Soulful - A Forced Romance Story

Cadence got off her chariot, thanking the two Pegasus ponies who accompanied her. She knew this will take long as the Canterlot Archives was a vast storage of all tomes, books and scrolls that housed knowledge of old and of the past. She was sure she will find her answer, a cure to her dying body or any alternative. “Just please, I hope not to go with my last resort.” She whispered in her plea.

As she steps onto the courtyard she saw that both her aunts have chosen to meet her as they both smiled at her. “It is good to see you Cadence.” Celestia spoke softly as the three alicorns were grouped together. “It is also good to see you too aunt Celestia.”  Cadence answered, bowing a bit to the higher power as it would seem. “Greetings to you too aunt Luna.” She answered and bowed to the alicorn of the night. “Please dear niece, thou are our guest.” She answered back as she smiles at her.

The three moved inside the castle, talking about things of change, from how the Crystal ponies are with the newfound world, how the royals of Canterlot are taking that there is now another pony with power, Princess Twilight. As the topic of her came, Cadence could not help but give a worried look.

“Is something troubling you Cadence?” Celestia asked with a hint off worry onto her tone, one that also caught Luna’s attention. “I am worried, I have asked you both to keep me away from seeing Twilight. Knowing her, she will be thrilled to see her sister-in-law, but for me, this is a matter that concerns more than just a visit.” Cadence spoke sadly, mustering her will to hold all her sorrow for now as she must act and be a princess in front of her aunts.

Celestia nods to Cadence’s request as they walked along, guards behind them protecting the princesses. “You need not worry, We have made sure not to hint Twilight about a visitor. I just hope none of our guards start their own gossip.” Celestia spoke out, indicating the guards about it. The guards escorting them steeled themselves, as they all knew they can be punished if any of their compatriots had been the cause of the new princess’s outburst. One of them quickly galloping back as if to warn the rest, unnoticed by the princesses.

“I know it was a bit too much Aunt Celly, but I need to check on some matters from your Archives.” Cadence spoke out, hopeful, one that has implications of worry. Luna can also sense this, even with her learning process of the modern world, “WE know not to intrude but, we worry about you niece.” She spoke out as they near the archives.

Cadence sighs as this bit of secrecy was not a normal activity for them. “I know you worry about me, but I need to do this.” She once again spoke out, this time holding up a smile for them to see. Luna had an evident worry in her face while Celestia kept her warm smile and face to her. But knowing Celestia, Cadence knows she was worried as well. With a bit of pause as they now stood by the archive doors, Celesia nods to her.

“Then, may your search bring you joy in your discovery. Will you excuse us? Luna and I are due for a meeting with some of the royals.” Celestia spoke with all her regal but with that, both Princesses left Cadence to her thoughts. A heavy sigh escaping the Princess of love as she looks at the massive double doors of the Canterlot Archives, home in the Canterlot Castle itself. With a heavy sigh, the guilt of having secrecy over this, Cadence enters, her blue magical aura forcing the doors open and closing behind her.

At first she expected the archives here to be messy, nearly dusty even but inside she was surprised at how organized, neat and even properly shelved many of the scrolls, books, tomes and notes. The room wasn’t poorly lit even, as there were windows nearly reaching the ceiling that gave ample light for any reader. Cadence gave a loud sigh still, the massive size and the many references and items will be a very demanding task, but as she took her first steps, the many bookshelves and organized isle gave her the idea that they have been arranged alphabetically.

“Well, that’s a relief…” She comments under her breath as she looked towards any words that may have great relation to what she was looking. First was Canterlot, since she knew where she would have gotten her illness from. She was thankfully there was an isle for Canterlot alone. She kept a smile as she checked every item in said isle. There was a lot and that was no understatement. There were all such things, from the miniscule thing that was nearly weird to think about but she surely wasn’t looking until she came upon the Canterlot Caverns.

“Time to find if what I have has a cure…” She said with an uneasy quiver of her tone as she checked all the items that mentions of diseases and caverns under Canterlot. Of course that easier said than done. Cadence first though it was easy like many things in the world but she was soon to learn that this was no ordinary search and research. Quickly as she has taken Canterlot diseases, she find herself going to references over references, to Canterlot and Cavern from sickness, illness to ailment.

At first, she was just keeping calm, thinking this was no problem, and this was the archives, this housed millennia of knowledge ever since her aunt moved Canterlot from the old Castle in the Everfree forest. She quietly checked every book, with the works sick, ill, ailments, even checking medical records and even the death rates when the castle was being built. Sadly, the numbers were staggering… daunting even for her as the numbers were very high about the first 5 years when Canterlot was being built, under Princess Celestia’s command. Sure it was expected since they were moving but… the numbers were very well there.

Cadence paused, looking at this record, one that lapsed father than 1000 years, this one depicting such a death toll. Within her, she had hoped that this was natural, not some plague that has taken these ponies. She searches over the names, the many names that were written there, to both commemorate, and to remember the ponies who worked yet died. Cadence’s heart feels heavy, hard even inside of her as she fought back the growing doubt in her she checks the names.

Slowly, not really knowing what time it was, as she has kept a lamp nearby herself, a servant was sent her way in the Archive to give her water and food as instructed by her aunt, but she refused to leave as she was near this news. It was unlike her but it was a very important and very troubling matter that she refused to leave and return for even just a moment. As she checked the names, slowly the fear etched onto her body. Her hooves shaking some as she checked the names, all the names in this medical record kept, the pony they were, the job they had, cause of death…

…

…

…

Every name, every pony, within the five years, until the base of the castle was done… died of a disease that originated from the caverns… Cause of death, the Gem Leak… At that point, Cadence, with all of her barriers, within her very being broken, shook with sadness, remorse not just for these ponies but she herself. She quickly look over the disease, Gem Leak, the name, though not that grim, still sent a shiver of pain onto the Alicorn of Love as she check the medical books.

Even with a heavy heart, the fear buried deep in her spine and the painful pangs of her heart, she move on, checking this one ailment, one disease that has taken many from the time the castle was created. But still… in her own mind, she could not help but worry. She was worried that she might not be here long here with the numbers vast, list of ponies that had them and the very small number of survivors…

But kept herself from ever weeping down, in defeat, she refused so as there was a chance, a very slim chance that she may survive, but the numbers do not add up as she tread on through now checking the diseases in one with, her hooves shaking, her eyes watering and her lips quiver as she holds herself, not wanting to be denied on what this Gem Leak of a disease can do to her, to her life and most importantly, to her subjects and her husband…