Guarding the Heart

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?"