"The AGO has made some bold moves lately," Cadance said as she read the newspaper. Nearby, Shining Armor was polishing his helmet while using his magic to cradle a giggling Flurry Heart.

"Well, stealing all the palace geldings and eunuchs, then robbing a temple of an artifact and the sacrificial geldings does tend to grab peoples attention," he responded with a snort. He scrubbed harder at the helmet. "It doesn't help any that they keep sending them here."

Cadance leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Would you want me to turn them away?"

"Of course not," Shining responded with a shake of his head. "Although, it would be nice if they would start sending more mares in our direction."

Candance gave a sage nod. The gender ratio was always been about five mares for every stallion, but, with the sudden influx, not only were the Empire's ratios beginning to become even, it was looking like it might start tipping the other way. "Well, we are in the process of encouraging the immigration of females with benefit packages. You've been to the meetings."

"I suggested the benefit packages," Shining stated. This earned him another kiss.

"And that's why my wonderful stud earned an 'early break' that day," she smiled, roguishly licking her lips.

"Not in front of Flurry Heart," Shining chided her with a knowing smirk. "We can slip away later."

Princess Cadance pouted in disappoint but then returned to the newspaper. "It also appears Celestia is telling everyone that we're members of the AGO."

"Well, the Hidden Railroad is a similar organization," Shining said, putting aside his helmet to rub noses with his daughter. "We're just quieter and more stealthy about our goings on. They are good at keeping the public eye off of us, though. And they're the only ones who know how to reverse castration."

"Which is why I promote them," Cadance nodded. "Though, what they did to your sister..."

"Was necessary," Shining said in a small voice as he cradled the filly close to his chest. "I... I'm grateful that they didn't kill her, not that I would have blamed them. But... Celestia has been indoctrinating her ever since she was a filly. Even tried to convince my parents to... make me my sister's personal eunuch."

"Thankfully, they were members of the Hidden Railroad," Cadance said, reaching out to take her daughter into her own hooves and then hug her stallion. "You got to keep your wonderful parts, and eventually give me a daughter to make my auntie rage like hen that just laid a hedgehog."

"Ouch," Shining cringed at that image.

"Your highnesses, a message from Equestria has arrived," called a maid behind the door to the dining room.

"Send it in," the princess sighed, releasing her husband, but remained cradling her daughter. It was almost feeding time, anyway.

The door opened and in walked a pegasus eunuch, Celestia's mark branded upon his flanks, and dressed in the red uniform of a royal messenger. Cadance felt a little twinge in her chest. This one was untouchable. As the saying goes, don't shoot the messenger. Or, kidnap him.

The eunuch approached the table bowed, and then passed a letter to the princess. Then he bowed again and departed to go back to his mistress.

"Poor guy," the alicorn sighed. She lifted the letter in her magic and read it aloud.

To My Dearest Niece

While it was a rather shocking development that all my eunuchs and geldings were stolen from the palace, they were easily replaceable. Some of the lower ranking soldiers needed only a short trip to the palace infirmary to be snipped and stitched, as well as some street urchins and orphans. Even the nearby Night Mother's temple has shown their willingness to donate some of their newest arrivals. I now have than I had before. Oh, and I made sure it was done without anesthetic.

Some didn't survive.

However this isn't the point of this message. I am going to give you a chance, dear niece. A chance to make things right. The fact you have given birth to an alicorn means that your mate is an exceptionally powerful unicorn. This is far too dangerous a situation for the world's stability.

This needs to be taken care of right away. He must be publicly castrated within the month, or else you may be waking to find both him and your daughter missing.

Don't believe me? Well, Discord has been ever so obedient since Fluttershy neutered him in order to reform him. Such a simple task. Makes think I could have just solved all our problems with a hammer and chisel while he was still a statue. I could have this most wonderful slave a thousand years earlier.

Well, it's your choice. Shining Armor loses his bits, or both and your daughter are lost forever.

Love and kisses

Princess "Sol Invictus" Celestia

P.S. You won't be able to use this letter to incriminate me. It will self destruct in five seconds after you read my name.

The letter burst into flames and became ashes.

Both adults remained silent for a long time. The weight they felt on their shoulders was almost crushing.

"N-no," Cadance shook her head. "I... I... what do we do? Shiny, what we do?"

Shining armor blinked a few times in distress. He placed a hoof on his wife's shoulder and then placed the other on his family jewels. "They'll hurt Flurry Heart if it's not done. What can we do?"

"But I don't want to hurt you, either," the alicorn cried out in distress, throwing a protective wing over him and tugging him close. "I can't hurt you."

"We should assemble the prominent members of both the Hidden Railroad and the AGO," the stallion suggested, slipping free of his wife's hold, much to her sorrow. "We can't start a war. Equestria outnumbers us seven to one. And our only allies are the yaks and few caribou tribes out on the tundra. Look, to save Flurry, I will gladly become a gelding. It may be our only choice. The AGO could reverse it after we finally win, anyway."

He grabbed his helmet and put into, putting on a determined face. "I'll find the Railroad members. You should go ahead and send a few messages to the AGO. We need to be prepared."

"Shiny," Cadance called out to him. He stopped and looked back at her. "E... even if we must... cut you. I will use a spell to allow you pleasure every night. I promise."

"You're the best wife a soon-to-be-gelding could have," he smiled sincerely back at her and then departed alone.