he had returned" he said with a harsh tone. Shield winced at the thought.
"But it seems as if that's unnecessary now, you've both finished your charade" he finished staring at the injured earth pony.

Shield stared at him with a sadness in his eyes,

"We haven't done anything, despite my idiocy the Princess would never-" Shield was cut off as the pegasus put a hoof up and spoke.

"We are aware. Now at least. I was stationed outside the room before the messenger made their way to us to share the information of the Princes return. You both weren't being very quiet" he said cocking and eyebrow at Shield.

With a nod Shield then turned away from the pegasus, pulling a blanket closer to himself to attempt to cover the shame he was feeling.

"Soon the doctor will return to re-wrap your wound and ensure the stitches aren't pulled out. Stay still until then" Waters spoke, then trotted out of the room and closed the door. Shield was left alone.

Being left to his own devices Shield slumped into a heap onto the bed, the pain inside him too much to sleep and the shame to great to ignore. He sat, his eyes open, staring off the bed at the far wall to the right of his bed. As he stared his mind began to play scenes for him, as if he was the single audience of his mind's very own play. Himself and others from his memories the actors, and the plot was one he lived through already. A memory of the first time he failed.

Twenty Years Ago

Shield awoke from his bed and sat up as the birds chirped outside, the splintered wood didn't dampen the song allowing him to enjoy it to the fullest each morning. Standing up he walked over to his sister's bed. Reaching to the side and grabbing the bottle filled with the best food he could get for her. Looking down at the pastel pink pony in the bed a smile formed on his face, before he picked her up gently and woke her.

Her eyes flickered open and looked over at Shield, smiling and giggling as she seen him. He moved the bottle over and started to feed her before turning his head to the side and looking towards his brother's bed. Shield noted several more nails had crept up from the wooden floor and would need to be taken care of before somepony got one through the hoof.

"Sword! Wake up, father will be expecting us outside soon" Shield spoke with a hushed tone to not frighten the baby in his arms. With a groan, the dark blue form of his brother rolled over and stared at him. Then suddenly tears began to fill his eyes,
"Sword? What's wrong" Shield asked carefully, rotating his body to face him.

"I don't want to go to practice today... I don't want to hurt you again" he spoke, his pegasus wing stretching out from behind and covering his face.

Shield frowned at the sight of his brother, then he felt the tinge of pain spike in his side. Looking down he seen the scabbed over cut along his side that his brother had given him the day before. It hurt, but so did all the others he had gotten. He could get through another day, then taking a breath Shield smiled again.

"Sword. It will be fine, let your older brother take care of you alright?" Shield piped up, spinning the bottle in his hand to ensure the milk funneled out to his sister. Looking up he saw Sword's wing retract before the sad foal stared at him, "Father has hurt me plenty of times Sword, I am used to this. Just do what he tells you and then we will be done" Shield finishes as the sound of his sister crying startles him. Looking down he realized that the bottle was empty, and his sister had eaten all the food he could get her today. 'I will have to steal some more for her later tonight' Shield thought to himself before setting her gently down, onto the makeshift bed. Looking at her frail body he made sure to treat her like father's fragile crystal glassware, not wanting to break her.

"Has Father named that one yet?" Sword spoke out staring at the filly.

"He doesn't know she is still around," Shield snapped back, "and he won't know" he spoke with a glare in Sword's direction.

Sword flinched at the stare and sat up on his bed, "I wasn't going to say anything!" he said in a sharp tone back at his brother. Causing Shield to smile before they both heard the voice call for them.

"Get out here boys! You have a mission tonight!", their father was awake.

"Let's go Sword" Shield said quietly through his teeth, while moving towards the door of the shed. Turning he watched Sword leap out of bed and gallop over to the door with him, he opened the door and they both made their way outside into the sun.

Present Day

"At Ease soldier" the voice called beside his bed, Shield snapped his eyes open and rolled over quickly while sitting up. The white furred unicorn stood proudly next to the bed, his blue mane flowing down his back and accentuating the unicorn horn atop his head. The prince, Shining Armor had returned.

8: rose tinted magic

Shield glanced up at the Prince, still reeling from his daydream, then quickly checking the window to see the night had risen. 'How long was I lost in thought?' he asked himself, before turning back to the Prince. He also made sure to note the two guards now standing at the entry way to his room, both pegasi, before answering his commander.

"Sir" Shield said while lifting himself into a upright position, "I am glad to see you returned safely to the palace" he finished with a salute.

The Prince smiled and raised a hoof,

"Please Sir Shield, you saved my wife. No need to aggravate the wound while you talk to me", the Prince then looked over to his guards and waved them out. Both nodded and walked to the hallway and closed the door to leave the two stallions alone.

"Now then," the Prince started, "I must say I am quite impressed!" looking over to Shield's wounded leg. "The guards said you leapt around Cadance to defend her from the surprise attack in the park, an attack that even the pegasi guards had trouble reacting to" he spoke with a profound surprise in his voice, "I wasn't sure why Cadance had her eye on you but now I must say she was definitely right" he said with a serious tone. Still staring at the bandages the Prince started speaking once more, "If you weren't here she would have been killed..." he closed his eyes and tensed. Then turning to Shield the Prince huffed and asked in a serious tone, "Soldier, you need to tell me. Do you know who or what was behind the attack?" he spoke with an angered voice staring directly into Shields eyes. It almost felt as if Shield could feel the pressure that the Prince was exuding. The anger in his eyes and the determination his expression carried caused Shield to choke on his answer.

"I- Ahem. Sir I did not. Do not... Sir" Shield answered in a shaky tone, realizing he had failed yet another. He wanted to shrink away into the bed but held himself up to not disrespect the Prince.

The Prince stared at him for a moment longer, then eased his body and sighed.
"It is alright soldier, we can figure this out. Whoever did this will be caught. They will be punished for this" he spoke out staring into space. Then glancing up at Shield for a moment the Prince's expression changed ever so slightly, then he asked another question.

"Did you and Cadance do anything behind my back while I was gone Shield?" his eyes locking onto Shield again. This time Shield could barely hold eye contact, a fear sparked up inside him. 'I shouldn't incriminate Cadance at all. Just me' his thoughts attempting to work up a plan. Then before he could answer the Prince cut in,
"Do not attempt to mislead me or lie soldier, I will know" he spoke again with a sharp tone, cutting through Shield's plans. Shield could feel the sweat form on his head, his stomach twisted into a knot as he spoke.

"We told each other that we found one another attractive. That was the extent, Your Highness" Shield whipped into a bow, "I apologize for my irreparable behavior! I accept any punishment" Shield spoke out, readying himself for whatever came down on him.

The room grew silent, Shield sat waiting some sort of pain. Magical in essence, physical, or perhaps a verbal lashing. As he waited though the room remained silent. Shield looked up towards the Prince and seen a look on his face, a cold stoic knowing expression.

"I want to say I didn't see this coming," the Prince spoke up, breaking the fragile silence. "I really do. But when she asked for a specific pony, an earth pony no less, to be her bodyguard... I had already..." the Prince stopped talking and took a deep breath in. Then turning to face the door of the bedroom he opened his mouth again and silently spoke to himself, "Perhaps though... This will make it easier for me..."

Shield stared worried at the Prince before him, "Sir?" he spoke out a deep worrying feeling in his stomach. The Prince looked down over Shield with a cold look, glancing him up and down.

"You are to be stripped of your role as bodyguard starting immediately," the Prince ordered, "You will be sent off to Canterlot, and once your recovery is over, begin training fresh among the recruits" he said with a cold voice. "Do I make myself clear?" the Prince said, his words slamming into Shield like daggers.

"I-"

"These are orders from your commanding officer and Prince! Do I make myself clear?" the Prince said in a raised voice, his form now looming over Shield.

"Sir yes sir" Shield said in a defeated tone. Closing his eyes and lowering his head. The feelings wheeling up inside him were unmistakable, pure and utter anger at himself.

"Chin up soldier, I have all rights to imprison or execute you for this. Knowing that, starting as a recruit is far less than what could have been" the Prince said, the comparison not giving Shield any solace.

Suddenly the doors to the bedroom opened, a breeze flowing in from the hallway chilling Shield as he glanced up towards one of the pegasi that accompanied the Prince into the room prior.

"My Liege, we have found and placed the autobiography of King Maker in Her Majesty's study. The Princess asks for your company to hear your proposition" the guard states in a firm voice.

Shield's eyes shoot up towards the Prince, 'King Maker?', his fur begins to stand on end.

"That book..." Shield spoke aloud unwittingly.

"You know of King Maker soldier?" the Prince looked over towards Shield again, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"I was... raised on the exterior of the Crystal Empire when I was a foal, during the reign of Sombra..." Shield spoke up, his voice crackling from the emotions running through him.

"I see. So you must have heard of the stallion who failed to overthrow him before Cadance and I did successfully" the Prince stared at Shield awaiting an answer.

"Yes sir. Everypony knew his name because of the punishments that Sombra unleashed after the failed attack" Shield spoke with a hushed tone.

"I will not have you remember such a trying time" the Prince said, "times are different now".

Shield looked up as the Prince nodded and walked towards the door, the pegasus turning and walking out with him.

"I do not believe that book is worth your time Sir!" Shield snapped out reflexively before the Prince closed the door. Turning around, the Prince looked at the broken stallion laid out on the bed.

"Why is that?" the Prince asked in a sharp voice with a look of disapproval.

"Because there is nothing to learn from a failure"

The Prince nodded and smiled before speaking again, "Times are different now", and with that the door swung closed.

Shield sat alone on his bed, staring at the door with his body locked, motionless. The only thought carving its way through Shield's mind was not of being a failure, of having to go back through all the years of training, nor was it of the Princess. The singular thought that took full control over Shield's mind and shook him to his core even more so than anything that had transpired since being appointed as royal bodyguard,

'Why does the Prince have my father's autobiography?'

Twenty Years Ago

"You want to steal the crystal heart?" Shield asked in a confused voice, staring up at his father.

"It seems the best course of action to help me rise to power" his father stated in a descending tone, his golden fur shining in the sun. Looking back at his brother Shield could see his legs already trembling at the idea of going anywhere close to the crystal palace.

"Father, don't you want us to train further? The chance of success will only increase if-" Shield's reasoning was cut short as his father's horn began to glow a red color and soon after a rock from alongside the shed whipped into the air and slammed into his cheek, causing him to slump over to the side. He could hear Sword gasp from behind him as his vision blurred.

"Silence! I have been notified that news of the crystal heart may spread outwards from the Crystal Empire's borders. In that case the information will reach others with actual armies," his father's voice rumbling with annoyance, "while all I have is you..." he stresses while gesturing to both of the foals. Shield's vision slowly returning before looking up toward his father again.

Shield's heart dropped, "What happened to Scout?" he asked with fear.

"The fool flew too far out in the open and got caught by Sombra's guards. If he was worth anything as a son he would have killed himself by now to not leak information" Shield's father sneered as he spoke about Shield's older brother.

"Then I am the oldest child left?" Shield asked, looking back towards the shed they came from partially obscured in the shadow of his father's house. 'There had been three others older than me just last year! What is happening?' Shield's thoughts raced through him as the panic filled his body.

Shield watched as his father's face became enraged and stomped onto the ground, looking down at him with a glare.

"Yes Shield. Despite all these years attempting for these mares to birth the alicorn I need to take the Empire, I am left with only a pegasus and you" he shifted his head towards Shield in a frustrated fit, then turned and walked away toward the house. Shield regained his senses and turned back to Sword, who was looking at him with deep fearful look and tears in his eyes.

"Father, Sword is still too young and untrained! Allow me to go with you alone to prevent any mistakes!" Shield cried out to his father, who turned towards them from the shadow of the house.

"You're both going. Neither of you are trained enough for your roles, you will both play as distractions for me" his speech was quick and frustrated. Shield looked at his father's form, 'He is losing it'.

Shifting to the side to act as a barricade between his brother and his father Shield spoke again,
"Father please. If you wait a few more years I can better protect you. I have been recovering from Sword's attacks quicker every day and my reflexes are improving too. I even jumped in front of the arrow you had shot at Scout last week remember?" Shield begged, attempting any sort of persuasion to keep his brother safe here.

Shield's father stopped for a moment in the shade, his darkened form only given away by the golden outline of the sun's rays on his back. Before he turned and trotted over,

"We move tonight. There will be no more food given to either of you if you both don't meet me at the front of the house by sunset" he said in a cold voice, his horn again becoming aglow with the red magical aura. Shield instinctively got ready to brace himself for whatever attack came his way, instead only two bowls were hovered over to the foals and dropped to the ground. Breakfast.

"Eat now. Then do as I say tonight. You both will live, then we will return here after. Once this is done I will have the power to make sure neither of you have to work like this again," his father spoke softer than before. "You know I do this for you both, for your mothers, all the other ponies here on the outskirts of the Empire" his father said in a calming way, his eyes mimicking kindness.

"Yes father" Shield replied, then leaned down and began to eat. He'd need the energy tonight, for Sword's sake.

Present Day

CADANCE

The torn old book Shining talked to her about sat upon her reading stand, the words 'King Maker' embellished on the cover. Cadance cocked an eyebrow at the name, she had heard it before but it was years prior. Using her magic, the book became aglow with a pastel blue, she flipped a few pages in and began to look through it. Mentions of aspirations of creating a perfect protector and warrior for a Empire. Her eyes scanned the page until she landed on some text near the bottom of the page,

'The most skilled pegasi find success as soldiers due to their ability for intelligence gathering, their speed in combat, and their immense reflexes allowing them to defend royalty against the fastest assassination attempts. While unicorns have the ability to harness magic, their options for combat and protection also expand rapidly creating a pathway directly to the top of most military structures. It seems simple then to assume that a soldier with both would be-'

The book suddenly fell limp, her magic flickering and fading from it. Cadance's eyes widened as she stared at the novel curiously. 'That is odd' she thought to herself. Attempting again to flip another page, her horn glowing the pastel blue before once again flickering and dimming back to the pink color it was prior.

Her questioning was cut short as Shining burst through the door with a smile, his presence immediately causing her to relax and smile.

"So did you meet my savior?" She said through the smile. She sat back in her chair as Shining used his magic to close the door behind him and then formed a grin of his own.

"I did, I just had to make sure he was truly an earth pony! He did an amazing job protecting you, a shame he has to leave to recover" he said with a laugh not noticing Cadance's expression falter briefly, before walking over to her and planting a kiss on her lips. One she gladly reciprocated. Before he leaned back and looked over at the book she was just scanning through.

"So Shining. Mind telling me what this is?" she asked with a curious voice nodding towards the biography. Attempting to use her magic to close the book, which glowed alight with her pastel blue magic and shut on her command. Cadance eyeing it questioningly.

"Ah! I seen you were reading through it!" he said excitedly. Then he shifted to lean on her desk and used his magic to pull the novel over to them and read the title aloud, "King Maker, what it takes to protect an Empire. I was told of this individual on the exterior of the Crystal Empire. Out there a lot of the ponies believe him to have been a hero, somepony who was fighting for all of their lively hoods!" Shining spoke out in intrigue.

"He was also a cruel pony who sought to birth an alicorn by forcing himself on weakly mares who needed access to his food Shining" Cadance replied in an angered tone, "Did they tell you that?"

Shining closed his eyes and furrowed his brow at the comment before looking at the book again.

"Yes, I did research him after all. But his morality isn't what I brought this book to discuss, it is about a plan he had" Shining said in a quiet voice, looking over at Cadance with disheartened eyes.

"The plan to steal the Crystal Heart? Shining we know this already"

"No not that one dear! I was referencing the one regarding creating the perfect protector for an empire"

"A perfect protector?" Cadance questioned, then jumping back as the book reopened to the page after the one she was reading previously.

"Yes! You see, he was trying to get hold of a alicorn child in cruel ways yes but what he discussed afterwards is what is interesting!" Shining Armor beamed towards Cadance in fascination.

"Any plan this monster had was undoubtedly grotesque in nature Shining, and should be left alone" Cadance said is a stern tone.

Shining Armor sighed and lowered his head before looking back at Cadance and trotting about the study,

"My love do you know how many different factions want this land?" Shining asked while meandering aimlessly about the room.

"I assume the Diamond dogs. Possibly the dragons but they all wouldn't try anything-"

"I thought so too, the exterior towns though, they tell a different story" Shining Armor announced with a frustrated look.

"What do you mean?" Cadance asked, shifting in her chair uncomfortably.

"On the exterior of the Crystal Empire the towns are a mixed breed of races. Ponies that were exiled from Canterlot, diamond dogs who were sent as scouts, and a plethora of others. There was a mixed bag of many but one thing remained the same among them" Shining Armor cleared his thought and walked towards the balcony doorway, the clear crystalline doors allowing him to look out to the night sky, before continuing.

"They all mention that their respective nations saw the Crystal Empire as potential valuable land to be conquered" His voice echoed through the room as Cadance stared at him. She shifted and wrapped one of her wings around to rub her temple.

"If they attempt to attack then we will protect this place the same way we defeated Sombra. We will be fine Shining"

"What if we aren't!" Shining snaps at her, "Look, Cadance. We fought so hard to get this land, to protect the ponies here. We cannot risk losing it and allowing those with more sinister ambitions to take over, I mean you were just attacked for crying out loud!" Shining finished speaking as Cadance glanced over again at the book on her desk.

"This is why you brought me this book?" Cadance asked, a realization coming over her.

"Cadance my love, King Maker may have been a evil pony for the things he did. I do not agree with it at all, but his plans for making an alicorn into a perfect protector has a strong argument!" Shining stated turning to face her, a look of determination on his face. Cadance glared at the book with a disgusted look and then turned to face him,

"You do not mean to turn Flurry Heart into that very protector using 'his' methods!" Cadance raised the book up with her magic, gesturing to it with a baffled expression.

Shining armor began walking towards Cadance with a frown, "Dear, we already have a beautiful baby. She can be-"

"-Whatever she wants to be! Is that what you were about to say Shining?" Cadance interjected, "Because if it wasn't then this conversation is over!" She said with a huff. Getting up and storming out of the room leaving the Prince alone in the cluttered study.

The Next Morning

CADANCE

Cadance awoke in the morning, looking to the side and seeing her daughter sleeping peacefully alongside her. Looking at the sleeping child resting peacefully Cadance leaned closer and kissed her forehead, exhaling through her nose. 'Shining's first night back home and he had to ruin it..' she thought as she looked about the guest room she had taken Flurry Heart to in worry about what Shining had said. The room was far smaller than Shining and her own, but it gave Cadance a sense of security. A sense of stability with the craziness of the last few days.

Looking towards the window in the room Cadance focused her magic and attempted to shift the curtains open to reveal the morning sun. Once again the oddity occurred, as the curtains flickered her pastel blue and then faded, refusing to open for her. Cadance's expression shifted to one of a deep worry, this was the first time that her magic had failed her like this and she didn't know why.

Sitting up in the bed, moving slowly to ensure Flurry Heart stayed asleep Cadance stared at the sun streaks peaking through the sides of the curtain. 'Today is the day Shield is to be sent off...' she thought to herself. Knowing that she had to send him off didn't quell the raging emotions inside her. She had tried so hard to repress it, she couldn't understand why he had pushed his way into her mind so suddenly. Her heart fluttered as she thought of the stallion again, the determination in him while training to protect her and her daughter. The gentleness he treated Flurry Heart with, the way he looked at her as if there was nothing in this world that could take precedence over her. Not even his own safety and health.

Looking down at Flurry Heart, Cadance sighed and looked towards the doors back into the palace. 'Shining had looked at me with those eyes for so long,' the thought causing her to curl up slightly on the bed, 'but last night... those eyes were gone' finishing the thought with a slam to the bed with her hoof out of frustration. Accidentally awakening Flurry Heart in a jolt, causing the filly to begin to cry.

"Ah! No I am sorry!" Cadance blurt out, as she glanced towards the bottle she had brought in and using her magic quickly hovered it over to her to pop into Flurry Heart's mouth, quickly quieting the disgruntled baby. Relaxing and closing her eyes as she avoided a troublesome morning Cadance sat back towards the crystalline bed frame, as she opened her eyes confused. Turning towards the window again, she commanded the curtains to open, which soon after agreed colored in her pastel blue magical aura, revealing a beautiful spray of color from the morning sun.

Cadance stared at the curtains curiously and then glancing up towards her horn, shaking her head to rid herself of the mystery for now. Standing from the bed and raising Flurry Heart through the air with her magic, she made her way into the palace towards where she told Shining to meet her.

SHIELD

Shield awoke in the morning to the guards ushering him out of bed in a hurry. His bandages hadn't been re-wrapped and they had focused expressions on their face. Shield was sure the Prince wanted to rid himself of a bothersome interloper in his marriage as fast as possible, assuredly this would be the last time he would see the crystal palace. Being lifted up a pegasus wrapped a dark blue wing around him and began to walk him out of the room.

The palace seemed emptier than before, the Prince most likely sent them out to surveil for the assassins. Looking over at the guard helping him walk Shield recognized him.

"Risky Waters?" Shield asked in a meek voice, a shadow of his once commanding tone.

"Aye. Surprised you remembered with so much that happened to you yesterday" he answered in a cold tone.

"You told the Prince about Cadance and I?"

"Nope. He just knew" Waters spoke in a hushed tone, pushing Shield with his wing out into the entrance hall of the palace. Shield felt his stomach drop, something still didn't sit right with him. 'That book', his father, it all didn't feel right. Like he was missing something. As they walked towards the door Shield shifted his weight down to the ground and stopped. Causing a look from Waters.

"Come on now, don't try running. I will catch you and you're leg will be hurt worse" he spoke to Shield in a way that conveyed he really didn't want to hurt the stallion anymore than he was already.

"Risky, please... Let me go see the Prince one last time" Shield spoke with a determined look.

"Can't do that, I got orders" Waters said, beginning to press his weight into Shield to move him. Shield continued to hold himself still. Risky Waters look over at him confused as the earth pony wasn't shifting a single step despite Water's whole strength pressing him.

"Please. I will not do anything aside from reveal a truth I didn't before. I can't leave without doing so, it will haunt me" Shield pleaded as the guard stomped his hooves down and pressed again to no avail.

Risky Waters looked Shield up and down, then puffed out a breath of exhaustion before turning to look at him again.

"Well, looking like I couldn't move you unless I flew into you full speed. And my orders were to move you not kill you," Waters said with a glare, "You promise no shenanigans?"

"Promise"

"Just revealing the truth and then you'll leave?"

"You have my word"

Risky Waters stared at the earth pony, looking into his eyes and reading into the depths of the brown irises. Before finally retracting his wing and exhaling out his nose and rolling his eyes.

"They should be in the throne room, follow me"

CADANCE

Cadance held Flurry Heart up to her face and snuggled into the filly with her cheek causing Flurry Heart to begin to laugh. Smiling at her Cadance sat up from the ground where they were playing. Looking over towards Shining Armor who was staring out an open window over the city. Then he turned to look at her and smiled, trotting over to their position in the room.

Cadance glared towards him and then looked back down at the baby before blowing a raspberry and making a goofy face towards her to make her laugh. Shining Armor walked over to them with a saddened expression on his face and looked down at Flurry Heart. The filly looking over towards him and then mimicking her mother and blowing a raspberry at her father, causing Cadance to burst out laughing at the act.

"Serves you right!" Cadance laughed

"Come on! What have you been teaching her?" Shining asked with a laugh of his own.

"I didn't teach her that, you just deserved it and she knew" Cadance said in between breaths.

Cadance looked down at Flurry Heart and smiled again, then looked up at Shining before pacing over closer to him.

"Look at that killer~" Cadance said mockingly, gesturing down at Flurry Heart who was continuing to blow bubbles of spit out of her mouth.

"Come on now I already apologized, how much more do you want. I already knew you wouldn't agree..." Shining lifted a hoof and pushed her away with a frown.

Cadance smirked and nodded before taking a deep breath, exhaling and staring out the windows of the throne room.

"Is it truly wise to have dismissed my bodyguard so soon after the first attack?" Cadance asked in a curious voice, as Shining Armor waved Flurry Heart to crawl over to him.

"Cadance dear, he was injured. Who knows how long it would've taken for him to be able to perform his duties again. Besides!" Shining shifted into a heroic pose, lifting Flurry Heart with magic to position her as if she was riding on his back, "Your hero in 'Shining Armor' has returned!"

Cadance couldn't hold in her laughter at the absurd image displayed in front of her and let out a snort and began laughing again.

"Yeah my hero~" Cadance mocked again, before trotting over and kissing him. Then Shining Armor lowered Flurry Heart to eye level and smiled at her and bonked his nose to hers. Before turning her to face Cadance.

"Although I do understand a bit what you mean about that bodyguard of yours," Shining started, taking a more lackadaisical tone. "When he jumped in front of that spear to protect you I couldn't believe my eyes!" he said turning Flurry Heart to face himself again.

Cadance knew what he means, the way that earth pony moved seemed supernatural at times, even when exercising he moved with a pace that only a pegasus could match. He truly-

Cadance stopped in her tracks and came to a realization. Turning back towards Shining,

"Don't you mean couldn't believe your 'ears' dear?" Cadance asked curiously smiling at her husband.

Shining Armor looked at her with a saddened expression and began,

"Dear I knew you wouldn't agree. I wish you would, but I know you won't. Not ever..." Shining armor spoke in a monotone cold voice.

Cadance stared confused at him as he raised a hoof into the air. As he did two spears shot through the windows from either side of the throne room, Cadance shifted her weight to move but she couldn't. Looking down at the magic aura on her hooves, shooting her view up she saw Shining Armor facing away his horn aglow with his rose colored magic. She focused on the spears with her magic, attempting to hold them still in the air. Only to feel her magic flicker and fade as it had earlier this morning. Her eyes widening with fear as the spears closed in on her.

CLANG

CRUNCH

Cadance's eyes blurred as a spear pierced her right wing and a hot blistering pain entered her body, but as it past through it missed her hindquarters just by a few inches. The other spear was lodged into the floor of the throne room. 'It missed?" Cadance thought to herself, then looking up she seen why. A bloodied brown and white spotted stallion, his leg bleeding through bandages.

SHIELD

Shield manage to pull the Princess back and break the magic holding her hooves down with pure muscle but now there was a problem, Her Majesty's wing was injured and he didn't know if he could defend against attacks from two separate direction at the speed they were flying towards them. He needed out to get her out.

Shining Armor whipped around where he was standing as he felt his magic break, turning to face the earth pony.

"You again?!" the Prince barked, his face twisting into a rage.

There was no time to wait, Shield turned and dove at the Princess who was in a shocked state. He slid his head under her form and lifted up, pulling her up onto his back in one swift motion. Then he bolted, the extra weight on his legs causing his previous wound to explode into pain. 'The exit!' Shield's thoughts moved slower than his reflexes, already running towards the opened pathway. The doors to the throne room he was running towards slammed shut as rose colored magic enveloped them. Without stopping Shield curved his path to the right and continued running, attempting to predict and avoid any attacks from behind.

Looking to his side Shield could see two pegasi fly in through the windows, 'The two guards he was traveling with! That's why they could get so close without being spotted, it was our own guard!' Shield screamed at himself for not realizing sooner. Then he bolted off, the wounded leg screaming in pain and dripping blood, he dashed towards a closed crystal window of the throne room and leapt as more spears came raining towards them. The first slammed into the flooring below him as he jumped. The second slammed into the window and shattered it, messing up the timing of their arrival. 'We made it!' a smile crawled onto his face realizing he had saved the Princess. Then he felt a sudden slam in his side, the weight pushing him out of the window's path midair. His heightened senses allowing him to look down before he fell, he realized there was a spear embedded in his front shoulder enveloped in rose tinted magic. Time almost slowing as they veered off course from the window.

Suddenly Shield noticed that he was aglow with a pastel blue colored magic, one that pushed them back towards the window's path. The rose tinted spear slammed into the side of the windows and pulled free as they launched out the window and out soaring over the city. With his heightened senses time felt as if it were moving slow, turning back for a brief moment Shield could see the figure of the Prince standing alongside the two guards, young Flurry Heart sitting beside their forms. Then he looked down and realized how high up they truly were, the city streets far below and buildings dwarfed but the palace's size. He felt Cadance wrap her hooves around his neck, he felt his adrenaline fading and time speeding back up.
Then, they fell.

Author's Note

Wow that chapter was a doozy! If you find any typos pls help and let me know ^~^, it was a whole process to get this one done.

ALSO Please don't hesitate to leave a comment and recommend some fics to give me inspiration as I write as angel d ammo did!

also constructive criticism is much appreciated! straight up criticism is also valid!

9: impact

SHIELD

The wind's ripped past him as he fell from the throne room, Cadance's hooves digging into the front of his throat as she held on. The morning sun illuminating the buildings below them as they toppled through the air. Shield glanced about the the street and alleyways from above, attempting to find somewhere they could run to once they hit ground. Then several realizations washed over Shield's mind in an instant, 'How are we going to get down alive?!' was the first. Then suddenly he was obscured by shadow save for a single circular hole allowing light to meet his right eye, before he could realize what was happening he felt his descent get immediately slowed as Cadance's hooves dug into his neck even harder than before. Glancing up he seen the Princess had spread her wings to slow their fall and allow them to glide, then another of the thoughts pushed its way to the fore front of his mind. 'They will get to use before we can reach the ground!' Shield's fears were confirmed as he looked up through the hole dug into the Princess' wing from the attack just before, revealing a blur of motion from the very window they had jumped from.

In a instant Shield flexed his body, pulling his head downward into a front flip, yanking the Princess hanging onto him down and reversing their positions. Shield above as Cadance flipped upside down her back facing the ground below, still holding onto his neck.

"What are you-!" Cadance screamed into his ear before she also noticed the sight above, one of the pegasi from before threw another of the spears into the air and with a flurry of movement kicked it directly down towards the falling pair. Shield tensed himself to take another direct attack to his abdomen. 'If I die then at least the Princess has a chance to find somewhere safe!' he thought as the blur of grey soared through the air towards them.

Suddenly the spear stopped above, floating in place glowing with a pastel blue aura. Looking back he saw Cadance focused intently on the weapon, then in a moment it launched upwards reversing its path towards the pegasus who flew out of the way of the counter attack. Shield smirked as the pegasus was thrown off balance, 'We might be able to-' Shield's eyes bulged as he turned and seen that they were seconds away from impacting the street. Shield used all his strength to scream out,

"Cadance!"

CADANCE

Cadance's fur stood on end as Shield screamed her name, turning her head to follow his gaze. Suddenly she understood his fear, they were about to impact the ground right near some ponies with mouth agape from the scene above. Focusing all her might onto the area of her back, attempting to magically levitate them or at least slow their descent.

Closing her eyes she tensed as she thought of saving Shield's life, her own life, protecting them both. Then with a surge of power the pastel blue aura whipped into existence between them and the ground, shifting their direct path to the ground to the side and throwing them parallel to the streets below. The impact against her magic shot the air out of her lungs, clenching her teeth she rolled over to the side and flung Shield down below herself again, holding him up with her hooves, spreading her wings and glided into an alleyway between several buildings.

The moment they crossed the threshold from the street to the darkened alleyway Cadance dropped from the air and slammed into the dirt and bounced, still trying to pull in a breath from the previous impact. The shaking sensation in her head from the intense collision sending her vision black, as she passed out.

SHIELD

Shield slid against the ground as Cadance's body rolled over him and slammed into the dirt hard. He opened his mouth to call out to her,

"Ca-" then his form met the ground as well. Despite the rocks along the alley carving into him and the blunt trauma to his midsection shaking him to his core he kept his eyes locked on the Princess as he rolled. He watched her eyes darkened as she went limp and rolled into a stop in the alleyway.

Shield rolled and managed to stop himself short of rolling onto her and stood, his legs shaking with adrenaline and fear. He stared at the body of the Princess, unsure the damage she received, and opened his mouth to speak. Until the training his father beat into took over, he ceased thinking and sprinted towards the Princess and dug his head against the ground, causing several more lacerations to form on his face, before throwing her form over himself again and bolted to run.

His body moved on its own, his wounds gnawing at his mind and screaming at him to stop but his training pushing him forward. Looking about the alleyway as he ran he realized it looked familiar. He had been here before, he had ran this path full of fear years ago. 'This is part of the route father took Sword and I on that night' the reminder caused a lump to form in Shield's throat, recalling the night that haunted him for so long. Then glancing back towards the Princess who was slumped over his back he focused his eyes, stomping down his hoof into the ground as he ran, 'I won't fail this time' he promised himself, then he exited the alleyway. Running across the street darting towards the next alleyway Shield watched a blur of movement above. Then in an instant, a blur of moment slammed down in the entry way to the next passage. Shield eyes widened in surprise as the pegasus in front of him stood at attention, eyes locked on him.

Some Time Later

CADANCE

Cadance opened her eyes, the faint bit of torchlight shining into her irises causing her to hold a hoof up to cover her eyes. The soft mattress creaking as she shifted about, her head thumping from the collision from before. She sat up, her arms and legs throbbing from the atta-

"Flurry Heart!" Cadance snapped, eyes opening wide and jumping to crouch onto the floor next to her. Wings attempting to spread out, only to be stopped by bandages wrapped around her. Looking over at the wrapping she spotted the spot where the wound she had gotten from the palace would be, a stain of red piercing the bandages. Then she realized it, this wasn't where she remembered being.

Eyes finally adjusting to the torchlight Cadance was able to inspect her surroundings. She was in a bedroom, a large king size mattress sat beside her with no blankets or pillows. A large wooden door position on the far wall from the bed, beside it two bookcases filled with novels and tomes of various sizes. Cadance listened closely and could hear two voices speaking, echoing from somewhere in the building she was in. Looking over the bed to the far wall she also noted a boarded up window, with faint bits of light shining in between the splintered wood. Slowly Cadance walked towards the toward and, using her magic to grab the handle, opened it. The door dragged against the filthy carpet as she moved slowly through a thing hallway to a staircase, down below light flicked from what she assumed was another torch. Then she listened.

"-I couldn't tell yah, all I heard was the Prince met a few folks who showed him the book" one voice spoke out, "then after he started posting soldiers at all cities and towns lining the border of the Crystal Empire. You ain't gonna get out without being spotted and Celestia knows there are more of them pegasi with spears out there Shield" the voice finishes with a huff.

'Shield?' Cadance thought to herself, then slowly descended the stairs.

The wood of the staircase creaked as she stepped down, causing her to stop in her tracks. Listening intently as the conversation stopped. Then a familiar voice called to her.

"Your Majesty?" , then the white and brown spotted stallion around the corner of the bottom of the staircase, the torchlight highlighting his messy brown mane and brown eyes. A look of relief painted on his face, "You're alive" he exhaled.

"Shield?" Cadance asked curiously, "Who is down there with you?" she spoke carefully. Ensuring she was prepared for whatever awaited.

Shield smiled and looked over towards the direction he came from,
"Please come down and thank the pony that saved our lives" then turned and trotted aside to allow her to come down. She noted the several cuts on his face as well as his front shoulder which was also bandaged up, bleeding through a bit from the impact of the spear.

Cadance slowly went down the stair and turned the corner to reveal a light blue pegasus in guard armor leaning against a kitchen counter, helmet resting beside him.

"It is my honor to see you again Princess" he spoke going into a bow.

"... Risky Waters?" Cadance asked, eyes the stallion with caution.

"Aye. You two sure love making messes huh?" he joked, staring at the two with a disgruntled expression.

Shield shot a look towards the pegasus and sneered, while Cadance looked about the room again.

"Shield," the Princess started, "where are we?" she asked. Turning to look him in the eye.

Shield looked at her with a cold expression and spoke,
"We are in what was my father's house Your Majesty, we will be safe here for now" he nodded towards Risky Waters who nodded back in agreement.

"How long was I unconscious?" the Princess asked, looking towards the opened window allowing a cold breeze and moonlight to flow into the room. "and what happened?"

10: dancing about the dusty space

Some Time Earlier

SHIELD

"Waters?" Shield called out in a pained voice.

The light blue pegasus had a frustrated look about him as he ushered the injured stallion into the alleyway, using his wing to shove him further into the darkness and around a bend to the left of a building. The alleyway was cluttered with construction materials for building an expansion on a nearby house, a maze of boards and scaffolding lacing the alley as they pushed deeper away from the street. Waters shoved into him pushing Shield and the Princess faster, the different tools and materials splayed out around the ground catching his hooves causing Shield to nearly topple over.

Then Shield watched as the pegasus quickly bit the strap of his satchel and dropped it to to the ground, a splay of bandages peaking through the lip of the bag. Waters then quickly scanned the sky above them before looking at the wounded Princess with a look of worry in his eyes. Looking towards her wing he saw the open wound dug through it and bits of flesh exposed to the air as blood continued staining her pink feathers red, his pupils shrunk in fear.

"You better have a good explanation of what the fuck is happening when I get back," the armored pegasus snapped turning to Shield, "Five minutes, do not move from this spot," he ordered, pointing a hoof toward the bag on the ground, "use 'em", Then Waters moved toward the half built structure to the side of the alley, lifting a wing and shifted a wide sheet of wood to an angle, motioning the stallion under.

Quickly Shield ducked under the cover and watched as Waters jumped backwards and, without turning around, quickly flew backwards. Weaving in between the different boards and jutted out sections of construction with ease, then spinning around he planted his hooves onto the ground and trotted out into the alleyway they had came from.

Shield listened as he heard Waters start calling out to others. A moment later the sound of other pegasi quickly flew overhead. Then silence took the cramped passage they hid in. Slowly Shield bent over and slid the Princess gently to the ground, rolling her against the wall and freeing himself up to move. Turning over towards the satchel Shield took the bandages out quickly and began to wrap the Princess' wounds, starting with the wing then moving towards her head. Carefully applying pressure in the, very likely, case of a broken bone or two. He watched as the Princess stayed motionless aside from her faint breathing. He needed to get her somewhere safe.

As Shield took out another roll of bandages suddenly a sharp pain flashed a hot white in his mind. He threw himself down to the ground to relieve pressure on the wound, the spear that had embedded in his front shoulder finally catching up to him. Looking down towards the punctured flesh he realized that despite the wound bleeding profusely, most of the bleeding instead caked against his fur instead of leaving a trail. Shield didn't turn away luck when it appeared, hopefully the traitors wouldn't be able to track them here.

As Shield tended to his damaged shoulder, he glanced toward the Princess. The words of Waters coming back to him, 'I have no idea what is happening'. The lack of information he had at his disposal was causing a piercing headache in him, or perhaps it was slamming into the ground from the fall?

Suddenly a blur of movent shot through the alleyway again, weaving past the construction so quickly it looked like it phased through it. Then skidding to a stop next to Shield the blue pegasus stared at the two, sweat pouring from his brow and soaking his fur.

"They are saying you kidnapped her Shield" Waters spoke in a hushed voice, glancing towards the injured stallion on the ground.

Looking up at the pegasus Shield recalled when he darted away from him at the entrance to the throne room,
"You seen what happened up there! It's a lie!"

"Well I know that," Waters said in a condescending tone, "but the whole of the guard doesn't, and may I remind you, all they know is the horny fucking bodyguard just ran away with the damned Princess" Waters barked, stomping his hoof into the ground and flaring his wings.

"Horny?" Shield asked baffled at the descriptor.

Shooting a quick look down at the stallion Waters began to shake his head back and forth comically,

"Cadance this, Cadance that, blah blah blah, Horny!" Waters stomped his hoof again, "and now you brought me into this mess!" With a huff Waters looked towards the Princess again with a pained look, "we need to get you two somewhere safe"

Looking back towards the alley that they came from Shield shuttered as memories came flooding back to him, pushing the fear aside he looked up towards Waters and spoke.

"I know of a place"

Present Day

SHIELD

"Then I helped Waters get you on his back and he flew you to the treeline, I followed behind at a distance. We managed to get out of the main city proper unseen. I don't believe we were followed but there isn't a good way to be sure" Shield finished recalling the day, looking up towards the Princess with a sorrowful look in his eyes. The pink alicorn shifted her gaze from Shield and looked toward the pegasus now sitting on the countertop.

"Horny?" She said in a bewildered tone

"Oh please, it was obvious to everypony and their pet," he said teasingly, looking over toward her and raising an eyebrow. "couldn't help yourself huh 'Cadance~'" he finished looking the Princess in the eye.

"Hold your tongue I am your Princess and you will-"

"No" Waters interjected, still holding eye contact with her. Shield shifted and stood, staring daggers at Waters.

"No?" the Princess asked in a tense voice.

"No. I joined the guard and transferred over here to the Crystal Empire to have an easy go about things. I didn't want to struggle like Mr. Bodyguard over here," gesturing towards Shield with his hoof, "But of course you two had to go and catch feelings and now the Prince wants you dead!" Waters snapped angrily.

Suddenly the Princess' expression shifted from her dominating persona to a more vulnerable one,

"No I still love Shining that isn't," Cadance fumbled on her words, shifting away from the accusation.

"Waters! Silence! You have no right to insult Her Majesty!" Shield piped up, coming to Cadance's aid.

"Why in the deepest depth of Tartarus do you think your words hold any weight to me? May I remind you that you tried to go after, not only a mare who is married, but a Princess" Waters finished pointing a hoof at Cadance, a look of exasperation on his face.

"Shining Armor didn't attack me because of Shield and I," Cadance snapped back. Her senses finally coming back to her, "I believe it had something to do with that plan that King Maker had in his autobiography" she finished with a fierce look at Waters. "and do not dare speak like that to me again, Guard" the Princess ordered, a piercing look fixated on Waters face as he glared back at her. Their attention so locked they didn't notice the way Shield's form shrunk at the mention of King Maker.

Waters looked at the Princess, switching to a lackadaisical expression before replying,

"I saved your life and this is the thanks I get?" he asked curiously.

"You saving me doesn't grant you the right to disrespect me" the Princess answered quickly.

"You're right. Saving you isn't why I am allowed to disrespect you," Waters replied shifting off the countertop and sliding onto his hooves, using his wing to reach for his helmet,
"You being so predictably royal is why" he hissed while sliding his helmet back onto his head, covering his messy white and blue mane.

Before the Princess could reply to his comment Waters stomped a hoof onto the old wooden floor causing a board to creak under the weight, then he spoke again.

"I am going back to announce the search in the woods came up short, you both stay here while I gather intelligence. Exit only at night to scrounge for food, I will be back" he answered in an annoyed voice and flew to the door, swinging it open in a blur and flying out into the night. Leaving the two alone.

Shield looked over towards the Princess as she sat glaring at the door, the expression she held was so complex he couldn't quite convey what she was thinking in that moment. Shield leaned back down into the chair he was resting in, taking weight off his injured legs. Despite the deep sinking feeling of being back in the place that caused him so much grief, there was an odd sense of nostalgia about it.

Remembering when he was a foal wondering what the inside of this place looked like and being amazed at the size of the house compared to the shed he and his siblings grew up in. They sat in the dimly lit dining area, the sound of the torch crackling as embers fling off the flame dancing about the dusty space. As Shield sat lost in thought the Princess shifted and took a seat next to him, laying her hooves out on the table and slamming her head down in aggravation.

Shield jumped in surprise of the action, then slowly raised a hoof over towards her form and gently rested it on her front shoulder. Shield watched as the pink alicorn turned her head to look at him, her flowing mane falling down in front of her face.

"Did this happen because of me?" she asked, a sadness in her voice. Then not letting Shield answer she continued,
"My jumbled confusing feelings... If the guards knew then... Shining must have too" the tears beginning to spill as she spoke. Coughing as the weight of the day hit her in full.

"Let's go rest. We need to recover" Shield gently suggested, turning his head to attempt to see into her eyes. He watched as the Princess pushed against the wooden table and sat up, staring away from him and replied.

"Yes. I suppose we should", with that she stood quickly and began making her way towards the stairs again.

"Your Majesty... I was wondering..." Shield's voice caught in his throat as he wondered what exactly he wanted to ask, before he could find the words however the Princess spoke up again.

"Goodnight... Shield..." Then she trotted up the stairs and soon after he heard the sound of the bedroom door close.

"Goodnight Cadance..."