“NO!!! ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!”

Even with the soundproofing spells put in place outside the bedroom, it was extremely fortunate that no Guards were posted outside the Royal Couple’s living quarters in that moment. Meanwhile, Shining Armor was standing frozen with a horrified expression, unable to move an inch after receiving such a shocking order. But while the paled Private stood by himself in his clanky armor, Princess Cadance looked absolutely furious while getting in close to Sombra’s face. “There is absolutely NO way I’m going to have you do that, Sombra!! I’ve been able to accept a lot of your ideas, but to suggest something like that to be done in public?! Are you insane?! Were you dropped on your bucking head?!?”

Despite how much Shining Armor was wincing away from the two (especially after hearing that rare expletive from the enraged Princess), Sombra stood before her with an emotionless stare. For a moment, it almost seemed like the Prince was treating Cadance’s anger like a parent waiting for their foal’s temper tantrum to end. But fortunately for Sombra, his silence didn’t lead to any physical retaliation on his wife’s end. Instead, Cadance waited a couple seconds after her rhetorical question to add, “WELL?!? What do you have to say for yourself?!”

Sombra’s stoic expression softened the slightest bit upon seeing how upset Cadance looked, and it seemed like he wanted to respond more sympathetically to calm her down. However, after the Prince took a deep breath through his nostrils, he opened his fanged muzzle to ask rather bluntly, “Cadance, do I need to compile a list of all the public endeavours the three of us have done without being exposed as of now? Because I feel like you’re forgetting what I’ve been able to accomplish so far.”

Cadance’s teeth gritted together tightly while glaring up at her husband, looking like she was extremely close to slapping him in the face. Fortunately for the couple, Shining tried to intervene upon catching that look on his Ex’s face. “W-Wait, wait, wait!” The Private stepped in between the two ponies, and had his armor-plated hooves extended out to place some much-needed distance between them. “Guys, we really can’t be fighting right now! The room might be soundproofed, but I don’t want any Guards to come rushing up here if things get too bad!”

“What, so you’re not going to say anything against this?!” gawked Cadance back at Shining with an appalled-looking stare. She pointed over at Sombra as she added, “Shining, you… you can’t actually say you’re okay with him suggesting that, are you?!”

“I’d be surprised if he wasn’t~” said Sombra with a teasingly cheeky smirk on his face. Cadance looked back at him with a deathly glare, which was intense enough to wipe that grin off his muzzle in a second. Meanwhile, Shining lowered his head sheepishly away from the Prince, and rubbed his foreleg with a hoof while avoiding giving any response to that claim. Upon seeing his Private’s more timid stance, Sombra looked back at his wife and asked, “What? He literally just allowed himself to let me order him around whenever I want! Do you really think he’s willing to take it back so soon?”

“I would hope so when you’re wanting to castrate him in front of the Crystal Ponies!” shouted Cadance furiously, before she closed her eyes and looked away from him with a sharp wince. “Wow, that’s a horrible sentence to say out-loud.”

While Sombra struggled not to snicker in response to that remark, Shining tried to override his heavy blush as he said, “H-Hey, we can’t actually, like… assume he’s planning to do that, can we? I mean, most of the things he had me do have been pretty discreet, haven’t they?”

Even though it was hard for her to accept Shining speaking up in Sombra’s defense, Cadance had to pause and think over that fact in her head. Given all of the controversial things the three of them have done over the past year (not to mention the exhibitionist acts they performed that very day), the Princess had to admit to herself that Shining wasn’t wrong. While most of the aspects of their controversial relationship have remained safely behind closed doors, the fact of the matter was that they pressed their luck multiple times before. Whether it was by Shining wearing his pink collar for a public speech, Cadance performing a tango with Sombra, or just even having Shining be leashed outdoors, they’ve all done things that could’ve endangered their reputations in an instant; but at the same time, none of the bold acts they performed have gotten them caught so far.

Unfortunately, Cadance still seemed unconvinced by Shining’s point, even after reflecting on it studiously. When she looked back towards Sombra, the Prince tried to give a more casual nod while asking optimistically, “Honestly, Cadance… do you really think I would give an order as bold as that, without giving it enough thought to ensure I could get away with it? I mean, I literally just promised you I would never intentionally endanger our lives.”

“Well, that’s still an insane thing to try, Sombra!” she blurted with an annoyed glare pointed at him. “I mean, how do you intend to make something like that discrete?!”

“All I’ll say is that I have a plan thought out in full,” said Sombra with his hoof raised in insistence. “And considering how strongly Shining was willing to proclaim his trust in me, I’d rather not reveal the details to him just yet.”

“Wait, why not?!” asked Shining as he stared at him with a worried look. “I mean… shouldn’t I have the right to know for personal reasons?”

“Shining, you just insisted for me to only give you orders from now on.” Sombra glanced back at him with a disapproving scowl, and asked with a judgemental tone of voice, “Seriously, I know I’m asking a lot of you, but are you really willing to go back on that level of dedication after showing how much you trust my judgement?”

For some reason, that question caused Shining to look away from his Prince with an uncomfortable wince. Despite being justifiably terrified, he knew deep-down that Sombra had a fair point. Shining was willing enough to prove how much he trusted Sombra to be his Superior, and even went as far as to make that kind of proclamation without suggestion. But even with that fact in mind, the Private had to take a second before he breathed out sharply, and shook his head with a remorseful look. “... N… No, I shouldn’t…”

“Ugh!” Cadance groaned with a roll of her eyes, but kept her anger focused on Sombra instead of her Ex. “Sombra, you can’t just leave him in the dark like that! If he’s willing to get gelded for you, I think he has the right to know how!”

“Oh, does he?” asked Sombra with his brows raised, which caused Cadance and Shining to both look worried. Meanwhile, Sombra huffed with an amused smirk before turning his attention towards Shining again. “Private, you were able to willingly ask to be given orders from now on, without any limits imposed on my end. Is that correct?~”

Shining closed his eyes with a shaky sigh, and tried to ignore his overwhelming blush as he nodded feebly. “I… I did…”

Sombra leaned in a little closer to Shining’s face, and asked in a cheekier tone, “And you insisted on abiding to such a measure from me, even though you knew clear as day that I would use that to order you to be gelded. Right?~”

Once again, Shining let out a hoarse exhale as he avoided eye contact with his grinning Prince. “Ummm… y-yeah,” he muttered while blushing profusely, and squirming a bit in his clanky armor. Meanwhile, Cadance could only watch with a bitten lip as Sombra loomed in even closer, and whispered into Shining’s ear with a devilish grin.

“And I’m ordering you to answer this question honestly, Private… Part of you really wants to give me that level of authority over you… Don’t you?~”

Even though Shining stayed silent for a few seconds, his quivering muzzle and heavy blush were pretty hard for Cadance or Sombra to overlook. And if the Private wasn’t wearing his armor, the two were sure that he would’ve likely been sporting a very strained chastity cage in that moment. Nevertheless, Shining still needed a moment to collect himself before lifting his head back up, and looking back at that knowing gaze Sombra had on him. Since the former Prince already sunk himself down to lows most cuckolds wouldn’t dare to touch, Shining Armor merely exhaled in acceptance before he nodded his head. “... Y… Yes…”

Cadance may have been aware of Shining’s love of submission for a long time, but she still had to look away from him after hearing him give that truthful response. However, Sombra was quick to look back at the Princess and ask, “Now tell me, Cadance. Do you really think I would spoil the plans I have for our cuckold, and refrain from giving him the chance to show his blind obedience to me?”

While Cadance sighed with another disapproving eyeroll, Shining bit his lip in trepidation while trying to keep himself silent on the matter. Eventually, the Princess pinched the bridge of her muzzle with a hoof before saying, “Okay, okay… I get what you’re trying to say, Sombra. You want Shining to keep following orders without question, and… I can guess that he wants that as well…”

Despite how embarrassed and shameful he may have looked from hearing that assumption, Shining shrugged a little while nodding his head away from her. “Ummm… K-Kinda, yeah…”

“BUT!” with that sharply-said conjunction, Princess Cadance maintained a firm and unrelenting stare on Sombra as she stepped in towards him. “If you think for one second that I’m going to allow all of this to happen without any say myself, you are deeply mistaken! So unless you want me to enact my actual Royal status over you, I would recommend you explain what you have planned! Now!”

With that last word, Cadance’s face less than a couple inches from Sombra’s. The Prince had to step back a couple times, noting how seriously his wife made that insistent demand. However, even as he raised up his forelegs in innocence, Sombra tried to ask from between his empty hooves, “Well… may I make a suggestion first?”

Cadance’s expression soured up immensely, and her impatient glare on him intensified even more. “WHAT?”

Sombra may have known he was stepping on thin ice, but he pointed one of his hooves towards Shining before he explained his compromise. “How about this… If Shining is willing to confirm he wants to continue following my rule over him, and won’t question my order to be gelded at the formal, I’ll explain my plan to you in full detail privately. Without him knowing what’s going to happen. And if you still feel that my plan is too dangerous or ‘insane,’ I’ll allow you to nullify the order yourself. I promise.”

The “married” couple across from Sombra had to glance back at each other for a moment in silence, clearly surprised by the Prince’s offer. Even though the deal seemed like a bit much, neither of them could argue Sombra’s reasoning for suggesting it to them. Shining and Cadance didn’t say anything to one another, but the knowing looks on their faces made it clear that neither of them needed to either. After a few seconds of silence passed between the three, Cadance was the first to sigh before nodding her head in agreement. “Well, if… If Shining is actually willing to do that, then… I’ll allow that for the sake of having an executive decision.”

“Thank you,” said Sombra with a gracious nod and a warm smile. He then turned his attention towards Shining, who was still blushing hard while fidgeting in his armor. “Private?” he asked the cuckold with a hopeful grin. “Are you sure you want to keep following my orders? Because I can guarantee you, that first one is only the beginning~”

Sombra grinned immensely wide after giving that last remark, emphasizing just how much he intended to keep that promise on Shining. The Private instantly recognized that fact as well, and had to take a breath through his nostrils while his muzzle wrinkled worriedly. But alas, despite knowing how much torment was likely to come his way -- even if his Ex nullified the gelding order -- Shining breathed out contentedly before nodding to his Superior. “I-I… I want to show my trust in you, Prince Sombra. So… if Cadance can trust me with this, then… I’m still in.”

Sombra’s evil-looking grin widened even more, and caused Shining’s nervous smile to quiver fearfully back at him. “Excellent~” purred the Prince with his blood-red eyes narrowing on the Private. “Because my plans for that formal will definitely make you the star of the event~”

Shining’s body tensed up underneath his armor, and a shakier breath came out of his muzzle as he tried not to shiver in dread. Fortunately, Cadance cleared her throat pertly to catch Sombra’s attention, and he looked over to see her raised brow and illuminated horn. “Alright, we agreed to your deal,” she said with a stern tone vacant of any bullshit. “Now tell me what you have planned.”

Sombra nodded politely, and motioned for his Private to step away from them. “Shining, turn around and stand Guard while we talk,” he said insistently. “You are not to eavesdrop on our discussion in any way. Do I make myself clear?”

“Sir, yes Sir,” said Shining with a diligent salute, before he took several steps back from the two and turned himself around. While the armored Private stood Guard, Cadance’s soundproofing dome of magic immediately went over herself and Sombra so they could talk. Shining stood in silence for several minutes while staring at the bedroom door, not being able to hear a peep that was being said within that magic bubble. Meanwhile, Sombra could be seen talking rather studiously behind that wall of blue magic, while Cadance stood across from him and listened intently.

Shining Armor had no idea what Sombra’s plan for his public gelding included, nor was he sure whether or not Cadance would allow it to happen. Even though he trusted both of them more than anyone else in Equestria, the Private had to close his eyes and focus on his breathing to keep himself from freaking out. On one hoof, Shining wanted to trust Sombra’s judgement on what he was planning to do, and remain in the position he had under the Prince’s hoof as his cuckold. However, considering how insane things have devolved over the past year, Shining tried his hardest not to think too critically about how severely things were getting; while he wasn’t against implementing permanent changes to ensure Sombra would stay, Shining also knew he was already past the point of no return.

When the magic bubble was finally undone by Cadance, both she and Sombra seemed to look more content with each other following their discussion. Even though the Princess was blushing pretty hard after hearing her husband’s details, she didn’t appear to be enraged or disgusted either. In fact, after she breathed out with a strong huff to recompose herself, Cadance seemed strangely optimistic as she turned her focus towards the Private. “Shining? We’re finished talking, so you can turn around now.”

Shining did just that, and stood before the couple with a trepidated look underneath his dingy helmet. Cadance took a moment to look between the blushing Guard and her smirking husband, and then closed her eyes to sigh before giving her input. “Okay, well… Sombra explained to me how he would, errr… go about the procedure at the formal. And…”

Even though she still looked hesitant, the Princess shrugged with a tilt of her head as she said in a bewildered tone, “... Honestly, I… I’m willing to trust that Sombra’s plan could work out...”

Shining’s brows raised up in surprise, and he blinked a couple times before asking, “Wait, so… So you’re not…”

Despite huffing to herself with another uneasy shrug, Cadance answered her Ex’s question before he could complete that awkward pause. “Well… Since you still want Sombra to order you around, I… I’ll allow the order to be fulfilled.”

Shining wasn’t sure how to feel about such a response, but his eyes widened with a heavy blush while nodding in understanding. “Ummm… Th-Thank you for telling me that,” he said meekly before giving his Ex a bashful smile. “I-I mean… if you think it’s safe to do, then I can’t really argue, can I?”

“No, you cannot~” growled Sombra, whose grin on Shining remained dominantly wide after that sound bubble was taken away. The Private took one look back at his Prince before blushing even more, and instinctively lowered his head a little upon seeing that smile. Unfortunately, Sombra wasn’t done just yet as he turned back towards Cadance and asked excitedly, “Oooh!~ Cadance, do you want to confirm my order to him?~ I think it’ll help him accept his fate~”

Shining’s eyes remained wide-open as he looked between the couple, and took notice of Cadance’s surprised glance back at Sombra. “Wait, what?!” she asked with a confounded shake of her head. “Like… you want me to order it too?!”

“Why not?” asked Sombra with a disturbingly casual shrug. “He’s already going to do it, and you said yourself that it’s okay. What’s the harm in being able to contribute to it?”

Sombra gave a hopeful smile to his wife, which caused Cadance to stare back at Shining with a more apprehensive look. “Ummm… Shining?” she asked the Private with a nervous blush, as well as a hesitant tone of voice. “Is… is that too much?”

Shining looked down at his hooves for a couple seconds in thought, but ended up exhaling sharply before looking back at the Princess and shaking his head. “I, uhhh… I honestly can’t say it is,” he said with a weak smile behind his burning blush. “I-I mean… I’m already willing to stay as Sombra’s Private, so… if you wanna do it, then go ahead~”

Sombra was grinning ear-to-ear, and looked like he wanted to bounce around antsily as he eyed his wife. Meanwhile, Cadance only needed another moment of contemplation before taking notice of Shining’s reassuring smile, and nodded back to him in acceptance. “Well,” she said with a reluctant, but still welcoming smile on her face, “if you’re okay with being given the order by me, then…”

With that, Cadance stepped up towards the Private, and motioned for him to bow his head before she placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Private Shining Armor?” she said with a more diligent and professional voice, which caused Sombra to cover his elated smile with a hoof while watching. “As… As the Princess of Love, and your Superior officer… I, Princess Cadance… here… am hereby ordering you to undergo a public gelding by Prince Sombra, which will be held at the Crystal Empire formal this Friday.”

Despite how gloatingly Prince Sombra began to cackle in delight, Shining Armor tried his hardest not to react to that while blushing underneath his Ex’s hoof. Even though he had already accepted his place, hearing that second confirmation ensured that the distinct bouts of strain in his chastity cage weren’t just a fluke. He knew how ungodly wrong it was to find anything even close to enjoyment from the treatment he was being given. But despite how heavily his heart was hanging within his chest from the looming terrors that were waiting for him, all that Shining Armor could do was take a deep breath while shivering to himself anxiously.

By the time morning came following that eventful night, Shining couldn’t say he was able to sleep a wink. Of course, that may have been less to do with the overwhelming thoughts that were coursing through his conscience the entire night, and more related to the raunchy fuck-session that Sombra and Cadance enjoyed during most of it. Due to how enticed Sombra became after hearing his plans coming to fruition, he didn’t hesitate to claim his Princess without any mercy. Luckily for the horny Prince, Cadance’s pregnancy-induced libido ensured that she was quick to start moaning out Sombra’s name shamelessly, much to the perverted delight of their Private’s twitching ears.

But during that heated session that lasted for hours on end, Shining Armor was left in a much more unique state of torment as he was forced to stand Guard before the fucking couple. Along with witnessing the sights of Cadance’s mouth, pussy, and asshole being ruthlessly speared by Sombra’s cock without interruption, Shining was forced to stand diligently as he heard the Prince mocking him the entire time. Even though being relentlessly teased and ridiculed during his cuckolding sessions was fairly commonplace for Shining, the things that were discussed earlier that night were brought up a lot by Sombra. And due to how intimidated he still felt about the ideas he agreed to, Shining had a hard time remaining in focus while thinking back to Sombra’s cruel jabs.

“Mnnnnghhh… You think your seed was ever good enough for a Princess?~” jeered Sombra with a maliciously wide smile while holding Cadence's flanks tightly in his hooves. While the Princess was left moaning from post-ciotal rapture, Sombra was pushing the Private’s face in close to that loosened creampie he had just left inside of her. “Take a gooooood look at what I just gave Cadance, you cuck! Because after Friday, I’m gonna make sure you never get to do that yourself again~”

Even as the sunlight began to beam over the eastern horizons outside, Shining was still standing with a heavy blush while the couple slept beside him. Cadance was sprawled-out messily in the middle of the bed, with drying ropes of Sombra’s seed unceremoniously draped over multiple parts of her body. Slow trickles of cum were drooling from her ass and marehood, while her bukkaked flanks remained standing upright in her unconscious state. Heavy strings were also laid across the Princess’ face and clinging to her mane, further emphasizing just how much the Prince had claimed her from her cuckolded Ex. And all the while, Shining himself was left to stare at the aftermath of their night, while also reminiscing about the things Sombra said to him mere hours ago.

“Aaaaaaahhhh… I’m going to love emasculating you this weekend, Private~” Sombra had his wife pinned down against the bed, and was mounted over her while barreling deep inside of her ass. His cock was being hugged relentlessly by Cadance’s tight hole, making sure that every drop he was going to shoot into her would be milked out for proper use. But even as the Princess was crying out in pleasure and being rocked back and forth under her Prince, Sombra was continuing to grin evilly up at Shining and leer at his blushed face. “Mmmm… I’m can’t wait to perform a public gelding again!~ Only you know what’s going to happen, and you can’t do anything to stop it either, can you?~ Oh, noooo… you’re going to be standing in front of everyone, and allllll of those Crystal Ponies will be looking right at you when it happens~”

Even hours after that ominous statement was made, Shining Armor was left with a conflicted blush as he tried to think what Sombra meant by it. Even though he doubted that Sombra would actually try anything that could endanger them, he couldn’t deny that his Prince made that promise without a shred of dishonesty in his tone. And with the way Sombra was grinning at him so gleefully while taunting his Private’s fate, Shining was sure that he truly intended to make it happen.

“How does it feel to know that, Shining Armor?~” teased Sombra while he shot his Guard a shit-eating grin, and laid out across the bed with Cadance’s head between his legs. The pregnant mare was moaning with a half-lidded gaze up at her husband, and took her time as she shoved his thick cock in and out of her drooling muzzle. And as her lips continued to move across that rigid, meaty shaft for Shining to see, her backside was fully presented so her Guard could also witness the freshly creamed orifices his Prince had already used. Meanwhile, Sombra kept going between his lustrous groans of pleasure. “I’m--Nnnnghhh… I’m going to neuter you in front of everypony~ I’m going to--aaaahhhhhh… That’s it~ Mmmfff, I’m going to have you fixed like a wild animal, Private! You’re going to basically be our personal pet! But… But you know what the best part is?~”

Sombra let out a seething hiss through his grinning fangs, and narrowed his eyes on Shining as he said in an especially confident growl of his voice, “I’m willing to bet by the time that formal happens… I can have you openly begging to be neutered in front of everyone~”

“Nnnnnnfffff…” Shining clenched his eyes shut as he tried to shudder as silently as he could. That last part was still striking a nerve for the Private, and it wasn’t just because he could tell Sombra was being serious about it. It was because in a horribly self-aware way, Shining was worried that Sombra might be able to succeed with that kind of wager too. The last thing he wanted to do was actually assume he could abide by something that sick, but he had just proven to himself how far his limits could get when he agreed to that gelding order.

Eventually, Shining finally decided to move away from the bed, and struggled to walk towards the bathroom without making any noise. His metal plates still clanked and scraped against each other with every step he took, but they were luckily inaudible enough to keep from disturbing Cadance. It took about a minute for Shining to carefully tread across the room without causing any distraction, and his face was blushing hard when he finally entered the bathroom to clean himself up. Unfortunately, despite how much he tried to stay quiet, he wasn’t able to keep both ponies from waking up.

Without making a sound, Sombra was able to pull himself out of bed, and carefully trotted towards the bathroom without disturbing Cadance. And before Shining could close the door behind him, his Prince scooted himself inside the room and quickly locked the door behind them. Shining let out a tiny yelp as he jolted in response, but his shuffling armor proved to be much louder within the enclosed space. Fortunately, Cadance barely stirred from her slumber while Sombra tried to calm down his Private.

“It’s just me, it’s just me,” he whispered sharply, before he pulled back from Shining to double-check the locked door. “I apologize for doing this, but I wanted the two of us to talk before the day officially begins.”

“... Uhhhhh…” Shining was still a little bewildered due to the surprise of Sombra’s intrusion, as well as his own sleep deprivation. However, the Private was able to keep himself in focus as he stood before Sombra in his armor, and took a second before saying, “Well, ummm… O-Okay then. Sure…”

Sombra nodded with a thankful smile, but then looked around the bathroom as he asked, “But with that being said, are you able to use a sound-proofing spell yourself? I’d rather not have Cadance eavesdropping on us right now.”

Shining’s head tilted confusedly, since Sombra usually wasn’t the type to keep things out of her knowledge. But alas, Shining was quick to nod in response before lighting up his horn, and shooting out a small burst of magic that spread out around them. In less than a second, all of the bathroom’s walls were illuminated with the pinkish glow of Shining’s magic. Sombra gave an impressed pout upon seeing the Private’s handiwork, and said with a smirk back at him, “Excellent work, Shining! I can see why Celestia valued your work down in Canterlot.”

“Ummm... th-thank you?” said Shining in a slightly unconfident tone, which was mostly due to his puzzlement about their impromptu chat. “Is… Is this about something important?”

“Well, for you it certainly is,” noted Sombra as he gave a brief shrug of his head. “But given the circumstances between the two of us, I wanted to talk about it with you in private before she could get the chance to intervene.”

That addition made Shining even more confused, and he raised a brow back at Sombra before asking, “Wait, what do you mean by that?”

Sombra closed his eyes with a sharp sigh, and took a moment before he looked back at his armored Private. “Well… When you went to the bathroom last night, Cadance talked with me in private about giving you a ‘failsafe’ in relation to your new duties as Private.”

Shining blinked a couple times, but remained silent while processing that detail with a more confounded look on his face. Fortunately, Sombra continued to speak about it in greater detail before Shining could ask about it first. “Apparently, after you insisted on having me only give you orders, Cadance was worried that I might take advantage of you. So, she was hoping this morning to make me promise you final say on any and all orders I give.”

The Private stood wide-eyed in surprise, needing a moment to process the fact that Cadance would want to implement something like that. While he was definitely grateful that she was wanting to place some kind of filter on the level of power he was willing to provide to Sombra, Shining was able to notice the Prince’s look of hesitance in that moment. After Sombra gave that brief explanation of what was slated to occur, he carried a notable look of disappointment that caused his muzzle to skew oddly.

“Ummm… wow,” said Shining with a small shrug of his shoulders, which caused the metal plating to creak against the armor across his torso. “That’s, ummm… that’s pretty nice of her.”

“It honestly is, I won’t lie,” admitted Sombra with a shrug of his own. “However, considering how diligently you were able to present yourself last night, I was needing to ask your personal opinion on the matter…”

During a short pause, Sombra looked back at his Private with his eyes narrowed intensely, and his tone of voice became much more serious than before. “Because from the way I see it, I’m not completely certain if having a failsafe is something you would truly want~”

From the way Sombra grew a more intrigued-looking smirk following that statement, it should’ve been obvious what ominous implication the Prince was making towards Shining. But alas, the Private across from his could only blush as he let those words sink in, and he eventually gulped to himself worriedly. “You… You don’t?”

“Absolutely not~” purred Sombra, who took that moment to step in closer towards Shining’s armored form. While the Private tried not to shiver from intimidation, Sombra’s smile widened while asking, “Shining, after that wonderful display you were able to present to me, do you really want to impose any limits with such a large request? Because given how serious that first order we gave was, which you still agreed to, I can’t imagine you wanting to say no to much else~”

Shining’s head lowered timidly as he struggled not wince from that truthfully dark opinion. Even though he hated to admit it to himself, the Private knew that he honestly did want to show that level of submission to further confirm the relationship they had. And while he knew exactly how dangerous such an idea would be, he couldn’t necessarily think of many things that would be as harsh as being gelded. Not to mention, Shining truthfully knew that he carried a lot of trust in Sombra, and was willing to take his word seriously enough to comply with his promise.

Nonetheless, the armored stallion still blushed more profusely as his Superior loomed in even closer, and added in a more sinister voice, “Besides… just between you and me, Shining Armor… I feel like you secretly want me to take advantage of you~”

Shining’s pupils shrank a little, which only caused Sombra to grow more enamored while peering straight at them. As more of his glistening fangs peeked through his wicked-looking smile, Sombra ignored the Guard’s shivering state as he added, “And you want to know a little secret, Private?~”

With that, Sombra pulled off Shining’s helmet, and caused him to gasp with a pained hiss as he took hold of his hair. The Prince gripped onto a large chunk of the back of Shining’s mane, and pulled him tightly while whispering into his ear, “I really do want to take advantage of you~”

Despite the stinging pain Sombra was giving to his hair, Shining’s eyes shot wide-open while he was being held in the Prince’s immense grip. Meanwhile, Sombra pulled back so he could stare into Shining’s eyes again, and he spoke with a more maniacally gleeful smile across his muzzle. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been pining for a Guard like you, who was so willing to put himself up to be a glutton for punishment?~ And after everything that’s happened over the past year, combined with your request last night, you better believe that I want to use you to my fullest advantage~”

Shining wasn’t able to say anything while frozen in his flustered state, but his heavy blush and creaking armor helped to emphasize how positively his body was responding to Sombra’s words. So despite the stallion’s silence, Sombra kept going as he pulled in Shining even closer by his hair. “I will fully admit right now, that I do happen to find pleasure in inflicting pain in others. And over the past few months, you’ve been absolutely marvelous in providing me that kind of feeling, without needing to turn towards evil. And right now, I’m wanting to know for sure whether or not you feel the same way~”

The Private’s heart was now thundering inside of his chest, and it was almost surprising that Sombra himself wasn’t able to hear it over Shining’s creaking armor. However, while Sombra tilted his head patiently in wait for a reply, Shining eventually breathed out in a shaky exhale and asked, “Th… Th-The same way?”

“You know what I mean~” purred Sombra more intensely, with his eyes bearing into Shining’s sights like he was staring into his very soul. “Admit it, Shining Armor. Deep down inside of your little cuckold self, you can’t deny that you enjoy the pain I’m willing to provide you. Because if you didn’t, that would’ve been easy to be seen by myself or Cadance a long time ago. But instead, you’ve continued to serve underneath us all of these months, and even asked to have even less control over your life through me! So with all of that being said, I’m wanting to ask you right now…”

Sombra’s forehead was pressing against Shining’s as he got in less than an inch from his widening eyes, and asked sultrily, “Do you like being hurt by me?~”

Despite how easily most sane stallions would’ve replied to such a question, Shining needed a moment while he stood wincing in Sombra’s painful grip. And as his face grew hotter from the fear and titillation he was feeling in that moment, Shining closed his eyes shamefully before giving a feeble response to his Superior. “... I-I… I… I do…”

While the Private cringed to himself the moment those words escaped his mouth, Sombra eyed him with a mischievously wide smirk. “That’s exactly what I thought,” he purred gloatingly while holding the squirming unicorn in his hoof. “But guess what?~ It’s also the exact answer I wanted to hear from you. Because if you’re willing to make a deal with me, I’ll give you even more~”

Shining’s eyes widened as he stared up at Sombra and shivered fearfully in his grip. But before he could try to ask what he meant by that comment, Sombra tilted his head while refusing to blink his eyes, and kept speaking more maniacally.

“You like being hurt, don’t you? Because you better believe me when I say, I truly do wish to hurt you, Shining Armor~ After all you’ve done for me, I’ve been itching to really see how far your limits will really go. And since you’re allowing yourself to be ordered to be gelded, I’d like to see what else you’re willing to sacrifice for your Superior. So before Cadance wakes up, I wanted to ask you just how much you enjoy being underneath my hooves. Because if you truly wanted to, I could lay down a world of torment and humiliation that only I could provide for a sick, neutered little Guard as yourself~”

With the way Sombra was smiling down at him so dominantly, Shining didn’t need to clarify how truthful Sombra’s lust for sadism may have been. Even with his reformation, Sombra seemed to really want to inflict pain on the poor Guard, and leave him in a state even worse than what he was already in. And as Sombra’s knowingly wide grin remained glued on the Guard’s conflicted expresion, Shining squirmed with a heavy blush while struggling to ask, “You… You really… w-want to hurt me?”

Even with how feebly Shining asked that hallowing question, his expression was bordering between unbridled worry, and near-shameless curiosity in response to Sombra’s plans. Meanwhile, Sombra kept himself close to his blushing Guard, and eyed him with a sinister smile while nodding his head.

“Yes I do, Shining Armor~” he said with a glimmer of evil that could clearly be seen through his blood-red eyes. “I want to hurt you very badly. I’d even like to make you suffer if I’m able to~ I want the orders I give you to cost you so greatly, that the idea of being publically gelded would be seen as nothing more than a mild inconvenience~ I want to take every single thing that I can get from you, and leave you completely at my mercy. And I want to give you orders so inconceivably severe, just to brag that I’m able to. Because despite how highly you may be seen in this Empire, I want you to feel like nothing more than a slave under me~”

Shining was already frozen in fear, but that brooding speech by Sombra still left him completely speechless. But while the blushed Private continued to fidget before him, Sombra’s eyes peered down between Shining’s quivering legs, and he smirked to himself rather smugly. “And judging by how strongly you’re testing the limits of your chastity cage, I have a feeling that you want me to hurt you too~”

A faint, painful, sounding whimper creeped out from Shining’s trembling muzzle, and he tried his hardest to look away from Sombra’s knowingly sadistic gaze. Unfortunately, even if Sombra couldn’t see beneath the Private’s armor, there was no doubt that his guess about Shining’s cage was one hundred percent correct. The unicorn couldn’t stop squirming due to how tightly his chastity cage was concealing his attempt at an erection, which caused his hair to be bound even tighter in Sombra’s hoof. But even through all of his discomfort and pain, Shining didn’t once try to dispute any of the claims that his Superior made; instead, the poor Guard eventually looked back at Sombra’s shit-eating grin, and tried not to wince while hearing him ask, “So, Private? With all of that being said, do you wish for Cadance to give you final say on the orders I dish out? Because if you don’t want that freedom, I can easily give a fake promise that neither of us will abide by. But I will warn you this, Shining… If you give me full control, I will take a lot of pleasure in making you miserable~”

Shining wasn’t sure if it was the dominance in that sadistic Prince’s promise towards him, or his own masochistic tendencies which kept him from speaking up until that moment. Or perhaps it was the accumulated feelings and desires that Shining grew to appreciate over the past year, which were finally coming to full acceptance since that decision he made the previous night. But whichever reason it was, Shining Armor only needed a quick breath before he looked back up at Sombra with an unrelentingly heavy blush. And despite how badly he was shaking in his armor, Shining nervously gulped before he found the courage to answer his Superior properly:

“... I-I… I don’t…” Shining’s muzzle clenched in tightly for a moment, almost like he was having second thoughts about his answer. But with another sharp exhale, Shining locked his sights onto Sombra before he said, “I… I don’t want you to hold back~”

With that, Sombra grinned especially wide before he pulled Shining in by his hair, and locked his muzzle tightly against his. Shining’s eyes shot wide-open, but he wasn’t able to pull back while Sombra held him in for that passionate kiss. As for Sombra, he didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable kissing another stallion on the mouth. Instead, the Prince spent several seconds claiming the inside of his Private’s mouth with his tongue, before pulling back with a wet pop and a satisfied hiss. “Aaaaaahhhhh… Shining Armor, you have no idea how grateful I am to have someone like you to use like this~”

Shining was panting heavily following Sombra’s literal tongue-lashing, but his blush was accompanied with a shaky smile while replying feebly. “W-Well, uhhh… I’m happy to… to hear that…”

“That’s good to hear,” said Sombra, before he leaned in again to give a more sinister grin to his nervously smiling Guard. “Because I can promise you that by the end of this week, you’ll be looking forward to being gelded in front of everyone~”

Shining had absolutely no idea how Sombra intended to own up to such a horrifyingly bold claim. But at the same time, the masochistic Private could only bite his lip nervously, and nod his head with a look of acceptance on his blushing face.

Cadance only slept for another half hour after that interaction the two shared, but it was more than enough time for Shining to clean himself up and revitalize his energy. Despite his restless night, the Private was able to keep himself in an optimistic state while his Princess got herself ready. Much like Sombra had said, Cadance was quick to explain the “failsafe” plans for Shining Armor that morning; and due to his personal shared agreement with Sombra, Shining played along graciously as his Prince gave a dishonest assurance to Cadance of his intentions. Sombra may have promised her that Shining would always have final say, but both of the stallions understood that they wouldn’t abide by that compromise. As far as Shining was concerned, Sombra was basically going to own him from then on, much like how the former Tyrant had ruled with an iron fist.

And for Shining Armor himself, he tried his hardest to stay in check as he got himself ready for that first day. He didn’t want to think that anything too sinister would occur so soon after that deal was made, but he couldn’t overlook how elated Sombra had been with him in the bathroom. Shining was completely aware of how deeply Sombra wanted to feed into their shared impulses, and was already certain that something would happen to him that day. But after he re-donned his Royal regalia and looked over his busy schedule, Shining was fortunate enough to have his Princely duties to serve as a distraction from his own Prince.

Surprisingly enough, Shining and Cadance didn’t end up having any awkward moments while enjoying breakfast in the dining hall with Flurry Heart that morning. Despite everything that went down over the past twenty-four hours, Cadance seemed genuinely okay while enjoying the morning with Shining. The “Prince” certainly felt grateful that she wasn’t showing too much concern or judgement over his choices (or more specifically, his newfound lack of choices), but he was sure that she wouldn’t approve of Sombra’s intentions if she learned the whole truth. But alas, instead of confiding with his Ex over what happened between himself and Sombra in the bathroom, Shining kept himself silent in anticipation of what might happen later on.

For the rest of that morning, Shining kept himself cooped up in his office as he went through another hefty stack of forms and paperwork. Even though the work itself wasn’t too tedious or soul-crushing, Shining still had his lip bitten throughout most of the swipes of his quill against every blank line of parchment. Each time he finished another sheet, his eyes kept glancing up at the door just in case anypony were to come in. Part of him knew that he was acting paranoid for expecting Sombra to pop up every five minutes, but Shining couldn’t help but wonder if that was the Prince’s plan all along; in a way, leaving the Private squirming by himself without doing anything would be a great form of torment.

Knock, Knock, Knock!

“U-Ummm, Come in!” said Shining as he jolted up in his seat, and tried not to blush while glancing at the door. However, after the door to Shining’s office opened up, Shining breathed out in silent relief upon seeing Sunburst’s head peeking in. The Crystaller carried a warm and friendly smile, which was comforting enough to make Shining’s appear more natural than before.

“Hey, Shining!” chirped Sunburst before he motioned his head towards the hallway. “Ummm, just so you know, it’s almost lunch time. Cadance asked me to come get you.”

“Oh, shoot!” Shining seemed to have lost track of the time, and turned to see the time from his clock that hung on the wall. Since Sunburst’s estimate was correct, Shining was quick to get himself up and take a much-needed break. “Thanks for letting me know that, Sunburst,” he said with a smile, before he exited the office alongside the Crystaller. “So, do you have lunch plans? Because we certainly wouldn’t mind having you join us.”

“Oh, thank you for the offer,” said Sunburst while the two walked side-by-side down the crystal hallway. Since that section of the castle was composed of many offices, a few crystal ponies walked past the two stallions as they traversed down the hall. Unfortunately for Shining though, the orange stallion put out a hoof in dismissal as he declined the offer. “Unfortunately, I already promised to have a lunch date with Trixie today. She came up to the Crystal Empire to promote her magic act, and I promised I’d take her out somewhere nice.”

“Oh, that’s a nice thing to do!” Shining already knew of Sunburst’s efforts with making friends down in Ponyville, and was genuinely happy to hear how well that’s been going along. Even though he nodded respectfully to Sunburst’s plans, Shining decided to bring up, “Well, if you wanted to bring Trixie around the castle, feel free to let Cadance or I know in advance, alright? I’d like to be able to make a good first impression.”

“Wait, really?” asked Sunburst while looking up at him with a raised brow. Even though the stallion looked happy to hear such a thing from his Prince, he couldn’t help shrugging as he said, “I mean, that’s really nice of you to offer, thank you. I just, uhhhh… I wasn’t expecting you to offer that for Trixie, you know?”

“Why not?” asked Shining quizzically back at him. “I mean, I know she used to be a villain a few years ago, but she also saved Equestria from Chrysalis since then. Plus, it would be kinda hypocritical to refuse it for her while Sombra is walking around here.”

Due to how valid both of those points were, Sunburst shrugged with an apprehensive chuckle while nodding back at Shining. “Okay yeah, touchè,” he noted while rolling his eyes behind his thick glasses. “I just wanted to make sure it’s alright, you know?”

“Hey, it’s no problem.” By that point, Shining and Sunburst got into one of the castle’s exclusive elevators meant for Royal use. Since the Prince and Crystaller were both authorized, the two Guards standing before the doors didn’t try to frisk either of them as they got on. And by the time the door closed behind them, and the two traveled their way down to the ground floor where the dining hall was, Shining decided to add, “And just so you know, it’s really great to hear how well you’ve been socializing with ponies outside of the Crystal Empire.”

Sunburst huffed with a bashful smile while blushing from that remark. “O-Oh, come on~” he said with a hesitant shrug as he tried to look away from him. “You’re making me feel like Twilight Sparkle or something. Y-You know, before she became a Princess.”

Shining chuckled from that comparison, and looked away from the Crystaller while giving a shrug of his own. “Honestly, that’s not a bad comparison to make,” noted Shining as he smiled to himself. “I mean, Twily was a pretty introverted pony before she moved to Ponyville. But just like you, she managed to make some awesome friends without much effort. If anything, it just goes to show how good of a location Ponyville was from Celestia’s point of view.”

“Yeah, I suppose that’s true,” said Sunburst, whose head was tilted in thought by the time the elevator stopped at the ground floor. “I mean, given how active the area has been with magic-based phenomena and villain invasions, it’s probably for the best that they have somepony like-- Oh! T-Twilight Sparkle!”

Just as he was about to finish his statement, the elevator doors opened to reveal the very mare Sunburst was talking about. Both he and Shining turned wide-eyed in surprise after the elevator was opened, the two were face-to-face with the Princess of Friendship herself. The purple Alicorn had her horn lit while holding Flurry Heart in her magical grip, and greeted both of the stallions with a friendly smile. “Hi there, Sunburst!~” However, while she reached in to give Sunburst the first hug, her eyes narrowed on Shining with an especially suspicious-looking smirk. The Guards posted outside the elevator may have not been able to see that cheeky grin on Twilight’s muzzle, but the Private silently gulped with a worried look on his face.

“It’s great to see you too, Shining,” she said with a genuinely kind tone, and was quick to give her brother a bigger hug than the one she gave Sunburst. Unfortunately, Shining wasn’t able to appreciate the gesture when his sister leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, “They told me everything, Private~”

Shining tensed up hard after hearing that callously sweet remark, but managed to keep himself smiling presentably after their hug finished up. Fortunately, since Twilight and Sunburst ended up chatting with one another like good friends on their way towards the dining hall, neither of them took much notice of the blush growing across Shining’s cheeks. Despite wanting to feel grateful about seeing his sister on such short notice, the fact that she was fully aware of his plans left him reeling internally in worry. Not to mention, the Private had to try his hardest not to loom over whether or not she came by specifically because of Sombra.

“Well, it really is a shame you can’t join us for lunch today, Sunburst,” said Twilight as they reached the outer doors of the dining hall. Two more Guards were standing outside the closed doors, with the unicorn Guard nodding to the three and opening the entrance invitingly. Shining’s eyes widened when he caught sight of Cadance and Sombra seated in wait among the lavish setup of food. Even though Sombra wasn’t necessarily allowed to be in that section of the castle, it wasn’t surprising that his wife was able to pull some strings to let him join the group. And much to Shining’s growing hesitance, he was able to catch the split-second glance that his Prince shot at him, which included a very sultry grin that was practically dripping with wickedness.

For a second, Shining almost felt like excusing himself, or even just teleporting out of the hallway to give himself time to prepare. Unfortunately, any plans he may have had were interrupted when he heard Twilight ask her friend, “Oh, Sunburst wait! Before you go, could you… possibly watch over Flurry Heart for a couple minutes?” she used her magic to hover the giggling foal over towards the Crystaller. While Sunburst accepted Flurry without any complaint, Twilight shrugged her head awkwardly while motioning towards the inside of the dining hall. “Sombra wanted to join us for our lunch, and I… kinda wanted to double-check the security spells in place for Flurry’s sake.”

“Oh, absolutely!” Sunburst was quick to raise a hoof in assurance while Flurry was hovering gleefully in his aura. “Trust me, I totally get it. Take all the time you need.”

“Thanks, Sunburst!” After giving him another grateful hug, Twilight motioned for Shining to follow her inside of the dining hall. The Private gave his own thanks to Sunburst before the two entered the lavish room, and locked the massive doors behind them. After Twilight used a quick soundproofing spell, which enveloped the entire hall with the Alicorn’s lavender hue, the four ponies were left completely alone while the Guards stood outside in obliviousness. Meanwhile, Sunburst chuckled while playing with the nation’s youngest Princess, much to the Guards’ charmed delight.

Inside of the dining hall, Shining instantly started to blush more profusely as he stood by himself, and watched his sister trotting over towards Sombra. Since the room was locked-off and soundproofed, the Prince didn’t hold back any subtleties as he leaned over to his side and pulled Cadance in with his foreleg. The pregnant Princess giggled with a blush while settling in close beside her husband, and didn’t show any resistance as the ex-Tyrant nuzzled beneath the nape of her neck. As for Twilight, who was usually one of the most reserved ponies Shining ever knew, she barely even registered her brother’s presence as she leaned in beside the couple, and sat herself right atop Sombra’s lap.

“Soooooo…” While Sombra sat back with a shit-eating grin and held two of Shining’s most important mares in each foreleg, Twilight gave a knowingly teasing grin towards their Private before asking cheekily, “Shining Armor, I have to give you some credit! I may have known about your darker side since the beginning, but I would’ve never expected you to agree to something like this~”

Shining winced as he saw that hungry grin his sister was giving him, not showing any sympathy or remorse over what he was slated to do that Friday. Part of him wanted to ask whether or not she was the same Twilight he grew up with over the years, but he remembered how enthusiastically she contributed to their twisted relationship those many months ago. Honestly, Shining could’ve easily argued that Twilight’s “divorce” ceremony for the three was the first snowball that was tossed down the snowbank, which brought forth the massive avalanche of torment that came down upon the Prince Consort. And much like that fateful night, Twilight was looking just as sultrily curious while nestling herself in close to Cadance’s husband.

“... Ummmm…” Shining was blushing hard while scratching the back of his mane, and tried his hardest not to grow too uncomfortable at seeing Sombra caressing his Ex and his sister at the same time. But with the way Sombra’s obscenely giddy grin was pointed directly at him, Shining was able to keep his composure while trying to ask his sister, “I, errrr… I’m guessing you’re not here to try and stop me, are you?”

“Not necessarily,” noted Twilight with a shrug. “I mean, if you wanted me to intervene, I would gladly do so for you. But since Sombra and Cadance assured me you had the final say, I’ll trust your judgement on this.”

Shining bit his lip while nodding to his sister’s claim, but didn’t show any visible hints about how wrong she actually was. Even though both of the Princesses thought that Sombra’s promise to Shining was true, the Private only needed a quick look at his Superior’s knowing grin before nodding back at him. “Ummm… yeah,” he said with an uneasy shrug, before he gave a sincere-sounding tone to go along with his lie. “Sombra promised me that I would have the final say. And… I’ll be sure to let both of you know if anything gets to be too much.”

Both of the mares smiled happily to that assurance, while Sombra nodded his head with a more malicious-looking grin. And due to his own feelings on the matter, Shining accepted that knowing nod with a nervous smile in anticipation. He was sure that Sombra had something set up for this occasion, but his heart was hanging heavily within his chest as he tried not to overthink what the sadist would try on him.

“Well, I certainly hope that this won’t be too much for you, Private~” Sombra narrowed his eyes on Shining with a more sinister-looking grin as he held both mares tightly in his hooves. From the Private’s perspective, he almost felt like he was in some alternate universe where Sombra had reclaimed the Crystal Empire, and was flaunting off his bounty for the poor Guard to witness enviously. And even worse, Shining had to bite his tongue to keep from squirming in response to his chastity cage straining hard to that thought. Meanwhile, Sombra waited only another second before he said to him, “But before we start, I think you know what needs to be done~”

Shining sighed with a reluctant nod, already having taken notice of his Private armor that was laid out beside the end of the dining table. Since time was of the essence with Sunburst outside the room, Shining used his magic to quickly change out of his Royal regalia in exchange for his dingy plating. Twilight had to cover her mouth with an amused giggle, obviously not having seen that kind of basic attire on her brother in years. Meanwhile, Cadance gave a warmer smile in acceptance while nestling herself close to Sombra, and admiring the silver armor that Shining had over his muscular form.

Sombra nodded in approval after Shining donned his helmet, and allowed him to sit in the chair directly across from the three. Even though he was technically the Prince of this castle, Shining felt like a commoner being granted a rare privilege as he sat himself before his Prince. Meanwhile, Sombra smiled more gloatingly as he savored the look of his Private’s meager blush, like a lion that was just about to claim a wounded gazelle. “Thank you for obliging so obediently, Private,” he said with a gracious nod of his head, before he glanced up towards Twilight and asked, “So, Princess? How does it feel seeing your own flesh and blood acting like this?~”

Shining’s face tensed up while struggling not to cringe from that question. He may have known that Sombra wanted to hurt him, and even accepted it with a smile, but he would’ve preferred for his Superior to not involve his family. Unfortunately, Shining wasn’t in a position to speak up as he heard his sister giggling maliciously in response. “Wellllll… I’m honestly just glad he’s doing this after you got reformed,” she said before turning her attention towards Sombra, and saying with a playfully coy smirk, “Prince Sombra~”

Twilight then decided to add a little more salt to the Private’s wound, and leaned in to kiss the Prince shamelessly on the lips. Shining exhaled shakily though his nostrils, but stood stoically while watching the two kiss each other for a long while. Cadance didn’t seem too annoyed at her Sister-In-Law enjoying her husband, even as Twilight’s muzzle locked against Sombra’s more gratuitously. Fortunately, despite how much Shining tried not to wince as the two made out in front of him, the tongue-lashing between Sombra and Shining’s sister only lasted a good twenty seconds at most.

“Aaaaahhhhh~” After the two pulled away from their enthusiastic kiss, Sombra sighed in pleasure before locking eyes with Shining once more. “Yes, I suppose that is true,” he admitted with a shrug to Twilight’s statement. “Although, given how much I’ve managed to accomplish with these two behind closed doors, you could easily argue that I’m in a position better than most Kings~”

Shining didn’t give any strong response to that opinion his Superior made, but he couldn’t deny that it was honestly pretty true. While Shining and Cadance spent their days upholding their Royal duties for the Crystal Empire, all that Sombra had to do was lounge around the castle all day, fuck Cadance whenever he wished, and torment Shining to the fullest extent of his perverted pleasure. If Shining wasn’t so content with being a cuckold, he likely would’ve felt some resentment towards Sombra due to envy. But with the circumstances as they were, all that Shining felt was a sick sense of anticipation while seated before the three.

“Plus,” continued Sombra as he motioned back towards Twilight with an affirming nod. Twilight smiled back at him before lighting up her horn, which brought out a small stack of papers that slowly floated across the dining hall. Cadance’s muzzle skewed a little upon seeing that stack, and she made sure to look between it and Shining while growing a conflicted expression. Meanwhile, Sombra looked back at Shining as he said, “considering how long you and Cadance have been upholding that ‘Divorce’ ceremony we had, it seems fairly clear that neither of you have any issues with me standing as the unofficial ‘Prince’ of this Empire. Or as Cadance’s husband~”

Shining and Cadance looked back at each other with equally uneasy blushes on their faces, with neither of them able to speak up about that truthful claim. Despite how strict Sombra’s probation may have been in regards to him being barred from any political or Royal standings, the “married” couple had both been happily treating him as an official Prince as part of their relationship. And due to Twilight’s involvement with the three months ago, the fact that Shining was still her husband on paper didn’t seem to detract from the legitimacy they all upheld in private.

Shining was the first to sigh with a small shrug, and responded to Sombra’s claim with a truthful nod. “Y-Yeah,” he said while trying to avoid eye contact with his grinning Superior. “I… I guess Cadance and I have been accepting of a lot of things so far.”

“Mmhmm,” nodded Cadance as well, even though she was blushing a bit deeper in titillation while Sombra held her so dominantly. However, Sombra’s focus was still primarily on Shining, as was his grin as it widened more notably on him.

“I’m very glad that both of you agree with me about this~” With that Sombra reached out with his hoof to grab that stack of papers, and handed them across the table for Shining to see. While the Private picked up the pages and began to read, Sombra handed him a quill and ink cap as well. “Because if you two see me as such an important stallion, it only seems right to make this arrangement truly official~”

It didn’t take long for Shining’s eyes to widen in shock upon seeing what was printed on the top parchment. Of course, that was mostly because the top line of that official documentation said everything he needed to know in that boldly-fonted title:

Shining’s muzzle gaped open while gawking at the paper, which already had all of the necessary information filled out for both parties. Twilight and Cadance glanced over at each other in slight worry, clearly unsure whether or not Shining would actually agree to something as severe as this. The Private flipped through the pages while blinking repeatedly, but it didn’t change the contents that were written out for him in wait. The only detail that wasn’t filled in yet were the two signatures at the bottom of the final page, which were meant for him and Cadance to sign.

“Is… is this for real?” asked Shining with a faint and fearful tone. Even though he already knew the answer, the Private still cringed when he looked back up and saw the Prince’s devilish grin.

“It is!~” jeered Sombra before leaning forward in his seat, smiling in absolute bliss as he savored the mortified look his Guard was carrying. “I actually wrote to Twilight last night, and asked for her to acquire some official divorce papers for you and Cadance to sign!”

As the color began to drain from Shining’s previously blushing face, Twilight raised a free hoof before adding insistently, “Just so you know, I’m not planning to put those into public record or anything! All I intend to do is place those in private storage where nopony can find it.”

“Althouuuuughhhhh…” Sombra was cackling at the Private like a maniacal bully, and took a lot of pleasure in seeing the stallion squirming in his armor. “Considering the airtight legalities those documents carry, especially while being signed in front of two Princesses, I think it’s safe to say that this divorce won’t be as debatable as before~”

Shining looked back down at those papers, which were basically the final nail in the coffin in regards to his marriage with Cadance. Even if Twilight’s assurance of the papers’ secrecy was valid, Shining knew that it wouldn’t change the cold truth of the matter. The moment he and Cadance wrote their names down on that parchment, their marriage would officially be nullified by both Royal decree, and by paper. And much like his incoming gelding, the poor Guard knew that this action couldn’t be undone by either of them.

After breathing out through his open mouth with a strained and shaky exhale, Shining looked back up to see that unsubtly evil grin Sombra had on him. The Prince readjusted himself in his seat while holding onto both of the Princesses in his hooves, and stared back at Shining intensely before speaking cockily. “Private Shining Armor…”

Shining already knew what he was going to be ordered to do, much to his unbridled dread. But since he already agreed to accept any pain his Superior was capable of giving him, the Private took a preemptive breath while hearing Sombra say, “... As your Prince, I hereby order you to sign those divorce papers. Right. Now~”

Shining bit his lip as he picked up his quill, but he paused for a moment to glance back at his soon-to-be Ex-Wife. Cadance picked up her own quill with her magic, but left it hovering in her blue aura while she looked back at him. From the way her muzzle was slightly tensed-up, it seemed that she was feeling equally as apprehensive about Sombra’s order as Shining did. And since she wasn’t moving her quill towards the sheet just yet, Shining could tell that she was waiting for him to give the final say.

The Private knew that if he really wanted to, he could put down his quill and refuse the order. Heck, given how hesitant Cadance was looking, Shining was certain that she wouldn’t be against him making such a choice either. But as he looked back at Sombra, who was still holding onto her like she was his official property, Shining trembled internally as he saw that menacing glare behind the Prince’s unrelenting smile. Sombra knew just how painful it would be for his Guard to abide by such an order, but he also seemed confident about Shining’s longing for something like that to hurt him.

While Shining looked down at the document with his quill in hoof, his ears twitched as he heard Twilight say sympathetically, “Ummm… Shining? Just remember, if it’s too much for you to do this, we’ll all understand.”

Shining breathed out as he nodded with a smile up towards his sister. However, despite how cautiously she and Cadance were looking back at the Private, neither of them were able to match the domineering stare that Sombra was giving him. And in Shining’s eyes, it was his approving nod that prompted him to go forward.

With a sharp huff through his nostrils, Shining closed his eyes while signing his name at the bottom of that official document.

Sombra’s grin showed many more of his fangs as he nodded in satisfaction, seeming genuinely happy that he got the “Prince” to actually do something like that. Meanwhile, Shining pouted guiltily as he looked over at Cadance, who was staring down at that paper with her eyes visibly widened. He wasn’t sure if Cadance was wanting him to refuse that offer, but he hoped she wouldn’t be too upset as he said meekly, “C… Cadance, I… I will always love you with all my heart. No matter what…”

Cadance looked back up at her now Ex-Husband, and gave a soft smile while nodding her head back at him. “I… I know you do, honey,” she said before shrugging her shoulders, and then giving one last sigh in acceptance. The Princess then floated down her quill, and jotted down her own signature beside Shining’s. Even though that action was daunting enough to make Shining feel like his heart was breaking, his ears twitched optimistically as he heard his Ex-Wife add, “And I’ll always love you too, Shining Armor. No matter what~”

Shining tried to give a loving smile back to Cadance, but it was obvious how strained their expressions looked while their divorce papers were laid out between them. Twilight used her magic to silently float those papers away, and she needed to bite her lip to keep from feeling too awkward about such a moment occurring before her eyes. Nevertheless, the younger Alicorn only needed a quick breath to herself before floating over a different document to place before Sombra and Cadance. “Ummm… alright then,” she said with a shrug, not wanting to look back at her brother while his head was hung low in shame. Shining looked absolutely horrible after giving in to such an order, but his eyes still looked up at his Prince while hearing Twilight say, “Well, since Shining and Cadence's divorce is official now, I don’t see any reason to keep you two from signing these.”

Sombra picked up the fresh forms with his hoof, and held it out for Shining to see with an especially cocky grin. Along with getting divorce papers for Shining, it seemed that Twilight had also acquired an official marriage license for Sombra and Cadance. And much like Shining’s forms, it had already been filled out with everything but the couple’s signatures.

“Aaaaahhhhhh… Isn’t this nice, Shining?~” asked Sombra gloatingly with a tilt of his head. “I must say, I’m very thankful that you insisted on being gelded by me, Private. Because now, I can implement even more orders with that level of permanency~”

Despite how hurt the Private looked while seated before the three Royals, he was able to breathe out weakly before nodding his head with a forced smile. “Ummm… y-yeah,” he muttered timidly, mostly due to how horrifyingly humiliated he felt while his erection strained badly in his cage. “I… I suppose that’s true now, isn’t it?~”

Cadance and Twilight shared another look while nestled so close together on Sombra’s lap. And before the Princess could continue with her official signing, she looked back at her Ex with a more worrisome expression. “Ummm… is this alright, Shining?” she asked again, not wanting to put too much thought into the anguish behind Shining’s smile. “Because you know you have final say, right?”

“Y-Yeah, I do,” Shining lied with a firm nod of his head, which Sombra was quick to copy in equally false assurance. The Private then breathed out less shakily before adding with a genuine-looking smile, “I… I know my limits, and… I’m not afraid to keep going~”

Sombra didn’t say anything, but his prideful smile said more than enough for Shining to acknowledge from across the table. Meanwhile, Cadance shrugged in acceptance of her Ex’s response, and then looked back at Sombra with a warmer smile. Sombra chuckled happily back at his Princess, and was the first to sign his name at the bottom of that marriage license. And with Twilight Sparkle watching as an officiator, Princess Cadance placed her trust in Shining’s assurance as she signed her name beside the Prince’s.

“Aaahhhhh… Won’t you look at that?” jeered Sombra with a mockingly jaunty tone as he held up the official form with glee. “Now with the legalities settled out, it seems like I really am the newest Prince Consort of Equestria~”

Sombra then looked back at Shining, who was trying his hardest not to wince in dread at what he put himself into. Unfortunately, Sombra was quick to add with an especially callous smile towards the Private, “And you, Shining Armor… are officially not~”

Even though that decree was technically only true among the four ponies in that room, Shining still felt the full force of such a damning declaration while Sombra openly laughed in front of him. But fortunately -- or perhaps more appropriately, unfortunately for Shining Armor -- Twilight and Cadance seemed to believe in their Guard’s insistence as they began to laugh alongside the new Prince as well.

Shortly after that first mortifying order, Shining was quickly given two more from his Prince before he could leave the dining hall. His first order was to take off his Private armor and re-don his Royal regalia, since he wasn’t going to be enjoying lunch alongside his sister or Ex-Wife. Instead, the newly-divorced Private was being ordered to take Sombra out for lunch, since the newest Prince Consort still couldn’t trust the Crystal Ponies with his food. Shining was certain that his Superior would force him to pay for some extravagant meal at one of the Crystal Empire’s overpriced restaurants, just to further humiliate him after getting him to legally divorce his wife. But due to his own shameful dedication, as well as Sombra’s enthusiasm when it came to making Shining his personal bitch, it didn’t take long for him to abide by his Superior’s wishes after making his leave.

In less than ten minutes, the two stallions were outside of the castle, and walking side-by-side down one of the Crystal Empire’s pristine walkways. Even though Shining appeared perfectly normal while wearing his golden plating, it was hard for him to not feel like a secondary stallion while beside Sombra. And due to the confident grin that the former villain was carrying, Sombra seemed to feel like the top dog as well. Fortunately though, most of the Crystal Ponies made sure to avert their sights from their former Tyrant, which helped to give the two a little more privacy out in the open.

“I must say, Private~” purred Sombra while eyeing his Guard, not seeming to care at all whether or not ponies could hear him speaking to Shining in such a way. “You really impressed me with your diligence back there. And to think, I was starting to worry that you wouldn’t abide by my order~”

Shining’s head slumped down with a look of remorse on his face, and he sighed sharply to keep himself from feeling too upset. Unfortunately, that response was exactly what Sombra wanted to see, as he then leaned his head in close to whisper into Shining’s ear, “But tell me, Shining… How does it feel knowing you lost the Princess of Love entirely?~”

Shining’s muzzle tensed up greatly, but he couldn’t look away from the Prince Consort’s brooding stare on him. Since no Crystal Ponies were paying much attention to the stallions conversing so closely, Shining was able to exhale before saying in defeat, “W-Well, ummmm… you weren’t wrong, Sombra. That… That really did hurt...”

“That’s what I was hoping for~” With that, Sombra pulled himself back so the two could look less conspicuous walking in public together. Even though Shining still looked fairly morose, he was able to keep his head perked up to keep a regal stance as he walked. However, Sombra’s upright stature appeared downright natural in comparison to the Guard’s, which was mostly because of his cheerful smile. “And just to think, Private. You could’ve easily gone along with Cadance’s deal this morning, and I would’ve been alright with that! But since you didn’t, you… Oh, you know what?~”

Sombra stopped himself, and motioned for Shining to do the same. The two were standing in the middle of a beautiful park, with a crystal walkway shimmering below their hooves. Lots of crystal ponies were enjoying themselves around the lovely area, but the closest ones were about twenty feet away. Because of that, Sombra leaned in close to Shining’s blushed face as he said, “Private, I order you to finish that sentence~”

Shining’s eyes widened in a panic, and he looked around the park to see just how many ponies were out and about. A couple of crystal ponies were looking over at them, but he had no idea whether or not they heard Sombra’s order. He blinked a couple times as he looked back at Sombra wide-eyed, silently pleading for that order to be a joke. “R… Right now?!”

“Out-Loud, Private,” Sombra said with a wider grin, and his eyes half-lidded in intensity on Shining. “Or I’ll order you to scream it~”

Shining’s pupils shrunk in response to that warning, since he could tell that Sombra wasn’t fucking around anymore. The Prince smirked a little wider before taking a breath, almost as if he was preparing himself to actually give that order. Luckily, Shining huffed in a panic before he closed his eyes, and tried to stammer out a meek response. “U-Uhhhh… I, errr… I didn’t… agree to Cadance’s measure. A-And because of that I… Ummmm…”

Even though there were a lot of ponies around the two stallions, Shining sighed to himself with a defeated pout as he addressed his Prince openly. “... Because of that… I’m officially divorced…”

Even though the Private’s tone wasn’t as audible as he would’ve preferred, Sombra leaned in a little closer before asking cheekily, “Aaaaaaaand?~”

Shining wanted to glare at Sombra in frustration, but he didn’t want to set off that powder keg when he was already so helpless before him. So instead, Shining closed his eyes again while trying to ignore his guilt. “... A-And… And you’re Princess Cadance’s husband now…”

“That’s right~” chirped Sombra with a condescending smile, before he patted the top of Shining’s head like he was an obedient pet. The “Prince” cringed while trying to look around, hopeful that none of the Crystal Ponies were witnessing how Sombra was treating him. After he put his hoof back down, Sombra said with a more devilish tone, “And just remember: You were the one who told me not to hold back~”

Shining distinctly recalled saying that exact thing back in the bathroom, and it caused him to sigh shakily while staring down at his hooves. Even though he knew what he was doing when he agreed to Sombra’s offer, the Private wasn’t sure how to feel about such a horrifying fate he couldn’t take back. However, Sombra was quick to ask while the Guard was already so low, “And let’s just be honest about this, shouldn’t we? Even after abiding by that order, and your plans for this Friday, are you really wanting me to hold back now?~”

Shining looked up at him with a pitifully pained scowl on his face, and blinked a couple times while seeing Sombra’s curious smirk. He wasn’t sure if the Prince was asking out of intrigue, or if he was going to offer something less severe between them. But regardless of what may have been the case, Shining closed his eyes with a sigh before he looked away from his Superior in silence. Since both of the stallions understood each other well enough, Sombra only needed to wait a couple of seconds before Shining took a breath, and shook his head in response.

“That’s right~” jeered Sombra with a knowingly wide smile. “You don’t want me to hold back. And I can promise you that I never will, Shining Armor. In fact… I have ideas much bigger planned for us today~”

Shining immediately stared up at the Prince in a panic, not expecting for Sombra to actually do anything else following that divorce. But much to the poor Guard’s dismay, his Superior’s fanged grin didn’t show any exaggeration or dishonesty in that claim. And while the cuckold stood with his muzzle tightly pursed shut, Sombra began to walk away from him while saying, “But first, I’d like for us to find somewhere to eat. Do you have any recommendations?”

Shining needed a moment to collect himself after everything that just happened, and ended up breathing out sharply while his eyes were closed. “Ummm… Y-Yeah,” he answered after shaking his head clear. “I can think of several good restaurants, actually.”

“Excellent!” Sombra looked back at him with a more casual smile on his muzzle, almost like the Prince’s sadism was turned off like a lightswitch. “Say, you remembered to bring your wallet, didn’t you?~”

Shining blinked a couple times, and then cringed with a pained groan upon realizing what was wrong. Since the “Prince” spent most of his time in the Crystal Castle with all his amenities handed to him, Shining couldn’t recall the last time he actually needed his wallet in the Crystal Empire. He knew that it was up in the bedroom, but the Guard couldn’t help wincing at the idea of going all the way back to retrieve it. And due to how far away the two were, it wasn’t like he could teleport to the room and back without enduring a ton of magical strain; Shining may have been a skilled magic-user, but he wasn’t nearly as proficient in the craft as his sister.

“Uggghhhhh…” Shining Armor covered his face with a hoof, and refrained from looking Sombra in the eye while shaking his head. “I… I left my wallet back at the castle. I’m sorry, I’ll head right back and--”

“Actually, ummm…” Sombra’s brows were raised quizzically as he looked over towards his left, and prompted Shining to glance over that direction as well. “Don’t you have an account at the Crystal Empire’s bank? I’m sure they could give you a withdrawal, or even a new card if you asked.”

The Private’s brows raised as he took notice of the nearby bank, which was nestled in the middle of a city block between the post office and some clothing store. Shortly after Shining and Cadance reclaimed the Crystal Empire for Equestria, the two opened up their own accounts at the bank to help revitalize the city’s economy. And ever since then, both of their accounts were absolutely loaded due to their Royal residuals and countless successful investments. Shining may have not had his wallet for identification, but he was sure that the teller would make an exception for Royalty without much issue.

“... Huh,” said the cuck with an impressed shrug before looking back at Sombra. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”

Sombra rolled his eyes with an innocently bashful smile, and then asked Shining, “So… shall we, Private?”

“Ummm, yeah! Sure thing!” Since the bank was a much shorter distance to tread than going all the way back to the castle, Shining nodded happily before leading the way. “It’ll probably take a few minutes at most, so good call!”

“Oh, stop it~” cooed Sombra as he waved his hoof with a flattered expression. As the Prince followed his cheerful Guard, he waited until Shining was looking ahead of them to smile more wickedly. “It was just an idea I thought would work~”

Shining didn’t immediately catch the ominous change in Sombra’s tone, nor did he show much awareness that this was a setup by his Prince. Because of that, the Ex-Husband ended up falling right into Sombra’s plans as he entered the bank by himself. Sombra waited outside with a content-looking smile, appreciating the serenity he felt from most of the Crystal Ponies avoiding getting too close to him. And much like the Private had said, only a few minutes passed before Shining emerged from the bank with his horn lit, and a fresh bank card hovering in his pink aura.

“Wow, that was easy!” said Sombra with a cheerful look as Shining trotted back to him.

“Eh, what can I say?” Shining shrugged playfully while smiling to himself, feeling fairly happy that he saved himself such a taxing trip. “I mean, it’s pretty easy to do that when you’re a Prince, you know?”

Sombra blinked a couple times, and then grew an especially piqued smirk while narrowing his eyes on Shining. “Well… I might know how that feels, Shining… but do you?~”

Shining finally caught that familiarly eerie tone, and his smile lessened as he glanced back up at his Superior. Sombra’s grin slowly widened with each passing second, and his head tilted to the side a little before he said, “Refresh my memory, Private… Which one of us is legally the Prince now?~”

Shining’s smile was now completely gone, and his eyes began to widen in worry. “... Ummmm… I-I mean, uhhh…” After a couple seconds of awkward silence, Shining nervously gulped before he said, “... y-you?”

“That’s right~” Sombra leaned in close to Shining’s face again, not showing any caution in regards to who may be looking at them in public. “And that bank card in your magic right now… That’s meant to be used by a member of Royalty, correct?~”

Shining’s face started to tense up, with his expression giving a clear look of fear behind his widening eyes. Sombra was technically correct about his question, since the account Shining had was granted to him by Canterlot’s nobles following his marriage. However, the Private kept a tight grip on his card while it was hovering in his magic, obviously hesitant to oblige with whatever his Prince was implying. Unfortunately, since Sombra had asked him a question, Shining had to avert his eyes from that shit-eating grin while answering him truthfully. “... Ummm… I-I mean, it… it technically is…”

Sombra brought his head in even closer to Shining’s, with the tips of their snouts now only a couple inches from touching each other. “And since I’m legally married to the Princess now,” taunted Sombra as he eyed his Guard intensely, “who would you say is the Royal one among us, hmm? Would it be the divorced, cuckolded, and soon-to-be castrated Private?~ Or would it be his Prince, who’s considered by Royal Decree and official notary to be a Royal?~”

Shining Armor had his lips tightly bitten together by the time he finally looked back at his grinning Prince, and felt himself die a little inside when he saw that waiting smile. He already knew what Sombra was going to do, and it took everything within him not to start kicking himself for falling into such a ruse. Even before he became a Prince, Shining had spent most of his life remaining frugal with his funds, and was quite prideful of the assets he had saved up over the years; and after he became an official Prince Consort (or more specifically, was an official Prince Consort), Shining knew that his bank account was firmly within the seven digit range. But alas, much like with his ended marriage to the Princess of Love, the poor Guard closed his eyes with a shameful pout before he answered his Superior’s question. “... Y… You’re the Royal,” he muttered in the faintest voice he could muster, as well as a pitiful look up at his Prince.

“That’s what I thought~” said Sombra with a pert smile, before he pulled his head back to stand at a regular distance from Shining. He then put his hoof out, laying it right underneath the aura of Shining’s magic which was holding his bank card. “Private Armor, I hereby order you to relinquish your bank account, and any other financial assets you may have, so they can be used solely by me~”

Shining closed his eyes with a pained wince, and tried not to cry as he turned off his magic. After the glow around his horn depleted, that plastic bank card fell directly into Sombra’s hoof. The Prince chuckled to himself in satisfaction, and studied the numbers laid out below Shining Armor’s name on the front. “Thank you very much~” he said with a coy grin, much to Shining’s dismay. “Aaaaaaaand, what’s your pin number?~”

The Private couldn’t even look at Sombra while he had that bank card in his possession, but he could only sigh in defeat before saying, “It’s… four, seven, zero, zero…”

“Wonderful!” With that, Sombra gave Shining another humiliating pat on the head before he said, “Now then! Since I have your money, I’m ordering you to return to the castle and get back to work! And while you’re doing that, I’m going to help myself to a little… shopping spree, courtesy of you~”

Sombra then grabbed the back of Shining’s head while it was lowered in shame, and pulled it up himself while the Guard hissed in pain. Even though the two were out in the open, with dozens of Crystal Ponies all around who could’ve witnessed Sombra’s manhandling, the Prince kept his eyes locked on Shining’s petrified face as he said menacingly, “I told you that it would cost you greatly to remain under me, remember?~”

Then in a split-second, Sombra gave another strong, domineering kiss to Shining’s muzzle before he could give an answer. The action lasted for only a couple seconds, but it was a downright miracle that no ponies saw that exchange out in the open. But regardless, Shining still stood with a petrified look on his blushed face by the time Sombra pulled away. And as the poor Guard was left trembling in his grip, Sombra spoke with a sickly-sweet tone of voice that caused Shining’s fur to stand on end. “Aaaaaahhhhh~ It’s only your first day taking orders from me, and you already gave me Cadance’s hoof in marriage, and all of your money. And with that… I’ll let you think about what else I plan to take before I claim your balls~”

Sombra then let go of Shining’s hair, and trotted off to leave the Guard in a terrified-looking stupor. By the time Shining was able to recollect himself and breathe normally again, his Prince was already long gone with his bank card and financial information. The stallion had to look down at himself with a conflicted scowl, unsure how to feel about being divorced and robbed by the same stallion in less than a half hour; not to mention, he was sure that Sombra had even worse ideas already thought out, which just left him feeling any worse while standing alone on the street. But by the time he was finally able to move, and he slowly trotted back to the castle on an empty stomach, Shining was more upset with himself for how insanely aroused that sadist had left him.