A white carriage rolled through the night, pulled by a pair of golden-clad pegasi. The windows were curtained, a barrier between the warm, summer darkness and the two ponies within. The fireworks in the sky above had long ceased, the wedding party ended, and the guests gone home. The carriage was the last remaining symbol of the celebration, rattling along on its way to the largest, most expensive hotel in Canterlot, where the bride and groom would stay the night before leaving in the morning to begin their honeymoon.
Shining Armor leaned back against the carriage’s cushioned seat. He stretched his forelegs and yawned. “Some day, huh?”
Cadence gave a tired laugh. “I’m not sure whether this was the worst day of my life, or the best.” She smiled, and leaned against him.
“Best. Definitely the best.” Shining Armor nuzzled her neck with his nose, and was rewarded with another laugh.
“I don’t know, tomorrow might be better. No wedding planning, no organizing, no giant emotion-eating bug invasions…” Cadence sighed happily. “Just you, me, and all the time in the world.”
Shining Armor was looking forward to that most of all. Not the time off from the Royal Guard, or the cruise, or even the… spousal activities, but finally getting to spend some quality time with his wife. He felt like he’d barely seen her at all in the last month. With a flash of guilt and horror, he remembered that he hadn’t. “Cady…”
“Yes?”
He shook his head. Cadence seemed happy tonight, he didn’t want to ruin that by reminding her of the trauma they’d both endured so recently. “Never mind.”
Cadence made a pouty face. “Fine, be mysterious.” She hugged him, and Shining Armor leaned his head against hers, satisfied.
We did it, somehow. I can barely believe it. Mr. and Mrs. Shining Armor, the new members of the royal court of Canterlot. He still felt a little stunned that they had finally gone through with it. Stunned, but immensely pleased. And we saved the kingdom in the process. Not bad for a day’s work.
* * *
“Shining Armor.” At the sound of his name, his eyes blinked open. He looked to the side to see Cadence with a strange smile on her face. It wasn’t happy so much as… hungry.
“Cady?”
Cadence’s smile grew wider. “Yes.”
His heart was beating faster than it should have been. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, dear,” she whispered, “Nothing at all.” Her eyes flashed green.
Shining Armor snapped awake. His chest was heaving. He looked to his right to find Cadence asleep on his shoulder. Reflexively, he pulled away. Cadence blinked awake, and yawned. “Are we there, yet?”
There was a rap on the door. A muffled voice called from outside, “Your Highnesses, we’ve arrived.”
Shining Armor shook his head to clear it. He summoned a smile for Cadence, and pushed open the carriage door. He stepped out into the warm darkness, where he was met by one of the guards responsible for pulling the carriage.
“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Shining Armor gave the guard a nod.
The lieutenant smiled at him. “Enjoy yourselves, Captain. You deserve it.”
With a grin, Shining Armor turned to help his wife out of the carriage. Their bags had already been brought to the hotel the day before; all they had to do was check in and head up to their room.
Inside, the night-shift clerk welcomed them. “Ah, the newlywed royals! We’re very happy you’ve chosen to stay at Hoofton Hotels tonight. I’ll have your room key in a moment.” He ducked beneath the counter, and after a few moments of rummaging, came back up with a small, golden key. “The honeymoon suite is 715, on the top floor, to your right.”
“Thanks.” Shining Armor grabbed the key and headed for the stairs. He and Cadence stopped at the bottom, and stared upward with dismay.
“Seven flights.” Cadence gave a dry snort. “Whose idea was that, again?”
Shining Armor grinned. “Yours, I think.”
She sighed. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Well, then, you’ll ride up.” Shining Armor raised his head in mock determination. “Hop on.”
“You can’t be serious—” Cadence, laughing, raised a hoof. Shining Armor ducked under it, and hoisted her onto his back.
He grunted. “Oof! You’re heavy.”
“Shiny, you big goof, put me down!”
He pretended not to hear her as he started up the stairs. “I thought pegasi were supposed to have hollow bones.”
His wife rolled her eyes. She laid her head against the back of his neck and sighed. “This room had better have a nice bed. I’ve never been this tired.”
Shining Armor could understand that. His poor wife had been locked in a cave for weeks on end, used and abused by the changeling queen just as he had been. She deserved a peaceful night to rest.
Part of him—and he was pretty sure he knew which part—was disappointed. He and Cadence had been involved for nearly a year now, but they had never gotten more intimate than a kiss. After all, she was a Princess, and he was just a guard; anything more would have started a never-ending rumor that could have destroyed her reputation and his career. Now that they were properly married, there was no social barrier to consider, but he was not going to insist that they consummate their marriage tonight. He’d be happy just being with her.
They reached the top of the steps at last. Shining Armor trotted down the hall, looking for the door with the right number. “Here we are!” He came to a halt in front of their suite. Kneeling, he allowed Cadence to get off of his back.
She gave him a lighthearted kick. “Honestly. I can walk, you know.”
“Oh, good,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “You can carry me to the train tomorrow.”
Cadence, grinning, pushed him at the door. “Go on, unlock it.”
He twisted the key in the lock, and opened the door. The two of them stepped into the honeymoon suite and looked around. It was gigantic for a hotel room, bigger than Shining Armor’s living room back at home. Although I guess that’s not home anymore, he realized with a start. I’ll be living in the castle from now on. That was going to take some getting used to.
Cadence flopped down onto the massive bed that took up the majority of the left wall and much of the floor. “Mmm, soft as pegasus feathers.” She crawled up to the pillow and nestled her head in it, making a little noise of happiness.
Shining Armor unclasped the shield around his chest, setting it carefully down on one of the endtables. He began unbuttoning his uniform with a yawn. “Is there a laundry basket somewhere around here?”
“Oh, just let the maids take care of it. It’s our wedding night, we’re entitled to be a little messy.” Cadence’s horn glowed, and her wedding dress began unfolding.
“I really liked the dress, by the way.” Shining Armor sat down on the bed beside her, smiling. “You looked beautiful.”
Cadence leaned over and kissed him. “You didn’t look so bad, yourself.” She giggled like a filly as the last layer of her wedding dress came off. She folded it in midair with her magic, then let it rest on the floor.
They leaned back on the bed together, weary but happy. Shining Armor sighed. “Peace and quiet, at last.” He closed his eyes, not bothering to turn off the lights. He’d get them in the morning.
He felt a nudge. Shining Armor opened one of his eyes and looked over to see Cadence, lying sideways and beaming at him. “What’s up?”
She rolled her eyes. “What do you think? We just got married, Shiny! Come on, let’s celebrate.”
“Are you sure?” He half-rose on one hoof, rubbing his eye. “You said you were exhausted…”
Cadence smiled. “I’ll be fine, dear.”
Shining Armor winced. Instantly, Cadence’s playful expression vanished. “Shiny? What’s wrong?”
“I…” he looked away. “Please, just… don’t call me dear.”
“Why?” Cadence touched his leg with a hoof.
He shook his head. “That’s what… that’s what she called me. I… I should’ve known something was wrong. You never called me dear before.”
Cadence’s face fell. “Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
“You didn’t know.” You didn’t know because you were locked in a filthy cave for weeks while I did nothing. Shining Armor held her hoof. “It’s not your fault. None of it is.”
Nodding slowly, she bit her lip. “Shiny… Did you…” She swallowed. “Did you and she ever…”
“No.” He looked into her eyes. “There was… there was never time.” He’d actually been disappointed about that. Imagining what he’d be feeling now if he had, though, was enough to send new waves of guilt washing over him. “Cadence, I should have known. I should have come for you—”
She held up a hoof to his lips. “Stop right there, Shining Armor.” Her eyes narrowed. “The queen was powerful enough to defeat Princess Celestia. If she couldn’t resist the queen’s magic, how could you?”
“But—”
“No buts.” Cadence’s eyes softened. “I love you. You don’t need to feel guilty about anything.”
Shining Armor smiled at last. “Then… you forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive.” She kissed him. Pulling away, she gave him a coy smile. “But if you really want to make it up to me…”
Feeling his heart beat faster, Shining Armor grinned. “As you wish, Princess.”
He reached his forelegs around her neck and pulled her lips back into his own. This kiss was unlike the last, no chaste peck or delicate brush on the lips, but warm and full. Cadence returned it, pushing herself into him with fervor.
Shining Armor pulled away, and Cadence breathed deeply. “Shiny…”
He placed his hooves on her shoulders and they rolled over. He looked down at her and smiled. “Just relax.”
“What are you—ooh.”
Slowly, he began trailing kisses along her cheek. He drew them down her neck and across her breast. She shifted underneath him, spreading her wings out to make herself more comfortable.
With deliberate slowness, Shining Armor placed the tip of his tongue on her belly, and began drawing it from side to side.
“Mm.” Cadence rubbed his head with a hoof. “Keep going.”
He traced a line around her belly button, then carried it up back toward her head. She made a little noise of frustration. “Wrong way!”
“All in good time,” he said airily. Leaning over her, he gently nipped the tip of one of her ears. She wriggled under him, giving a little murmur of happiness.
He kissed her again, passion and fire filling him up. She held him close, and suddenly he felt her tongue on his. They held the kiss for a long moment, before pulling away. Cadence was breathing hard, now. “Shin-y-y-y,” she whined, “Hurry up.”
With a laugh, he licked her cheek. He placed his tongue back on her skin and ran it down her neck, all the way down past her belly and onto her thigh.
“Stop torturing me,” she groaned, and stretched her legs wide.
Shining Armor was greeted by his wife’s marehood, glistening wet and flushed a deep, rosy pink. With his eyes on hers, he slowly brought his tongue down to touch it. Cadence closed her eyes and leaned back into her pillow.
He pushed inside, exploring the folds of her most private area with his tongue. The smell of her was intoxicating, the heady scent of mare mixed with the faint traces of perfume she’d worn at the wedding. Cadence moaned as he prodded her, searching deeper inside for sensitive spots. Her slit was warm and damp. As he explored the depths, her muscles gently squeezed his tongue.
“Shiny… mmm!” She squealed as he suddenly thrust his tongue deeper into her. He rolled it around, savoring the taste of his wife. Above him, her wings fluttered with every movement of his tongue.
He ran up along the roof, and began to pull his tongue out along it as she gasped in delight. As his tongue left her, he ran it up her slit and over the little nub that poked out from her tiny red hood. Cadence inhaled sharply, and placed her hooves on his head.
Shining Armor placed his mouth around her clit, and ran his tongue in circles around it. She was moaning near-constantly, now, writhing under his touch. He sucked in, and she trembled.
“Oh—Shiny, I’m—oh!”
Cadence’s hips thrust upward, and Shining Armor stretched his mouth over her entire marehood. She cried out, and suddenly he felt a flood of warmth rush out of her and onto his tongue. He closed his eyes, and in an act that surprised himself, he swallowed.
Cadence twitched a few times, coming down from her orgasmic high. Her chest heaved as she tried to regain her senses. Shining Armor planted one more kiss on her slit, and her leg jerked with a spasm of pleasure.
“Shiny…” She opened her eyes at last, looking down at him with happiness. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure, honey.” He rubbed his nose against her marehood again, drawing a laugh and a moan. “Or yours, I guess.”
“Get up here. It’s my turn.”
Shining Armor gladly obliged, scrambling up along the bed. He rolled over onto his back as Cadence crawled around to take his place.
His member was quite stiff by this point, swaying slightly in the air. Cadence looked at it, then up at his face. A sneaky smile crept onto her face.
Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Payback, that’s what.” She gave him a catlike grin, and slowly crawled up beside him. She leaned up above his head. What is she—
Cadence wrapped her mouth around the tip of his horn. Shining Armor’s eyes bulged as he felt her tongue run along the length of it, drawing sensations he’d never felt before. “I didn’t—ooh! I didn’t even think unicorns—aah, Cady—that unicorns had nerves there.”
She pulled off of his horn for a moment, and he instantly regretted speaking. She smirked. “A magical side effect. You’ve felt your horn while casting spells, I’m sure.”
Shining Armor nodded rapidly, hoping she’d resume her ministrations. She noticed, and grinned. “It’s a defense mechanism. When a unicorn gets agitated, their horn readies itself to perform magic, and thus, becomes sensitive. That cause for agitation can be danger… or other things.” Finally, she took his horn back into her mouth, and he gave a happy groan.
Cadence’s horn glowed, and he looked down between his legs to see the sheets twisting up to wrap around his erection. Cadence murmured around his horn, “Mmm,” and the sheets began to stroke. They were silky soft, and their touch felt like fire on his skin.
The combined attention to his horn and his stallionhood were driving him dangerously close to the edge. Cadence bit down softly on his horn, and he gasped. “Cady—”
The sheets began stroking him faster and faster. He felt his body tensing. Cadence felt it too, and she suddenly pulled away from his horn. The sheets fell to the bed, and Cadence flung herself down toward him. She wrapped him in her mouth and plunged downward. Shining Armor’s hips quivered as his climax approached.
He felt it boiling at the base of his shaft, and tried to hold it as long as he could. “Cadence!”
She pushed down as far as she could go, and that was it. He threw his head back and cried out as he came, erupting in her mouth. His sex pulsed again and again, as the rush of orgasm swept him away.
His head slowly began to clear as he returned to reality. Cadence was resting her head on his left leg, smiling. He was still half-erect, and leaking white, sticky fluid onto his chest and the sheets. Shining Armor felt his heart beating like a drum, and he gave her a shaky smile.
“Serves you right,” she said, her eyes lidded with sleepy satisfaction. “Making me wait.”
Still too stunned to respond, he let his head flop back onto the pillow. “I’ll have to… to remember that horn trick.”
“Oh, I’m sure we can figure out some new ones.” She tweaked him playfully, and he felt another jolt of pleasure surge through him.
They cuddled together on the bed, pressing their warm bodies up against each other. Shining Armor kissed her again, more soft and loving than outright passionate. He lay his head down beside hers, and they looked into each other’s eyes with broad smiles. “You’re really good at that,” he murmured.
“A Princess has to read a lot of books,” she said slyly, “but nopony ever said they all had to be on courtly behavior and politics.”
Shining Armor laughed. “So what else do you know how to do?”
“All in good time,” she echoed, then giggled.
“Hey, don’t laugh at me!” He put on his best offended look. “I’m a prince, I’ll have you know.”
Cadence snorted. “Didn’t take long for that to go to your head.”
Shining Armor grinned again, and began nuzzling her chest. She raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for weak points,” he said, moving across.
“Weak poi—” Cadence broke off with a laugh. “Hey, that tickles!”
He pushed ahead, rubbing her delightfully soft skin. Cadence twitched away, giggling, and he gave chase.
They tumbled around the bed, laughing. He cornered her at last, and pinned her down in a frenzy of tickling. She gave as good as she got, and soon the two of them were lying beside each other, gasping for air and giving the occasional giggle.
“I think I win,” Cadence gasped.
“All right, all right,” he said, his tongue lolling. As his breathing came back under control, Shining Armor rolled back to lean over Cadence.
She beamed up at him. “Are you ready, then?”
He saluted, his face serious. “All officers reporting for duty, ma’am.”
Cadence laughed again, then her face drew in. “Just… just go slowly, at first. I’ve never done this before.”
Shining sat back. “Want to know a secret?”
“Hm?”
“Neither have I.”
Cadence’s eyebrows rose. “Really?” She tilted her head uncertainly.
“Really.” Shining Armor rubbed a hoof on her belly with a small smile. “By the time I was old enough to start caring about mares, I’d enlisted in the guard. There’s not a whole lot of free time in the lower ranks. By the time I made Captain, I had more leeway, but… by then, I’d met you.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “Shiny…”
“You were the one I wanted, Cadence,” he said, brushing her cheek. “And if I had to wait a while for you, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.”
Her eyes glistened. “I love you, Shining Armor.”
He closed his eyes and kissed her deeply. “And I love you, Mi Amore Cadenza.”
She pulled him closer. “Please, Shiny. Let’s make each other happy.”
“You’ve already done that,” he said, smiling.
He looked down between them, and with a hoof, he guided himself into her. He pushed forward gently, breathing in sharply as he felt the warmth of her around him. Cadence moaned at his entrance, her wings curling up to hug him.
Shining Armor slid further in, trying desperately to maintain control. He moved forward, giving a low groan at the feel of her damp heat. His tip bumped into a wall of resistance. Cadence’s eyes went wide.
“Ready?” he asked. She nodded wordlessly. “Okay, on three. One… two…” He thrust suddenly, catching her by surprise, which would hopefully lessen the pain. She gasped anyway, and winced.
He immediately pulled back. “You okay, honey?”
With her eyes still closed, she nodded. “Keep going.”
Mindful that his wife must be sore, Shining Armor pushed gently back in. He slid down as far as he could go, until all of him was buried inside her. Leaning forward, he planted a reassuring kiss on her lips. She smiled up at him.
He began moving in and out, a slow rhythm that every inch of him screamed to abandon, but he refused to rush this. A royal guard is DISCIPLINED, he thought, remembering his old drill sergeant. The image of the grizzled old earth pony was not an erotic one, and Shining Armor’s face twisted in a grimace.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just…” he laughed. “Never mind.”
Cadence rolled her eyes. “Again with the mystery.” She bit her lip. “You can go a little faster.”
He did so, sliding in and out of her. She was beginning to pant in time with his strokes, her skin flushed all over through her pink coat. The tip of one of her wings brushed against his cheek, and Shining Armor felt a tingle of electric pleasure carry down his spine.
The rhythm was fast, now, as he plunged into and out of her. They were both moaning with every thrust, their pleasure-soaked bodies quivering with delight.
Shining Armor paused for a moment, and grinned. Cadence looked up with needy confusion. He leaned forward and licked her horn. Cadence’s eyes shut tight and she gasped. He resumed his motion, slipping into and out of her with ease. The bed beneath their joined bodies had grown thoroughly damp with perspiration and other fluids.
He suckled her horn, drawing further moans of pleasure. The pulsing heat in his loins was matched by the waves of warmth washing through his head, the pressure inside his body beginning to drive him mad with desire.
Cadence’s eyes opened. “Just a little more, Shiny.” She bit her lip and closed her eyes. “Ohhh…”
Shining Armor thrust faster, his hips pressing up against hers, their tails intertwining. Struck with sudden inspiration, he lifted a hoof from the bed and pressed it down on one of Cadence’s wingjoints.
She flung her head back. “Shiny!” Her body seized around him as she clenched him tightly, inside and out. She burst with a joyous cry, shaking uncontrollably as tremors of pleasure rocked her. Warmth splashed around him and onto the bedsheets, and Shining Armor could no longer hold back.
His own climax followed hers in seconds. He surged forward and buried himself in her, and shuddered as his release took him. He spilled himself inside her, again and again, filling the last space between them. He dived forward into her mouth, and they kissed more deeply than they had ever done before, their tongues curling around each other and holding tight.
As the last aftershocks faded, Shining Armor reluctantly pulled his mouth away from Cadence’s. The two looked at each other, breathing heavily. Cadence let her wings flop to the bed, and Shining Armor’s shoulders finally released the tension that had stored in them.
He started to pull out, but she stopped him with a hoof. “Stay.” She closed her eyes and smiled. “I like being close to you. And this is the closest we’ve ever been.”
They rolled over so that Shining Armor could lay beside her, still locked together. “Best,” he said, rubbing her cheek. “Definitely the best.”
She leaned her head over onto a pillow. “I think you’re right.” They lay cuddling for a minute, and soon her chest rose and fell in the gentle rhythm of sleep.
Shining Armor closed his eyes and nestled his head over hers. “Goodnight, Cady.” He smiled. “Love you.”
His dreams were soft and sweet, with no sign of green eyes or strange smiles. The queen was gone, replaced by the pink figure of the princess in his heart.
