Return to Canterlot

Author's Notes:

This is not the actual sequel. I wrote this as a bridge between the planned sequel and the end of IFL. The ending of the original was not happy, and the sequel was not going to be very happy either. I've made Cadance as kind of a tragic character, and it just gets worse for her from here... so I decided to create an 'intermission' story to show a little bit more romance and happiness in these two lovers' young lives. Since the sequel was planned for 3 years later, making her 16, this is only 1 year later, with her at age 14 and Twilight is now Celestia's student. It was supposed to be a short story and then I would make the sequel... but as you can see that just didn't happen, and this one went on much too long. It is now at the length of a full story, so I decided to release it for you. I will release the chapters weekly, as I edit them, but I already have enough content to rival the original... so the wait between chapters won't be too long.

I started writing this before season 4. It may echo what you have seen in that season as it is about Cadance finding herself as a princess too. And there is no Luna known in this story, so remember, Cadance is the heiress to the throne. I do have plans for what happens when Luna comes back though, so don't worry. It may be awhile before these stories meet up with the wedding in the show, but they will. For now, please enjoy a lighter story, with your favourite characters from the original, and some new obstacles to overcome on the road to becoming a true princess.

Thank you for all your patience and I hope you enjoy!

“Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It’s for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It’s for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they don’t see it nearly enough.”

I read this in a book once. One cold and lonely winter day after I left them. My friends, and the colt I loved back in the ivory palace my great Aunt Celestia ruled in. So far from where I lived in a domed castle, amongst cobblestone streets and the statues and piazzas of an ancient city by the Marediterran sea.

It seemed to describe my situation. I was alone. I had always been alone. Until I had met them. Until I met him.

Shining Armor.

I had been given a little time with him, time where I had learned what love was, and how very strong I could feel it. That I didn’t just spread it to other ponies’ hearts, but it sustained me and made me happy for the first time. That I was an ancient creature who needed the love of my destined pony to survive. A reality I had overcome, but I still would always need him. Even though I had left him I would wait for him. I’d go through all the loneliness and isolation if I could just see him again.

I had learned how hard it was to be apart from the pony I loved. How strong I could miss him, and how much my love grew in those lonely days.Sometimes my heart seemed to swell in my chest from just a simple thought about those happy days. It was hard to breathe, and tears would come to my eyes. I missed him so much. I missed them all so much.

I would do anything to go back to that time I spent in Canterlot and where I made my first friends. Every day since then I had wished on the stars and the lonely moon who always seemed to understand my solitude and longing, to go back. To see him one more time. To see his iridescent eyes that shone like his namesake, to feel his gentle touch, and to give him my heart as he had given me. I wanted to see Sweetheart and Twilight again too. All the ponies who had meant so much to me, and who I had had to say goodbye to so suddenly so long ago.

And on the summer of my fourteenth year, almost exactly one year later, my wish came true.

I was going back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Come on, wear it for me. Pleeeeaaaseee?” my mother floated over a tiny silver tiara to my head in her indigo coloured aura that was only a little darker than my own, but I playfully knocked it away with my horn.

“Mom, I don’t want to wear a crown, it’ll just be weird!” I complained as I watched the tiny crown fall onto a dress on my bed. I quickly folded the white and gold lined garment and tossed both carelessly into a suitcase to hide the silly thing.

I hummed a sweet melody, waving my tail around playfully as I happily continued my task, ignoring mom's disapproving glare. I was packing to go back. Back to Canterlot, and my one true happiness. My true love. And nothing could break my spirit.

I was accompanying my parents as ambassadors for Istalia, and meeting with the other kingdoms as my first experience as a representative for my country. I also had to attend a royal suitor’s debutante ball and present myself as Princess Celestia’s heiress to Equestria at the Summer Sun Celebration now that I had reached maturity. I wasn’t looking forward to having to meet other noble yearling colts, and especially didn’t want to be shown off like some sort of shiny new toy to them, or presented for marriage, but it didn’t matter. To set my hooves on the cobblestone streets of that glistening city, to see the ones I loved again, I would do anything. Even act like a real princess.

“Aw, but I thought you liked my lovely gift?” mom giggled demurely because she knew I didn’t. I was still a reluctant princess, although I had tried to act more formal throughout the past couple of months. I had tried my best to live up to what was and always would be expected of me. But I still hold onto a bit of the rebel in me.

I had recovered from the illness that almost took my life enough to attend school lessons again in the fall, and desperate to prove myself, or just to do something besides lying in bed all day, I had taken my studies more seriously, and learned all the important but dull things a young mare of nobility needed to know, along with developing my magic further so I could better tolerate strong emotions. Or at least I didn’t faint from them as much anymore. But there was no way I was going to trot around wearing a crown or tiara so everypony could look at me. Canterlot had been my safe haven from that kind of attention, and I knew I would lose it after the ceremony, so I wanted to hold on to my anonymity as much as I could.

“Look, we match!” my mother grinned, her voice squeaking happily and reminding me of the little filly I was so anxious to see again. She was so silly.

From Twilight’s excited letters to me I had heard how she had tried to enroll in the school for gifted unicorns again and Princess Celestia had made her her personal student due to some sort of magical efflux from her. My aunt had described her as the only unicorn she had seen with such strong, raw magic ability, and I had been so proud of her. I had always known that she was special. Now we were both Aunt Celestia’s students and was so glad that her dream had come true in such an unexpected way. I couldn’t wait to see her happy face as she took in all the knowledge there was to have from the libraries and archives in the great historical sun palace. She must be having a ball.

I was pulled back from my thoughts as I noticed that somehow my mom had managed to find and put the tiara on my head without my knowledge, and she pulled me over to my vanity mirror where I blinked as I saw our image reflected back at me.

We looked so much alike now. With my mane hanging loose down my back, my one magenta coloured streak matching hers while the gold and violet complimented the two of us. The tiara was silver with the Istalian amethyst crystal embedded in the middle, while my mother’s was the same, except it was a pure golden crown which she wore whenever she was in public. We looked more like sisters than mother and daughter now, and it was something I was proud of.

I was the same height as her now, and still growing taller so that I felt lanky and awkward with my long legs causing me to trip more than I already did. At only fourteen I was taller than most full grown mares, my wings were bigger than the other pegasi’s as they always had been, and my horn had grown longer and more powerful as I could finally properly cast the heart healing spell I had discovered while helping my sorrowful aunt only a year ago. I had tried it on a crying foal, and since their biggest sadness was dropping a cookie on the ground it hadn’t incapacitated me, just made the small child smile and I curiously practiced it as much as I could. I hadn’t come across true sorrow as I had seen through my aunt’s painful memories, but I could heal somepony’s broken heart, just as I had somehow healed my own.

“Cadenza, this is not a trip of leisure. This is your first time to accompany us to an ambassadorial meeting with representatives from all over Equestria, and you must behave like a proper young mare.” My father said with authority as he stepped into my room and grudgingly refolded the dresses I had packed so sloppily. I mimicked Twilight’s and my mom’s squeaky smile, sheepishly.

“And you will be seeing your knight in Shining Armor again, eh?” mom grinned, mischievously, nudging me, and I blushed.

“You have your royal duties now. You are not to be always running around with that colt all the time. You are a princess and it is high time you start acting like one.” My father scoffed. Then he glared at my mom, who smiled, innocently back at him. “And you. You hate these ambassadorial meetings. What are you so happy about?”

“I am happy for Cadenza. She is getting to see her dear friends again.” Mom smiled at me, and I returned it tender heartily. She was always so supportive. “And your special somepony.” She added, coyly.

“Mom!” I cried, embarrassed as I tried to cover my face in my hooves. But I ended up bursting into girlish giggles along with her. I was so happy. So very happy. Just as much as I had been when I first found love. My mom’s good natured teasing, or my dad’s scolding, or even the fear I felt toward having to become a proper princess could not make me feel any less so.

I was going back!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Welcome Istalians. It is wonderful to see you again.” My aunt’s warm voice washed over me as I stood with my family outside the Canterlot Castle gates after a long and tiring journey to the great mountainous city. I excitedly abandoned my formal stance beside my father to gallop up to her and hug her around the neck.

“Auntie!” I cried, joyfully. “I missed you!” Although a little caught off guard at first, the regal mare returned the embrace and nuzzled against my neck so I could smell her sweet flowery scent.

“Cadance, welcome. I am so glad to see you again.” She said, warmly as I stood back, stretching to my full height, eager to show her how tall I had grown that year. “You look so much stronger now. I’m so glad you are feeling better.”

I reared up on my hind legs and flapped my wings. “I’ve never been better!” I exclaimed. I glanced over to my father who had his hoof to his forehead in exasperation, and fell back to my four legs and blushed, smiling bashfully.

“That’s wonderful to hear.” Princess Celestia smiled as she looked me over, her eyes growing pensive and somewhat sad to my sensitive heart. I tilted my head to one side and looked up to her with concern.

“You look so much like her now…” she sighed, distantly.

“Who? Who do I look like?” I suddenly found myself ask her excitedly, completely ignoring the empathy I was feeling toward her. I couldn’t help it. I still felt uncomfortable as an alicorn, but now that I was growing up I was so curious to know what an alicorn looked like at my age. Was I tall enough? Would I really grow taller? Was my muzzle going to get longer too? I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t think I’d like that.

“Is it another alicorn? Do I look like one now? Why don’t you have any pictures of you when you were younger?” I demanded, hopping up and down on the balls of my hooves, my wings continuing to flap, anxiously.

It seemed that getting stronger and being able to function when there were strong emotions present wasn’t very becoming of me. Even my aunt seemed a little troubled by how untroubled I was. But she softened into a gentle smile as my father shouted at me to stop pestering the princess, and startled, I tripped over my own hooves and landed flat on my belly.

The high Princess came over to me, and leaned down as I blushed at my clumsiness, feeling a whole lot less confident and trying to hide behind my hooves.

“You’re growing into a beautiful young alicorn, Cadance.” She said, nuzzling me back up to my hooves. “But you shouldn’t be so eager to grow up. You should cherish your childhood.”

I scoffed. “Father says I’m already grown up. That’s why I have to attend all these royal functions. Bleh.” I stuck my tongue out. “Why do I have to be introduced to suitors anyway? I already have a coltfriend and I love him.” I mumbled, a little afraid to ask this question, and what my regal aunt’s answer would be.

She sighed. “Cadance, it is a royal tradition for ponies of royalty such as yourself to marry into the nobility, and they are forbidden to marry a commoner,” my heart dropped as did my mouth before I properly thought through what she was saying, and my gentle aunt lifted my chin up to look into her deep, magenta eyes. “I do not enforce those rules. I have not abided by them for many years. Your own father married into the royal family, my niece, and I would never force you to marry somepony you didn’t love.”

I felt air rush through my lungs again, after realizing I had been holding my breath, and I managed to return my aunt’s soft smile.

“You just go through the motions, present yourself as the beautiful princess you are to the young stallions of Equestria, but let your heart guide you to your destiny,” She gave a droll grin. “Even if you’ve seemed to have found it already with that pesky Mederi blood in you.”

I smiled, wryly in return, blushing a little at the reminder of my great weakness

“You’ll always be my little niece to me.” Aunt Celestia giggled, magically adjusting the tiara on my head as it had fallen over my eyes in my tumble, and I clutched her in a hug again. It felt like I was home again. Like I belonged in Canterlot, in her embrace, and with my friends. Instead of in the prison that was Istalia, and with my own parents, especially with how overbearing my father had become. I wished I would never have to leave.

Last summer I had learned to appreciate the love I had right in front of me. But it seemed that only a year later I had forgotten it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hurriedly unpacked as if a thousand unicorns were helping me lift and fold my belongings, and put them away in the familiar guestroom where I had lived the previous summer. My mother even helped, but mostly she made sure I didn’t ‘accidentally’ unpack my crown too. I grudgingly kept it on as I rushed around brushing out my mane and tail, and made sure my coat shone as bright as it did when I had scrubbed it raw in the shower. I was surprised to even have mom offer to help me put on some lavender eye shadow which she used to forbid me from doing.

"You look beautiful, Mia. I’m sure your coltfriend will be happy to see you again, just as much as you are.” She smiled tenderly as she finished brushing the purple powder across my eyelids and I opened my eyes again. “I haven’t seen you this happy for a long time. I’m glad for you, I really am, but please try to remember who you are, and that you’re needed here too.”

I had written to Shining Armor when I found out I was coming back. Despite my jubilation, and in between what must have been nonsensical writing derived of pure excitement, I had arranged to meet him at the royal sisters fountain after I arrived, just as we had done that summer. Now that the appointed time was approaching I was eager to get going, while at the same time not being able to believe that the time had come. That I was actually going to see him again. It was kind of surreal, and I felt like I was in a dream world. My heart beat wildly at the thought that I would soon be in his warm arms again, and I had to pinch myself periodically to ascertain it wasn't just a dream.

“Don’t worry mom. I won’t let you down. I’ll try to be a good princess for you.” I promised, somewhat distractedly, my hooves tapping against the floor.

Mom frowned slightly, but then shifted into a smile. “Alright, go on then. But don’t be late for your appointment at the clinic.”

I bent my ears back, and paused in my excited steps, now sure it wasn't all a dream. The reality was right there in front of me, as it always had been.

“Aw, do I have to? I feel fine now. I don’t wanna go back to the hospital.” I whined, feeling anxiety from the memories of what I had gone through only a year ago. But I was stronger now. There was no reason to think that I hadn’t completely healed from my ordeal. I didn’t want to have to face the doctors again to be told so. I just wanted to go on with my life and forget that that had ever happened to me. That I had ever let such despair consume me as to have found myself so close to death. That that was who I was. An ancient creature who had only been able to survive with love. Not just the princess my family wanted me to be.

My mother gave me her stern, no nonsense look and I sighed. “Fine, I’ll be back in time.” I muttered, and then bounded out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I galloped through the streets of Canterlot unaware of the looks I got from the ponies around me. The stares and the comments, the excited shouts of ‘princess’ didn’t reach me. I didn’t fly, but my wings were spread as my heart soared in happiness knowing I would soon see him again. My best friend. My true love. Shining Armor.

He was standing in the square looking around somewhat nervously. His familiar messy mop of a mane a little shorter, a little less messy. His white coat glinting in the sunlight, pure as snow against his deep blue eyes. My white knight.

“Shiny!” I shouted in glee, and jumped on the unsuspecting colt, somehow tackling him to the ground into the most adoring and joyful hug. My heart pounded with exhilaration and love as I met eyes with him for the first time in so many months of longing for him.

“Cadance!” he cried, a little slow to react from being knocked over, but just as happily, his somewhat deeper voice rising as he wrapped his hooves around me and kissed my cheek. I nuzzled against his neck, relishing in the feel of him against me again, his soft coat, his pepperminty smell, the strong forelegs around me. We unanimously jumped up again, rearing up on our hind legs in a dance of jubilation, our hind hooves meeting each other.

“It’s so great to see you again! I missed you.” He exclaimed, and we came to a stop and stood still in front of each other, breathing heavily.

“I missed you too.” I stepped forward and nuzzled the side of his neck, closing my eyes that were suddenly filled with tears as he returned the embrace.

I was a little taller than him now, making it hard to lean under him as I had done, but he was stronger, more muscular, with a large barrel chest I only had ever seen on full grown stallions; namely the royal guard. He was so much bigger now I might not have recognized him. But he would always be the most handsome stallion to me, and I’d always know him from his kind eyes, his silly grin. The love I could sense from him.

“You look strong again. I’m glad you’re better now. You really worried me.” He said, tenderly, and I nodded against him, wordlessly letting him know that I was here, I was well again. He didn’t need to worry anymore.

“And how did you get taller than me?” he demanded with mock chagrin.

I giggled. “I’m a princess. We have royal stature.” I stood up straight and tall and spread my wings. I had forgotten that he barely knew the alicorn me. The real me. He had only seen my true self when I was weak and sickly. Not the royal pony I could have been.

“Uh yeah, about that…” he paused, his tone worried as he looked around, then nervously settled his eyes back on me.

My heart dropped. Did he not want this? Was my being royalty still too much for him? Was this going to happen to me all over again?

“You’re wearing a crown now…” he continued as I started to hyperventilate a little, stepping back from him. “…that’s not good.”

“Wh-what?” I stammered, but suddenly I was blinded by a flash of light to my side, and I raised my hoof and turned away to shield my eyes. When I looked back again Shining Armor was in front of me, braced as if he was shielding me from something.

“I was afraid of this…” he muttered, turning to me, grimly. “You should go.”

I was about to protest, despair from his sudden coldness toward me threatening to push me to my knees, but then my eyes fully recovered from the bright light that had blinded me, and I saw what was going on around me.

We were surrounded. By groups of mares and stallions alike, even some foals. Most of them had cameras around their necks and continued to cheer and snap photos, the cause of the flash of light that had blinded me.

It was the end of my anonymity. Shining Armor wasn’t abandoning me, he was trying to protect me from them. The ponyrazzi were here.

“It’s the princess!” the voices called out from all around me. “The debutante representing the west regions of Equestria. She’s going to be at the Summer Sun Celebration this year!”

“She’s an alicorn!”

“She’s the heiress to Princess Celestia!”

“Look, she’s with a colt! Scandaaaall!”

Their voices seemed to echo with each snap and flash of their stupid cameras, so all I could do was lower my head to hide from their invasive shouts and photos. I had encountered the meddlesome and disrespectful group of amateur photographers known as the ponyrazzi at my parents’ public appearances in Istalia before, but had never been bothered by them in Canterlot. I had always either been kind of invisible; an unknown princess. Or in the months where I’d hid my wings from Shining Armor, ponies hadn’t thought twice about me. Now I was tall, my wings were spread, and I was even wearing a crown. I couldn’t hide anymore.

“Leave us alone!” Shining Armor shouted, backing up against me.

“Are you the princess’s coltfriend? Where did you meet? You’re not even a royal.” One annoyingly voiced mare spoke up, haughtily, shoving a microphone in the colt’s face, and that made me mad. I was prepared to be tortured by them. Not so soon maybe, but I knew that after the celebration I would be known as Princess Celestia’s heiress to everypony, and I would have to accept that, but I did not want them bothering Shining Armor, or insulting him in anyway. They had already ruined our reunion.

I opened my wings and flew over the crowd, landing hard on the street behind them to distract them from Shining Armor.

“You want a scoop, huh? Come and get me!” I shouted, angrily, rearing up on my hind legs as the crowd turned to me. Then with a flash of light brighter than any camera, I looked over to see Shining Armor materialize beside me. I forgot he could teleport.

"Hey, you don’t have to worry about me. But I’m not leaving your side.” He grinned, and touched by his resolve I smiled back at him with determination, and then we turned and galloped together through the streets of Canterlot with the herd of ponyrazzi following close behind.

We ran as far as the castle gates and breathing hard I turned to him sadly as our pursuers caught up to us, and I realized I had nowhere to go but back inside. I had barely gotten to talk to him. It wasn’t fair.

“Come meet me at the palace later, OK.” I pleaded.

“Twily’s there. I’ll come get her and see you then.” He promised, kissing me lightly on my cheek so I blushed. “It’s been an honour serving you, princess.” He lifted his hoof to his head in a salute with his silly grin.

I quickly nuzzled him before jumping into the air and flying up and over the gates, pausing to see the crowd seem to devour my poor, heroic coltfriend. But then his familiar rose coloured flash of light shone out from the ground, and when the ponies dispersed, he was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ugh! It’s not fair!” I shouted, stomping into the throne room where my aunt was sitting working wearily on some paperwork. My sudden, vehement entrance had startled her along with her assistant, and she dropped the pile of papers to the ground while the poor unicorn beside her jumped a mile.

“Cadance, whatever is the matter?” she exclaimed, standing up and coming over to me, worriedly.

I felt a little embarrassed to have startled her and the other pony, but it didn’t stop my anger at being chased away from my coltfriend who I hadn’t seen for a year by a bunch of photographers who didn’t respect anypony’s privacy. Never less a princess’s.

“It’s the stupid ponyrazzi!” I cried, angrily, as she stepped back a little. “They chased me away from Shining Armor before I even got to talk to him!” I snorted and leaned over, breathing heavily as I tried to calm down. I was winded from the chase, but also angry and hurt, still dealing with some of the effects of when he had suddenly grew so cold to me. But mostly I hated those meddling ponies for taking away my one happiness, and hate never mixed well with me.

“Oh dear. I should have warned you,” The princess frowned and the cream colour unicorn assistant joined her, deftly holding up the papers in her strangely white aura.

“Warned me about what?”

“Your highnesses if I may say something…” the unicorn mare spoke up suddenly, and I turned to her sharply. After what had happened I didn’t have the patience to be interrupted. But I wasn’t going to dismiss her input.

“Yes…”

“All of Canterlot is looking forward to meeting you, Princess. We have never experienced a princess’s debut and you are the first alicorn besides her majesty, Princess Celestia that we have seen. The foals particularly are so excited to be able to see a young princess’s debut. My own daughter is very adamant to meet you. She thinks you’re beautiful if I may say so.” The mare smiled, and I blushed a little, warmed by her explanation.

I had forgotten that other ponies must see me as having a fairytale life. That little fillies dreamed of being princesses like Twilight had done. That I represented the hopes and dreams of little foals everywhere, even if in reality royalty could be difficult. But I still didn’t want to be barred from going out in public and meeting my friends by those ponies who just wanted to make bits off of my celebrity and the Equestrians’ happiness.

“Royal Ribbon is right, Cadance,” Aunt Celestia added. “Your appearance at the Summer Sun Celebration this year has been of much consideration, and ponies from all over Equestria are coming just to get a glimpse of you. I know you value your privacy but your friends are welcome here anytime, and the royal guard can accompany you if you wish to go out.” She paused and sighed as she noticed that I didn’t share in her enthusiasm with my glum expression.

“The ponyrazzi can be a meddlesome and rude group, along with any other curious pony. But just remember that they love you and you are bringing them happiness.” She smiled in her wise and warm way, but I knew it bothered her just as much as it did me. That wasn’t real love. Real love came from the ponies who cared for you for who you were, not because of your status. I had successfully proven this in my unintended experiment just last summer. Although it had not been without its’ complications.

Still, her next words brought a smile back to my face.

“In any case, now that you are free, there is somepony in my library who would very much like to see you again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Canterlot Castle Library was closed to the public, and the gifted unicorns’ school that primarily used it had let out for the summer. But being alone had never stopped Twilight Sparkle before, and I found her holed up at a desk intensely reading some dusty old tome much as she had when I first met her.

I could see the newly earned magenta coloured starburst on her side as she crouched on the cushion, unaware that I hid behind her. It was an intricate cutiemark, somewhat more detailed than the ones I was used to, not discounting my own of course. Instead of one or two simple symbols, it was a six pointed starburst surrounded by five more stars. It actually was a little like Shining Armor’s, who had a similar star within his shield, and I wondered why that was.

I nimbly held onto a tray with two cups of sweet, fruit flavoured herbal tea in my magic, and then softly got to my hooves, trying not to let the concentrating filly notice me.

“Don’t you think it is about time for a break, my little pony?” I smiled, lowering the tray in front of her as she turned around.

“Cady!” the little unicorn whinnied happily, and I had just enough time to set the tray down before she jumped on me, no longer big enough to topple me over, but I went down anyway, hugging her blissfully, as she flung her hooves around my neck.

“Twilight. I missed you.” I breathed, my always overbearing emotions presenting themselves to me after so long being kept back. But this time they were happy. Joyful. And I welcomed them.

“I missed you too---Oh!” the filly suddenly jumped off me and then crouched down, wriggling her tail as she grinned at me. I followed her as if we were led by a string guiding our hooves. It was our silly dance. Our little rhyme. The symbol of our friendship.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”

As we came to a stop, giggling happily, Twilight blinked her large violet eyes up at me, curiously. “Whoa, you got tall.” She mused.

“Well, you got a cutiemark!” I countered, poking her side.

“Oh, yeah! Look! It’s a star!” she stuck out her side, proudly showing off the little pink starburst before continuing. “Cuz my special talent is magic, and I turned my parents into plants, and made Spike big----“ she suddenly held up a little purple and green…. reptile? I had no idea, but it smiled at me and stuck its claw in its mouth like a foal. But then she tucked it away before I could make any sense of it.

“----and Princess Celestia was so impressed she made me her own special student. So now I have a special cutie mark, and I’m Princess Celestia’s student just like you!” she happily hopped around just as I remembered her doing, but it was amazing to see her so happy because her dream had come true. I had always known she was special, but I had never imagined she would become my aunt’s protege. And I was soon about to get a taste of that wild and untamed magic of which made her such a special pony.

“So, what do you and my auntie do all day?” I asked, wryly.

“Princess Celestia is the most beautiful, most kindest, most smartest pony ever. You are soooo lucky she is your aunt! She teaches me all about magic, and magic theory and magic history and.... and... magicians! Did you know that Starswirl the Bearded might have been even more powerful than her?” she demanded, jumping on her reading desk and getting right up in my face.

I blinked. “No. I did not know that.”

“Its true! She says that a pony’s power is not based on whether they are a unicorn or alicorn or even earth pony or pegasus, but by the focus they put into their inherent magic, and the strength of their will." She explained, emphatically.

That I did know. Twilight must have had some strong willpower in that little filly body of hers.

"I see," I replied, sitting down at the desk and passing her the tea which she eagerly started sipping. I wondered how long she had been studying in there, and when she had last had anything to eat or drink. She could get pretty obsessive.

“Why don’t you show me what you’ve been studying?” I offered, picking up my own tea. Her enthusiasm was starting to wear me out already.

“Okay!” she exclaimed, and wriggled onto the cushion with me so she could look at her book again. I followed her lead and read over the page she was on. It seemed to be some sort of matter transmutation spell. A complicated and easily misinterpreted magic I couldn’t really see the little filly doing. Still, she had surprised me before, so I watched, encouragingly as she concentrated intensely on a small paperweight on the desk, crouching down with her tail twitching slightly as her small horn powered up with a magenta aura. A blast of light bigger than I thought could be produced from such a small unicorn body shot out from her horn and hit the paperweight enveloping it in her bright pink light. And just as I was about to console her for the spell seeming to fail, it suddenly exploded into a million pieces, and I had just enough time to throw my body on top of her before the beam of light ricocheted off the pieces and hit the wall in front of us, blasting a hole through the plaster and causing debris to fall on us causing much less injury to me than it would to her smaller form under me.

“Mi Amore Cadenza! What is the meaning of this?” I lifted my head up, shaking the gray dust and plaster off me to see my father standing in front of me. He didn’t look happy.

“Whoa, that was not supposed to happen.” Twilight grumbled, rubbing her mane as she got to her hooves. Then she saw my angry looking and intimidating father and her eyes grew wide, and the little imp actually pointed her hoof at me as if I had been the one to blow up the wall. I glared at her, and was about to point my hoof right back, but I stopped. I understood why she had done it.

“Sorry, father. It was an accident with a spell I was showing my friend. I’ll get it cleaned up and apologize to Princess Celestia right away.” I stepped forward and calmly approached him. I didn’t want him to scare the little filly. I didn’t want her to get into trouble. If I took the blame at least the palace would go easy on me because I was royalty. I turned to Twilight and winked, smiling weakly, but she seemed shocked and didn’t respond.

“This is reckless and dangerous behaviour. And in front of a young and impressionable filly. Why can’t you ever act like a proper young lady?” he demanded.

I bowed my head and apologized again. It was all I could do.

“We will have to get somepony else to clean this. I came looking for you because you are late for your appointment at the hospital. Let’s go.”

Shoot. I hadn’t wanted to be late for that. I had promised mom I wouldn’t be. Maybe I really was a poor excuse for a princess.

Sighing, I followed my father out of the library, giving one last sad look at Twilight as he called over a royal guard to inform him of the hole in the wall that needed attending to. The little unicorn looked kind of guilty so I smiled to cheer her up. She smiled back and waved meekly, but I hated leaving her. Taking the blame for her wasn’t going to be worth anything if she got caught right in the middle of it. I hoped she’d have the sense to leave the scene .

I hadn’t even gotten to see Shining Armor again when he picked her up. Nothing seemed to be working out that day, I thought to myself as I trudged behind my cold and overbearing father to face my past.
And my fate.

Prisoner of Love

Nothing had seemed to work out for me since I came back to Canterlot. I had been chased away from Shining Armor by those stupid ponyrazzi, and even lost my chance to play with Twilight again. If being late for my appointment at the hospital meant I was going have more bad luck I was a little more nervous about what the doctors would say to me then I already had been. But it seemed for once that fate was on my side, and I was given a clean bill of health.

Although I knew I had grown much stronger from when I was deathly ill and told I would have a permanent heart condition last year, it was a surprise even to me that the doctors could find no trace of the illness, and I had seemed to have completely healed. Aunt Celestia said that pony doctors didn’t know much about alicorn physiology, and especially had no clue about what had happened to me. They could only diagnose the physical effects they could see. That I had completely healed was probably just my inherent strength and magic much like her own. And she was so happy for me. So were my mother and father too, in his own strange way. They wanted to celebrate, but I was tired and just wanted to be alone.

I was happy too, of course. I was glad to be well again, and to not have to worry about it anymore. But really, what was more important to me was seeing my friends again, and I was still pretty disappointed I hadn’t gotten to. At least my father had seemed to have forgotten about my ‘accident’ in the library for now.

I knew I wasn't completely free of my illness anyway. It could happen again to me. It was a curse on me and those who cared about me. I hated it for that. For putting a burden on the ponies I cared about like that. I knew Shining Armor didn't completely understand it. But I had sensed the guilt from him. Even if he didn't know the full details, he still thought he had been the reason I had grown so sick. I didn't want him to feel like he was indebted to me somehow. Like he was a prisoner to my love. Not the way I was.

Sighing heavily, I drifted into sleep and dreamed about galloping through a grassy field with my friends by my side, free of the fear inside me. And with my very own knight in shining armor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was still laying in bed the next morning feeling sorry for myself, when the knight of my lonely dreams appeared in front of me in all his mop-top-maned-goofy-grin glory.

"Hey, sleeping beauty are you just going to stay in bed all day?'

I jumped up, surprised by his sudden appearance, and embarrassed by him finding me lazing about. I guessed my aunt had been serious when she said my friends were welcome anytime.

"Shining! I-I was just.... I was-" but I was cut off as his lips met mine, and all my embarrassment and disappointment melted away as I relaxed into the kiss. Oh, how I had missed it. The feel of him against me brought back all the memories of our one magical summer together, and reminded me just how much I loved him. How much I had missed him, and how much I needed him.

He pulled away and chuckled, blushing a little so I could only imagine how red my own cheeks must be.

"I didn't get to do that yesterday," He grinned, mischievously, and I giggled. "You've become too famous for me, princess. I didn't think I'd ever see my face on one of those silly tabloid magazines they sell on the street."

I grimaced, sure I must have turned even redder. "Are you freaking serious?" I demanded, and he laughed.

"Twily taped the picture to her wall."

I ran my hooves across my face and groaned. "I don't believe this."

"It's OK. They called me the 'unknown strapping stallion of the princess's dreams' so they can't be all bad," he laughed again, standing up tall and puffing out his chest, proudly. I giggled despite myself. Even as we were both seeming to lose our privacy he could always make me laugh.

"Besides, I think I found a place where we can be alone."

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a willow tree.

A huge, veiled hideaway located right by the river running through Canterlot's Hide Park. It was right under the noses of those nosey ponies, and couldn't have been any more conspicuous if it were located on Mane Street, or the Sun Palace itself. But that's what made it such a perfect hiding place.

The tree leaned over toward the river, its veil of thick leaves flowing down like a blanket that covered the circumference of the heavy trunked willow. It looked to be hundreds of years old, with spaces where the sun shone through like sparkling stars. It was beautiful. A wonderful place to spend a day with the pony I loved. And to truly be alone with him.

He went ahead of me, still able to walk around in public unlike I was without being consumed by a bunch of dumb princess stalkers. Since the majority of Canterlot citizens were not pegasi I was still able to fly around without them being able to bother me, so I was supposed to fly in through the leaves to meet him. But I ended up crashing into the branches since my wings were too big, and I fell through the tree right on top of the unsuspecting colt.

“Ugh...thanks for dropping in.” Shining Armor grunted as I landed on top of him.

Dazed, I struggled to my hooves, and shook the leaves out of my mane. “Uh... sorry.” I muttered, blushing profusely. I was such a klutz. But suddenly he grabbed me and threw me back on top of him. “Shiny!” I cried, startled, but I began to giggle as he pulled me closer and nuzzled up to me.

“Caught you,” he murmured, tickling my nose as he kissed it.

“You’ve gotten more frisky than I remember,” I giggled, blissfully kissing him back as my heart swelled with the love I could feel all around me. It had been so long since I had felt that pure, tender feeling in that way. “I think you’ve been taking lessons from Lacolt, you naughty colt.” I added, wryly, playfully pushing his nose away.

“Ugh no, I haven’t seen that loser all year. I think he got stuck in a public school without a magic program.” he muttered, rolling over, but I pushed him back down, straddling him.

“Serves him right.” I smiled, coyly.

"Besides that, I’m a growing colt who hasn’t seen his marefriend in a year. I have needs you know.”

“Oh, and I don’t?” I demanded, playfully, and then noticed him staring at my wings tucked against my side. “Not gonna happen, canternova.” I deadpanned and he grinned, lewdly, so I pushed him away with my hoof. “Anyway, I’m the one alone in Istalia all the time. At least you have friends here.”

He grimaced, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, and my best friend is with his mare all the time.”

“Oooh, are Sweetheart and Palomides around? I want to see them again!” I exclaimed, happily. I couldn’t wait to see the sweet and kind yearling filly I had made friends with last year. I had kept up with her in letters, but it wasn’t the same as giggling and gossiping with my first real friend together. Well, filly friend anyway. I had really missed her.

“We’ll see them soon. But right now I’m not letting you go.” Shining Armor pulled me closer, and I squealed as he tickled and cuddled me close in his arms as if I were a child. I turned over and kissed him softly, no longer the child, instead the yearling filly who had found her true love. I felt such passion and joy in my heart. More so than I remembered. The way we could cuddle and play now was so different from when we were shy and reserved before. We were a little filly and colt then. Two foals experiencing love for the first time, and having no idea what to do with it. But we were bolder now. We had been through alot, probably more than most. And just as we were able to admit our true feelings we were ripped away from each other. We had alot to make up for.

"Shining Armor...do you still love me even though I’m so far away now?”

It was a question I had longed to ask him. I couldn’t write it in letters, it was much too personal for that. I had to see him in front of me to know for sure. A long distance love was hard. Especially since I didn’t even know when I could see him again. For me, I didn’t have much to distract me, nothing that would make me forget or ever stop thinking about him. It was partly my own loyalty to him, my eternal love, but it was also because I was alone and lonely. All I wanted was to see him again. It was what I thought about the most. But for him I wasn’t so sure. He had school, a life in Canterlot with other friends. I couldn’t blame him if he forgot me.

The white colt looked down at me, his bright, blue eyes full of mischief and fervor “You think I might be fooling around with other fillies?”

I winced. “N-no! I’m not saying that—I just-“ he cut me off with a kiss on the lips, and I instantly relaxed, as if it were some sort of drug coursing through my system. And with the way I functioned, my dependency on love, it may as well have been.

“Cadance, I’ll always love you. I have never stopped thinking about you since the day you left. No matter how far away you may be, you’ll always be in my heart.” His deep and gentle voice touched the deepest part of my heart, and my eyes filled up with tears of happiness as I wrapped my hooves around him and held him as close to me as possible.

"You're the most special filly to me. I really missed you this year, and whenever I felt lonely, or saw my friends with their marefriends, I just remembered how I had the most amazing filly waiting for me. I'm lucky to have you, my little reluctant princess." he grinned his silly grin, but I sensed his original uncertainty, his loneliness, and the sincerity behind his words, and I nuzzled closer to him, my heart so full.

"I'm the luckiest pony in the world to have you too," I breathed. "and I love you, my white knight."

As I cuddled closer to him, I realized that this was where I belonged. I belonged with him. In his soft hooves, under this tree, or under a starry sky, even in the middle of a crowd of curious ponies. As long as we were together, that’s all that mattered, and no pony was going to take that away from us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun sparkled in through the slits in the willow leaves as I lay with him in the high noon heat, safe under the shade of the tree. I sighed, contently. I wished I could just lay with him forever. That I didn’t have to face the realities of growing up, of leaving Canterlot, and becoming a princess. And then I remembered; that was exactly what I had to do.

“Shining,” I started, solemnly, and he just sighed, mumbling a response as he lay his head lazily over my neck. I sighed too, but it was not a sigh of content, and I lifted my head up, forcing him to do the same. “You trust me, right.......?" I asked as he turned to me.

“Hmm? Yeah, sure I do.” He murmured.

“You know you’re the only colt for me, right?”

Now he sat up straighter, his happy and dopey expression wilting. “Yes...”

“Well,” I started again, losing my own confidence now that he seemed to be becoming serious himself. I really didn’t want to hurt him again. This wasn’t fair. “You know I’m a debutante now so…” he just blinked, waiting for me to continue. “…so I’m expected to participate in certain royal duties…” I paused again, but then Shining Armor put his hoof on my shoulder and smiled, gently.

“It’s alright, Cadance. I trust you. I know you have to do what is expected of you as a princess. You don’t have to worry.”

I turned to him and smiled, loving him all the more for his understanding. “I have to attend a royal debutante ball. I’m supposed to present myself to potential suitors for marriage… I… I don’t want to but…”

I could feel his worry then. He didn’t show it. He was darn good at masking that type of emotion. He tried to be the calm and silly colt he always was, but he must have forgotten I could feel his heart after so many months apart.

“Princess Celestia doesn’t believe in arranged marriages. Neither do my own parents. This ball is just a formality. A tradition. You’re the pony I love. I’ll never leave you and I... I hope that..." I paused, bracing myself for my next words. "Well.... I hope that when we're older and we’ve found who we’re meant to be, that we could get married one day too." I blushed so strongly I felt faint as I buried my head in my hooves.

He nudged my head back up and smiled.

“I’d like that too.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, you got so tall!” came the familiar high voice of the once small yearling filly I called my best friend.

"You got so tall!” I squealed just as excitedly.

Sweetheart, little Sweetheart had finally grown into her disproportionate tiny body, and was the size of any other teen filly now. Her rosy curls were a little shorter now, a little less wild. But her beautiful kindness shone through in her always somewhat sad, droopy eyes. It was so great to see her again.

Shining Armor had been true to his word, and had brought Palomides and Sweetheart to my new little prison in the Canterlot Palace. The willow tree was only for the two of us, though. It was our special place, and letting another pony in would violate its sanctity. So the couple had come to see me in my literal ivory tower instead.

It was just the two of them. Lyrica and Ivory had had a falling out and weren't around very much, while Blue was in Cloudsdale for flight training, and Medley had a summer job. Shining said that the two of them would be there for the Summer Sun Celebration and my big debut, but he wasn't sure about Lyrica or Ivory. I guessed she had pushed him too far with her silly antics and demands, but I was disappointed I wouldn't get to see them again in my all too short visit. Still, to have Sweetheart and silly, good natured Palomides again was enough for me for now.

The gray unicorn colt had always been much slighter than his friend, but although Shining had grown even bigger that year, Palomides was catching up, and was still taller than all of us. Even me, which made for a lot of good natured teasing for his friend.

"So, Cadance, you're a debutante now. Does that mean you're going to go off with some prince? Or are the tabloids true and my buddy, Shiny is part of some scandalous love affair?" Palomides laughed, punching Shining Armour in the chest, and receiving an equal blow in return from the embarrassed colt.

"Palomides! What a thing to say! Apologize to our friends right now, young stallion." Sweetheart chastised, sternly, pushing the two feuding unicorns away from each other.

"You guys saw those too, huh?" I grimaced in reply.

"Oh, Cadance you look so beautiful in those photos. So grown up and princess-like." Sweetheart had always been the diplomatic one in our group. She knew how to make any type of degradation or humiliation go away with her kind words and firm handle on other ponies. Without her we probably would have fallen apart long ago. And I loved her for it.

"Sorry, Cadance. I was just trying to get this guy to lighten up. He ripped my copy of the magazine up. I mean, what the hay?" Palomides chortled with mock annoyance, and received a back hoof kick from his disgruntled friend.

"You were making fun of my picture and said it wasn't even me, you big jerk," Shining Armor growled. “You said it was freaking Prince Blueblood with her. He’s a little colt!”

Palomides reared up and covered his face with his hooves. "Abuse! Abuse! Princess, have your guards arrest this colt. He's out of control, and he's under the delusion that you're dating him." He broke off into uncontrollable chuckles, but I wasn't letting him get away with that.

"I could have him arrested," I started, thoughtfully, so that Shining Armor's eyes grew wide as if he actually believed I would do such a thing to him. He was so gullible. "But I think I should have you arrested instead, for your disrespect shown toward me.” I grinned, maliciously and my ridiculous coltfriend came over and hid behind me, sticking his tongue out at his friend who seemed to be legitimately freaked out by my supposed sentence, until I burst out laughing, and so did the others.

"Oh, Palomides, you’re such a little foal,” I giggled, grabbing him over to me in a hug which Sweetheart eagerly joined in on.

“But for the record, Prince Blueblood is my cousin and I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moon was full that night as the four of us lay in the cool, soft grass inside the Canterlot Gardens. They were out of the way, and closed to the public at that time of night. We were safe from prying pony eyes, and could just be ourselves. Together.

We passed around another copy of that accursed tabloid magazine in our combined auras, creating a rainbow of colour around it. It was weird to actually see it. To see how these ponies I had never met, never talked to, seemed to think they knew who I was, and what was best for me. As if they had any right to judge me or my choice in coltfriends. They had no idea how fragile and empathetic I was, and how much their careless words might hurt me. They just didn’t care.

"You actually brought it here?" Palomides demanded as Shining Armour held up the Canterlot Equus magazine with the two of us on the cover. His eyes were blocked out, probably because they hadn't gotten his or his parent's permission for the photo, and he was technically still a minor. But I was there clear as day. It didn't matter how young I was. A princess was free game for them.

“Cadance wanted to see it. Say one mocking word about our pictures to her again though, and I’ll turn you into one of these statues.” Shining Armor replied, eyeing the other colt.

“You really do look pretty in the pictures, Cadance.” Sweetheart added, as I leaned over Shiny’s shoulder looking at the glossy pictures in the light of the moon and our horns’ auras.

I frowned. I didn’t think I looked pretty. I kinda looked scary. The ponyrazzi took my picture when I was angry at them, so I looked pretty pissed off. They called me fierce and protective. As I had every right to be. But then Sweetheart turned the page to the exclusive story. There I was, smiling with all my joy at my reunion with Shining Armor. My wings were spread, and I was standing tall, showing off my stupid regal stature to him. I didn’t know they had gotten a picture of me then. It was kind of embarrassing. More so than when they got a picture of my anger. Because it was the real me.

The young Istalian princess, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza will be formally recognized as the heiress to Princess Celestia of Equestria at this year’s Summer Sun Celebration now that she has come of age. She is the first alicorn to be born in over a thousand years, and is a gentle and caring young mare whose special talent is said to be the ability to spread love. We do not know much about this enigmatic young royal as she has been sheltered most of her life, but are looking forward to making her acquaintance at this year’s festival.

I read over the words in the dim light and felt a little better. They seemed to like me, and weren’t really criticizing me. They really didn’t know much about me, and I wondered why that was, and if my parents really had done their best to protect me until now, and I felt warmed by it.

“I love your crown. How come you’re not wearing it now? Can I see it?” Sweetheart asked, giddily, her one flaw always being her little filly excitement over my royalty. I couldn’t blame her for it though.

“I’m off duty now. I’ll show you later OK, Sweetie,” I paused as her ears drooped in disappointment. “I’ll even let you try it on, how’s that?” I smiled, and loved it as she cheered up like the little filly I would always remember her as.

“No way, I didn’t see this before somepony destroyed my copy. It says Shiny could be a prince from another kingdom,” Palomides yanked the magazine out of his friend’s aura, excitedly. “Apparently he has the broad chest of a royal, and a princely muzzle.” He put his hooves on top of Shining Armor’s snout and under his jaw. “Look at the princey wincey!” he giggled and was pushed off by the other colt.

“I’m going to kill you.” Shining Armor murmured, and started beating his friend with the magazine.

“You’re so violent,” I laughed. “And Palomides,” I tried to be stern and princess-like as I turned my icy glare to the menacing colt. “Stop teasing my coltfriend, or I’ll throw you in the dungeon.”

We all laughed, especially Shining Armor at Palomides’ expense, but I shot a glare at him too, and he grinned, sheepishly, than offered a hoof to the gray colt.

“I’ll ask her not to throw you in the dungeon if you quit torturing me over this stupid magazine article. Deal?”

“Deal.” Palomides smiled, genuinely as he took the white colt’s hoof in his. “Prince Big Nose.”

The giggles bubbled up through my chest into full on laughs, and I held my stomach as I rolled around on the ground indignantly as would never be permitted in my royal life. But I was with my friends now, and this was my other life. My sweeter life. The only life I wanted to live. And I relished in laughing along with them like the pony I still wished I could be.

Having enough of the magazine now, we lay on our backs and looked up at the lonely full moon, peaceful and content. It seemed subdued in the hazy summer night air, but I still felt a little of its sadness. I wondered if the others could feel what I felt from it too. Or did it broadcast its pain only to me?

“Do you guys ever wonder about the unicorn shadow up there?” I asked, tentatively.

“The Mare in the Moon?” Sweetheart asked.

“Yeah...” I mumbled, a little embarrassed suddenly.

“It does look like a unicorn is up there....” Shining Armor responded. “...but that’s just an old mare’s tale, right?”

“Uh... right..” I sighed, disappointed that he had been the one to depreciate my thoughts so soon. He looked over to me with concern before Sweetheart suddenly spoke up again.

“It would be sad if it were true. I would think that unicorn would be lonely up there,” she said. She was still the best at understanding me and what I wanted to convey.

“Sometimes when I look at the moon... I feel sad... like I can feel the unicorn’s loneliness too.” I explained.

“You mean like how you can feel another pony’s emotions?” Shining asked.

“Oh yeah! I forgot you could do that. You’re so sweet to feel sad for that lonely little pony if she’s really up there.” Sweetheart added, and I giggled, blushing a little.

“It's not exactly like that. There’s no real presence, but I feel the loneliness around me. I feel it less when the moon is waning.... but it's like she wants to tell me something...or some pony... but I'm the only one who can hear her."

We broke off into silence as each of us looked up into the sky with our own contemplations.

The crickets sang a sweet melody, and the leaves and our manes rustled in the wind, and I looked over to Shining who looked complacent and wondered what he was thinking about. Palomides was lightly holding Sweetheart's tiny white hoof in his, and I reached over to my own white knight and took his large ruffled hoof into mine.

"Whatever is up there I can't deny that a moonlit night conveys a sense of loneliness even for me.” Shining Armor was the first to speak again, and I felt warmed to have him understand some of what I felt. “Its kinda when I most miss you…” he added, bashfully, and my heart leapt as I rolled over and cuddled him close to me.

“Awww, that’s so romantic!” Sweetheart cooed, and then turned to Palomides. “What do you think, huh? Don’t you think the moon is really lonely up there too?” she asked, engagingly, grinning at her clueless coltfriend.

“Huh? Nah. I think the moon is just a big old piece of cheese.”

“A piece of cheese?!” we all shouted, sitting up.

“Jeez, what’s the big deal? Haven’t you ever heard the story that the moon is made from cheese?” he muttered, indignantly.

I could feel poor Sweetheart’s disappointment over his very unromantic notion, and felt bad for the little filly. “No.” she muttered in disheartened response.

“Look at it. It’s a ball of cheese. And the unicorn image is just uh...some mold on it,” we all just stared at him, Sweetheart with her mouth hanging open. “Maybe Princess Celestia takes a bite out of it each time she raises it, huh?” he chuckled, and I looked over to see the tabloid magazine float off the ground in a cherry blossom pink aura from where it lay beside Shiny, and bop the silly colt on the head.

“You are the most dispassionate, unromantic colt ever! You can go live on that moon for all I care. You’ll certainly be well fed there!” Sweetheart shouted at the baffled Palomides who just sat on the ground and blinked as the white yearling filly ran over to me and cuddled up to me.

“Cady, fix him! Use your love magic and make him romantic like Shining is. I never realized what a dope he was!” she sobbed, and I sighed smiling down at her.

“You know I can’t really do that. You told me yourself you didn’t want me to use my magic for you two.” I soothed, gently.

“Sorry Sweetheart, not all colts can be as dashing as me.” Shining grinned, and deadpanning I pushed him away.

“Then, can you find me a prince? Since you don’t want one that is...” she murmured, and I giggled, holding her close to me.

As far as I was concerned she could have all the princes offered to me. But I knew she really cared for Palomides, and actually liked his silly but tragically unromantic ways. He brought out her strength and made her laugh, and I couldn’t have wished for a better match for my dear friend, especially since I hadn’t been a part of it, and it was her own sweet heart that kindled it.

“Do you really think there is an actual pony up there?” Shining Armor asked me again, curiously as Sweetheart calmed down and sat with me, where I protected her under my wing like a child in the soft grass. Palomides was granted permission to sit next to us where he twiddled his hooves shamefully, glancing back up to us every now and then, trying to win us back in his favour.

“I think that there is a reason the moon makes us feel the way it does, and it speaks to us in all different ways,” I paused, and looked deep into my beautiful coltfriend’s cerulean eyes. “And when I look up at it is when I miss you most of all too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Notes:

Frisky ponies are frisky.

There is a reason only a handful of Cadance's friends are in this. Some of them play a bigger part in the next story. So just enjoy the two most fun characters for now.

I hope you enjoyed. and next chapter has some world building! Because I created Istalia... why not more?

See you at Bronycon! Look for a Cadance with a ponytail dragging around a twily plushy/purse thingy.

PS, this chapter name is from a song by my favourite Japanese singer and only came to me as I wrote Cadance's thoughts on being a 'prisoner to love'. Check it out if you like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6QjKT1A2pI

The english lyrics actually kind of fit to this story. Never thought about that.... http://www.jpopasia.com/lyrics/8250/hikaru-utada/prisoner-of-love.html

Royal Duties

The next day was the Royal Ambassador's Meeting. Mom had been coaching me on how to behave and what to expect to happen for most of the morning, with my father ‘helpfully’ criticising everything I managed to do until she got fed up with him and kicked him out of our room. I had had my mane pulled up into every single style imaginable but it refused to stay up, or mom wouldn’t be happy with it, and she’d start over, yanking my mane around until my scalp ached and I was actually happy when my aunt Celestia came and asked to speak to me alone.

I followed the high princess silently through the halls, watching the palace staff frantically rushing around to get ready for the great conference and lavish banquet required of it, my stomach rolling a little from an unknown nervousness as the smells of all the food assaulted my nostrils. I started to wish I had stuck around to have my hair pulled out as we approached the castle library where I had convinced my father that I had destroyed one of the walls in place of the results of one of Twilight’s untamed spells. Neither my father nor my aunt had spoken to me about it after my positive prognosis had been given, and I hadn't seen Twilight either. I had almost forgotten about it, but a heaviness settled in my belly as I realized I was going to be scolded by my patient but firm regal aunt.

“It seems that somepony has damaged my library’s wall.” Aunt Celestia said, her voice deceptively calm as she gestured to the wall where the hole had been repaired and hastily painted over, the tiles cleaned up from the floor. I felt no clear anger or disappointment from her, but surely she had brought me here to abdicate me. Or maybe I had pushed my emotion sensing magic so far away it was deceiving me.

“Oh, yeah...” I mumbled, guiltily.

“Your father told me he found you and my personal student at the scene, and you said you were showing her something when your spell backfired?” the princess raised an eyebrow and I grimaced.

“Yup. That’s what happened. I’m really sorry, auntie.” I tried to grin in that cute way Twilight could do that according to her brother helped her get away with anything, but I probably failed.

“So, am I to understand that my almost full grown niece, adept in magic, and in complete control of her spells is responsible for this, while my student, who I am teaching to tame her wild magic, and has done this many times before is completely innocent?”

“Uh.... yes?”

The ivory coated monarch shook her head and sighed. “Oh Cadance, you’re a kind, selfless little pony, but taking the blame for Twilight Sparkle’s mistake isn’t going to help her learn anything.”

“I know...” I sighed, hanging my head. “It’s just my father was there and...I didn’t want him to yell at her,” I paused. “Like he always yells at me.”

“I see,” Princess Celestia responded with less concern in her tone than I expected. “But please, let me take care of the discipline for my own student.”

“Yes, Auntie.” I mumbled, feeling dejected, and wondering what ‘discipline’ would befall the little filly. I hoped I hadn’t gotten her in even more trouble.

“What do you say, young filly?” my aunt continued, sternly, and I startled to see the lavender unicorn trudge out from behind her.

"I’m sorry I let you take the blame for me, Cady.” she mumbled much as I had done, looking down at her hooves as she scuffed them across the floor.

“And...?” our mutual mentor pressed.

“Um... thanks... for trying to protect me.” she looked up at me with those huge eyes of hers and smiled, innocently.

“You’re welcome, Twilight.” I smiled too.

Suddenly my aunt’s familiar warmth and compassion returned to her face as she smiled at the two of us. “Learning to take responsibility for your own actions is an important lesson to be learned, my little pony. Just as with Cadance it is a noble and valiant trait to try to protect another pony, but in this case that pony needed to try to accept the responsibility for herself.”

“Yes, Aunt Celestia.” I replied, while Twilight mimicked without saying the more familial title. “We’re sorry.” our voices joined in unison and the elder princess chuckled softly.

“Now, Twilight I know you like to be here to study in the library, but today there is something very special going on in the castle and I cannot permit you to stay here unattended. Cadance and I must go now to get ready, but I’m sure you’ll see her again during the rest of her visit here,” Princess Celestia looked down at the disappointed little filly and sighed. It seemed even she wasn’t immune to Twilight’s manipulative little pout. “And we’ll start our lessons again in the fall. Now go outside and play, you silly filly.”

I nodded to show her my own encouragement, and the lavender unicorn immediately cheered up and waved to us as she trotted to the solar guard stallion the princess had asked to escort her home.

When Twilight had left the library my aunt blew out a puff of air and turned to me. "I don't know how you ever kept up with her.”

I giggled, mischievously. "If you help my mother figure out what to do with my mane without making it fall out, I'll give you a few Twilight Sparkle customized foal sitter pointers. Cadance patented and approved.” I concluded with a wink.

“You got a deal, my little foal sitter expert.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Royal Ambassadors Meeting was the first of all my new royal duties I actually enjoyed. In fact, it was magical. It was the most awe inspiring and spectacular event I had ever experienced. And it may have even helped me come to terms with my own ancient origins. For when my parents had explained that I would be meeting with representatives from all across Equestria they had never said that some would be different species.

Of course there were pony representatives from the other separate kingdoms as I was. There was the pure white, enigmatic queen of the frozen north who brought in a chill with the flow of her ivory flowing mane and lion shaped tail, and whose eyes shone blue like the deepest lake. The unicorn Emperor and Empress of the East, a dainty couple without any alicorn characteristics, but a distinct almond eye shape and glossy night coloured coat with strange and intricate cutie marks that said as much in their images as the words they represented. Even the Saddle Arabian horses, a race of tall earth pony-like equine with alicorn like muzzles, powerful muscled legs and beautiful saddle costumes did not surprise me as much as when I was introduced to the other representatives from beyond the Equestrian borders.

The Zebrican zebras were similar to ponies but had striped coats, with short, upturned manes, dainty black-tipped hooves, and a thin tail with wisps of hair growing at the end. Represented by Princess Aida, a white coated zebra, with black stripes and a longer white and gray mane compared to the other zebras accompanying her who had the more common mohawk style, she also seemed to possess a kind of cutie mark that was a part of the black stripes on her pelt. It looked a little bit like a sun with a half moon underneath, strangely similar to Equestria’s own symbol of harmony of sun and moon, and made me wonder how we were all connected. But also so far away.

The princess’s fiance accompanying her was the Zebrican version of a unicorn, an Abada, a gray, striped equine much like a zebra, but with a twisted horn on the edge of his snout, along with the unicorn like horn on his forehead. His mane was a Zebrican mohawk, and he appeared fierce, with dark slanted eyes, and a ring through his nostrils. But he was polite, and amiable with the other members of royalty when he did actually utter any words, and his unification with the zebra princess was a great advancement in the traditionally separate races. It was a union of unicorn magic and traditional zebra sorcery, well supported by Princess Celestia and the rest of the equine kingdoms. Harmony was our goal, even if our kingdoms were under different rule.

The griffon representatives from the aptly named Griffon Kingdom were a people I had never seen before, and never expected to see. I had always been a little afraid of them, along with the dragons of the far South-East, just because I had led a sheltered life, and the idea of meat-eating giant birds with bodies of lions walking around with other ponies struck me as terrifying. Although my own country was a popular tourist destination for them. But like I said, I had always been sheltered, and knew nothing of the outside world besides what I could read in books. Until I attended that meeting.

The Griffon Kingdom was a Patriarchy unlike our own, and was represented only by a fierce looking elderly king and his guards who I had trouble looking at without shivering. Equestria had remained peaceful with them for hundreds of years now, but this guy didn’t seem like he liked that. Or he just didn’t want to bother with me, the new little pony princess. Which was fine with me because I really didn’t want to bother with him either.

Still, he seemed to get along well with my aunt and my parents, and just because I was afraid of him I wasn’t going to ruin centuries of peace by being rude. So I fearfully introduced myself to the king, and it turns out he just needed a little encouragement, for as soon as I said ‘hello’ he responded in kind, with a charmingly accented congratulation on my becoming a debutante, and bowed deeply to me. It seemed there was more to the griffons than I really knew. And I was glad of it.

The representatives who made the biggest impression on me, and quite possibly changed my life though, were the kirin from Neighpon. Or more specifically, the king and queen representatives of Ryuuma-kyu, an island off the coast of Neighpon that was populated by the rare and beautiful Equasian Kirin, a dragon and unicorn hybrid creature with a unicorn's magic and grace, and dragon's fierceness and strength, along with their long lifespans making the kirin of Ryuuma-kyu as ancient as the alicorns. Or perhaps even more so.

The two representatives for the isolated little island only open for Equestrian tourism and trade, and as a haven where anypony who chose to love a dragon could live together without prejudice, were the kirin king and queen, Ryuuma-jin and Sei-ryuuma. The king was a tall, long legged, somewhat equine-like creature with almond shaped draconic eyes, and a tall backwards curving gold horn on his forehead. He had a broad alicorn muzzle with a long mustache reminiscent of the Eqausian dragons he was descended from, and a wild crimson mane flowing down the back of his lengthy neck. His body was long and slender, and was covered in thick, midnight-blue fur that trailed down in tufts at his split toed cloven hooves. Dragon scales rested on a yellow belly, and continued down his reptilian tail ending in ruffles of fur the colour of his mane like a lion’s tail.

I bowed, nervously, unable to take my eyes off the strange and new creatures, and the king of the kirin smiled kindly at me. “Hello, young princess.” his voice was deep, and thickly accented as he bowed to me, and I responded.

The slighter more equine-like queen stepped forward and bowed also. She looked a little more like a unicorn, with a regal muzzle, soft eyes like my aunt’s, and a silver curved horn. But she still possessed a dragon’s pupil, light green scaled belly, and a long reptilian tail. Her coat was an azure colour that shone in the light, while her mane was the darkest of ebony but with a violet tint, and hung down all the way to the floor, only partially held up by her back. They were beautiful and majestic creatures and I felt no fear of them, only awe and a sense of their benevolence and strong magic.

“We have been hoping to meet you for some time now, princess,” The queen spoke in a soft, melodic voice, and I tilted my head to one side, wondering why a foreign queen would be interested in me.

"You wanted to meet me?" I asked, stupidly.

"Yes, Princess Cadenza. For we have heard much about you from Princess Celestia, and believe we may have the answers to some of the questions you may be seeking about your ancient origins."

I felt a sudden pain in my chest at the thought of being able to learn more about the mystery of who I was, and what being a Mederi actually meant, especially since I had seemed to defy their tragic fate. Could these dragon descendant unicorns more ancient than my own alicorn aunt really know something about the lost alicorns of which I was the last? Had they once known a pony like me?

"You know who I am?" I stammered, as my heart hammered against my ribs, my hopes rising dangerously as they always did.

"Yes, child. The kirin of Equasia are an ancient species like the alicorn, and we have met the heart-healer ponies---the Mederi of which you are descended from.”

“You’ve met them? You knew another pony like me?” my words were shaky, struck short with emotion as I tried to imagine what it might be like to meet another like me. What could I learn from them? Could they show me how they could heal? Would they know if I was truly one of them? Or was there anything I could teach them?

“They are no longer in this world. You are the only one we have seen in thousands of years, but they live on in our ancient culture. The healing and love they brought to us helped shape our country into what it has become, and the unicorns, dragons and kirin of our land continue to worship them, and practice the lessons in love and hope that they taught us in a very dark time.” the kirin queen’s voice seemed to darken as did her words. I knew nothing about Neighpon or the kirin so I could only imagine what their history might have been like, and how my ancestors could have somehow helped them. A place peaceful with dragons could not have always been like that could it?

“I don’t understand. Did the Mederi live in your land? I thought they were only in old Equestria. What did they do to change your country? And how do you practice their magic? Isn’t that something only they could do?” questions seemed to slip through my lips like water as they piled up in my brain. I couldn’t possibly express them all, but I burned inside to try. This may be my last and only chance to do so.

“Calm down, little one.” the king spoke up then, reaching his fur lined hoof out to me. “We do not know much more than you do now, but the shrine unicorns and to a lesser extent the kirin too may be able to show you what they have learned through their studies. They have dedicated their lives to studying the healing that was shown to us, and how to focus the mind to replicate the Mederi’s emotion sensing magic, and may be able to show you what they have learned. We can only offer you this description of our culture and hope that you can one day come to our land to find the answers you are looking for. Our own interaction with your ancestors was limited, but they live on in our tiny kingdom, and we would be honoured to show you what we can to aid you in your quest.”

I felt the disappointment like a punch in my belly, my ears bent low as I realized I would learn nothing that day, that I had to somehow make the journey to Ryuuma-kyu myself. A reality that may not be so hard as a member of royalty, but I would surely have to wait until I was full grown to do so.

But just last year it had almost been too late for me.

"I-I see." I sighed, fighting back tears at the sudden crash of my unstable and debilitating emotions as my hopes for discovering more about myself shattered in my heart. "I hope I can visit your country one day. I will try." I added, sadly, unable to hide just how disappointed and heartbroken I was.

"Princess, we are sorry. We did not mean to upset you. I am sorry we could not offer you more than we have. I hope someday you can come to our island and learn whatever it is you are meant to learn, and find whatever you are meant to find." the queen said, solemnly, her concern evident to me in more ways than my magic could sense. “You are welcome anytime.” she brought a handkerchief of the softest silk over to me in her golden magic, and wiped the tears from my eyes as softly as my mother would, and I smiled.

I would eventually go to the ancient land of Neighpon, and the island of Ryuuma-kyu when I got older. I held onto the silk handkerchief given to me as a gift from the beautiful dragon-unicorn hybrid creatures called the kirin as one of my most cherished possessions. There wasn’t anything else like it in Equestria, and the cherry blossom design was the same colour as my coat, the flowers of an ancient culture I longed to see. Until the time came for me to journey to that great land. And to find the answers I was looking for. Alone.

But that is another story.

Author's Notes:

Its a short chapter, but an important one that will either help flesh out the world created in this story, or just give our angsty little princess something to look forward to. The Ryumma-kyu are based on modern Japan's Okinawan islands which traditionally were known as Ryu-kyu kingdoms or Dragon Kingdom. I just added 'uma' in the name to make dragon-horse, AKA Kirin. The ponies who study the emotion magic of Mederi would be sort of like shrine maidens or miko, and if this story ever continues to Cadance's adult hood (it should..) I will write a side story about her journey there if you like. It would be fun for me too as someone who lived in Japan. .
Hope you enjoy.

Next chapter originally had a bit of a dramatic scene at another royal engagement, but I've decided to add a new one in between to split Cadance's duty stories up since she has a few of them. Expect something with Sweetheart next time!