Time passed. Winter Wrap-Up came and went, and with it the post-holiday malaise passed. Things eased back into normality again. It wasn't quite what Cadance had hoped for - but it was close. Classes were had without drama. Little dates happened - mostly within the confines of the Palace and often just quiet, private dinners. About one night in three, the pair shared a bed and slept cuddling through the night. And they never, ever spoke of Cadance's heart-mending magic. (Sunset suspected Cadance had told Princess Celestia, but neither alicorn ever confirmed it.)
But that harsh thought faded with time. A month was enough for it to disappear, smothered under the blanket of just... being. Cadance commented more than a few times that it was exactly what she wanted: being a normal teenage pony spending time with those she cared about and doing what anypony her age would do. It was a counterbalance to the ongoing stressful lessons from Princess Celestia about statecraft and administration and etiquette.
For Sunset's part, it was almost everything she wanted, too. The distrust they had faded and Cadance's smile stopped being so tense. It wasn't gone, but the fear and suspicion became background subtext and little more than Cadance questioning what Sunset was up to more often. Lessons in magic tapered off, becoming more excuses to see each other than about a proper education. And while Princess Celestia never ceased to frustrate Sunset? Those moments were offset by Cadance. Her dull 'normalcy' wormed its way into Sunset and she found herself dreaming of two thrones side-by-side. A thousand years alone seemed stupid now - not when she could have a constant companion.
Moonrise had been hours before but neither of them cared. They lay together in a nest of pillows and blankets, legs wrapped around one another in the dark silence of Cadance's rooms. Sunset had her head laid on Cadance's barrel, while the alicorn's was atop the unicorn's head. The nose buried in Sunset's mane took a little sniff.
"I've been meaning to ask," she said at a voice just barely above a whisper, "Why does your mane smell like cherries and wood smoke? It's you, but why?"
Sunset's body shook as if she chuckled, even if no sound came out. "What a weird question."
Cadance pouted, and Sunset could feel it against her scalp. "It's not weird."
"It's weird," Sunset insisted. But she still answered with a smile. "The shampoo I use smells like cherries. Sorry, but there's no mystery there."
"And the smoke?"
Now it was Sunset's turn to pout in the darkness. "Well. You know my mane's really thick. It takes forever to dry, so I use the fireplace in my room. A little bit of flame and I can sit and read while it dries. That's where the smoke comes from."
Cadance giggled, barely audible. "The great Sunset Shimmer not using magic to solve a problem?"
Sunset stuck her tongue out, even if it couldn't be seen. "Drying it with magic always gives me split ends."
They both laughed - and then lapsed again into silence.
A minute. Five. Then ten.
"...I love you."
They both froze.
Then, in tentative return?
"I love you too."
But life was never going to stay normal. They both knew it. And a month after Hearts & Hooves came the next hiccup.
Princess Celestia had broached the subject in her usual manner.
She sipped her tea as if what she had just said was no big deal.
Sunset, however, understood. And unlike Cadance she wasn't stunned by it. "A diplomatic conference? Tomorrow? With representatives from every nation Equestria has contact with?"
Another sip and Princess Celestia nodded. "Yes. It's an emergency meeting and should have happened weeks ago, but bringing all of the various nations together took more time than I would like."
"And you're only telling us now." Sunset tried her hardest to convey displeasure and annoyance, voice rumbling like thunder.
Celestia failed to notice - or at least to care. "Cadance, there is little you will need to do for the conference itself. I would like you to sit in, but I will be handling all of the actual work. It should act as a good lesson and an introduction to other nations you will eventually need to be familiar with." She smiled softly. "And I'm certain they will all be eager to meet and learn about you, as well."
Cadance blushed. "It does sound like it could be interesting. Aside from Mr. Doodle and the two griffons on staff, I've never met a non-pony."
Celestia laughed merrily. "It's diplomacy, Cadance. I assure you, there are few things more boring." Then she turned her gaze to Sunset. "Meanwhile, my brilliant student, I am certain you will find yourself more engaging activities for the day."
She was met with several seconds of stony silence. "So I'm not invited."
"I see no reason you would want to attend," Celestia dismissed with a shrug.
"And if I said I wanted to?"
Celestia hesitated, smile wavering just briefly. "I have no reason to deny you, even if there is little point."
They all knew how this was going to go - Sunset's defiant nature wouldn't allow for anything else. "Then I'll be attending, too."
Heavily, Celestia sighed. "As you wish. But I will warn you, Sunset Shimmer, that this is an important diplomatic conference. You can observe, but you are not to act. I speak for Equestria in these matters. Am I clear?"
"Crystal."
For some reason, Princess Celestia's eyes flicked to Cadance when Sunset said that word.
Sunset Shimmer refused to admit that Princess Celestia had been right. Diplomacy was unbearably boring.
The initial introductions had been a sign of things to come: a receiving line like Princess Celestia had been in at the New Year's Gala, but trading a smaller crowd for even slower movement. Each of the diplomats and leaders stood with the Princess for ten or twenty minutes, exchanging pleasantries and words that sounded important but meant nothing. Sunset understood the power of a well-timed lie or how to say soft words to make somepony think you were on their side, but this was wasted time.
The greeting line at least had interesting sights: Sunset had never seen an abyssinian outside of a book, nor one of the reclusive deer. Fourteen delegations arrived in total, plus another four that represented Equestria and its client states. And as they filtered in and past the Princess, they slowly gathered in a ballroom with refreshments.
It was there the first conflict happened: two diamond dog contingents had arrived - one representing Caninia, the other Dimondia - and they quickly fell into a loud argument about which was the primary speaker for their race. Thankfully it never progressed beyond words and was broken up by the minotaur representative, but it still raised hackles and tempers all around.
That set the tone for the conference. After everypony (well, every creature) sat down, there was obvious tension. The two diamond dog parties weren't speaking to each other; the deer weren't talking to anypony; and the zebra representative seemed more concerned with her drink than the rest of the table.
Cadance leaned over and whispered into Sunset's ear. "They're all trying to avoid talking."
Sunset raised an eyebrow - then very briefly lit her horn. "Stop leaning over, it's really obvious." She didn't, instead looking ahead as if nothing was happening. "Fortunately there's a spell for this. Just talk normally - I'm the only one that can hear you right now." She thought for a moment before adding, "But remember they can all see your lips move, so be careful."
Cadance giggled, then put her wing in front of her mouth. "They're all trying to avoid a subject." She motioned slightly with her chin towards the far left side of the circle. "And none of them are making eye contact with that creature."
The creature in question was a white-furred yeti of some sort, wearing a black tabard that bore a double lightning bolt sigil. Beside him was an extremely nervous looking cat from Abyssinia, and on the other side was the empty seat traditionally reserved for the dragons (who Celestia had said never attended but always had a place set aside.)
"That's... the Storm Kingdom, right?" Sunset rifled through her memories to one of the more terse introductions on the way in.
Cadance nodded. "During the reception, everypony avoided them. Except for the Abyssinians, who followed them around like, um."
Sunset covered her mouth with her tea cup. "Like a lost puppy?"
The analogy - one Cadance had specifically been trying to avoid - made the alicorn blush with embarrassment. But she nodded. "I think they're why we're here."
And she was right.
After a quick but still too long greeting, Princess Celestia launched into the issue at hoof: the kingdom of the hippogriffs at Mount Aris had disappeared. The city, she reported, was in ruins and the entire population was missing. While Celestia didn't make any direct accusations, her choice to note shortly thereafter how Abyssinia had recently been conquered by the Storm Kingdom and was now in attendance as a client state was impossible to miss.
In turn, the yeti insisted that they had nothing to do with the hippogriffs and were deeply offended at the suggestion. They were, he stated, not aggressive by nature and were as deeply concerned as everyone else about this disruption of trade in the southern seas.
Just as Cadance had said, none of the other delegates made eye contact with Princess Celestia or the yeti throughout the whole exchange.
It continued on like that for three hours: Princess Celestia saying things that were almost but not quite accusations; the Storm Kingdom's diplomat denying any wrongdoing and deflecting; and every other delegation quietly staying out of their way. The only deviation was when Celestia suggested Equestrian troops move south to investigate the remains Mount Aris and guard it from intrusion. That was headed off by the representative from Kludgetown loudly stating that they would not allow military forces to move through their territory, particularly not with the intent of occupying another nation's lands.
Quietly Cadance noted that they were probably in on it, and Sunset saw a brief but meaningful look pass between the Kludgetown and the Storm Kingdom delegations that confirmed it.
If Princess Celestia saw the look, she didn't press the topic further.
In the end, lunch arrived and nothing had actually been accomplished.
Fortunately, lunch was much more interesting. Most of that was Cadance - by the time Sunset rejoined her after getting them both drinks (there was a lemonade on offer that was a wonderful contrast to the still not-quite-spring weather outside), the newest alicorn was surrounded by dignitaries eager to make first impressions.
They were all laughing at some joke Sunset had missed (and that probably wasn't funny anyway) so she smiled and hovered over the glass to Cadance. "I see you're already making connections."
Cadance beamed back and took the drink in wing. (That earned a small displeased glare from Sunset, but the alicorn ignored it.) "Sunset, I'd like to introduce you to Minister Burro," she motioned with her free wing at the donkey who was currently conversing with an Ornithian parrot. "Ambassador Dinqii," and she motioned to the zebra mare who was currently nursing her fourth glass of wine. "And..." Cadance's face screwed up. "I'm terribly sorry, I don't remember your full title."
The parrot turned away from the donkey and gave a playful roll of her eyes. "Not even two decades old and your memory is already going? That bodes ill for your next century." She gave a little bow. "Kinnaris, Lady of the Manoran March."
Cadance giggled at the little jab. "I'll start taking notes to remind myself, Lady Kinnaris. But first - Sunset Shimmer, personal student of Princess Celestia and my marefriend."
There was a quiet rumble of greetings shared around from all involved, as well as some gentle congratulations. But that was just a brief aside before discussion turned once more to the topic of the day.
"A shame, what happened to the hippogriffs." Dingii sipped her wine again. "They were good trading partners."
The other diplomats nodded and hummed in agreement, but Sunset was young and impulsive. "So do you think Princess Celestia's right and the Storm Kingdom did it?"
A brief look was exchanged before all three foreigners laughed that noble laugh of humoring your lessers. "Of course they did it," chuckled Lady Kinnaris. "I'm not certain how they managed to make off with the entire hippogriff population, but there's no doubt of who's responsible."
Confusion - and a little anger over being laughed at - screwed up Sunset's face. "So why aren't you doing something about it?"
"Because," Burro said, voice heavy with smarm, "We don't want to be next. Putting ourselves into the line of fire would only make us the Storm Kingdom's next target."
"And it wouldn't help anyway," added Dingii. "Equestria will take care of them shortly. The Princess always does."
Cadance opened her mouth to say something - only for Sunset to cut her off. "Yeah, right. The Royal Guard hasn't gone anywhere outside of Equestria in generations aside from a few disaster relief missions."
"And yet," Dingii retorted smugly, "Her will is still done."
Leaning over, Kinnaris set a claw on Dingii's shoulder. "Don't be snide, they're still chicks."
Sunset bristled.
"Foals," Dingii corrected.
The parrot shrugged. "Same thing, different word." She caught Sunset's angry glower out of the corner of her eye and directed her attention back to the unicorn. "I mean no offense, but you're both young and have lived your lives under Princess Celestia's rule." She glanced at Cadance but found no objection, so she continued with a question. "As Equestrians, how would you sum up the Princess in one word?"
Sunset hardlocked. There were a lot of words she could associate with the Princess, but limiting it to just one? Powerful? True, but hardly a summary of who she was. Blind? Doubtless given how often she'd denied Sunset, but that probably wasn't the answer Kinnaris was looking for. Perhaps divine? Or immortal? Maybe just Sun?
Thankfully, Cadance leapt in while Sunset mentally dithered. "Motherly," she offered. "Princess Celestia acts as mother to Equestria. She watches over the nation and her ponies, protecting us and helping us grow."
The three diplomats exchanged thoughtful glances. "A good answer, Your Highness," spoke Burro. "And as a pony, not inaccurate."
"But you'd say something else." Sunset jumped back into the conversation with all four hooves.
Kinnaris nodded. "The word I would use is 'gardener'. She cares for the world and all those within it, even if it is from a great distance. She gives aid, shores up those who need it, protects the weak, and stabilizes the faltering. But she is also ruthless and will prune those who don't grow according to her plan."
Cadance paled. "Prune?"
Quickly Dingii stepped in, partially blocking Kinnaris off. "What my less than delicate compatriot means is that Princess Celestia does not take kindly to those who step out of line. Arimaspi is an example - it was a land ruled once by the cyclops. In their hubris, they attempted to weaken the griffons by stealing the Idol of Boreas. Without it, the king in Griffonstone lost the divine favor and his rule collapsed. None know the precise circumstances of what happened, but the results were clear." Her voice dropped, grave and dour. "At one conference, the cyclops bragged about what they had done. The next, Arimaspi was ruled by the goats as an Equestrian subject and the cyclops were not heard from again."
"And that was when the griffon kingdom split," added Burro. "With Griffonstone becoming an Equestrian protectorate and the Griffish Isles devolving into their current clannish structure."
There were no words. Sunset couldn't find them as she tried to reconcile that with what she knew. Yes, Princess Celestia could be ruthless at times. Watching how she played the noble families against each other demonstrated that much. But to overturn entire nations?
"You don't know she did that," Cadance countered with the confidence of a wise teenager. "You can't just assume when you're talking about... About..." She stumbled over herself, lacking the words to name such an act.
Burro sighed and shook his head, oozing both pity and condescension. "Because it's one example out of a thousand years. Every nation has stories about how Princess Celestia has saved us and how she's nearly destroyed us. It is her garden, to use Lady Kinnaris' metaphor. Most of us are content to grow in the beds she's laid down for us because what choice does a bush have against the gardener?"
"This is part of why you're so interesting," added Dingii. "This is the first time in history Princess Celestia has had an equal and we're curious about how you're going to tend the garden."
Cadance frowned - but not at the words. She was looking not quite at any of the diplomats, but instead at some point in the middle distance as she thought and left picking up the conversation to Sunset.
She still had that look on her face hours later as they lay in the darkness.
The rest of the day had been unremarkable. Cadance had spent much of it in thought, leaving Sunset to do the heavy talking at lunch. (She'd discovered she didn't enjoy it - so many empty, pointless words.)
When the conference had resumed, the show had started all over again. Celestia made not-quite accusations, the Storm Kingdom denied everything, and the others simply watched and pretended it wasn't their problem. Hours upon hours of that passed with no progress. Somehow, Princess Celestia held her temper and didn't throw anyone out a window.
Dinner came and split the crowd - half had left to begin the journey home, while the other half joyously ate Celestia's food and drank her wine. The conversations had been vapid, giving Sunset no other insights into geopolitical matters but plenty into minotaur rugby, Orinthian cuisine, and the difference between zebra and kelpie art. It seemed that when not at the table itself, these diplomats were even less interesting than Canterlot's noble families. At least they talked about things that were relevant to Sunset.
Sunset had stuck out the dinner and for another two hours of drinks and hobnobbing afterwards. Not because it was useful or because she enjoyed it, but because leaving early would prove Celestia right. The torturous boredom and frustration only made it sweeter when the Princess suggested Sunset bow out for the evening and escort Cadance back to the familiar solace of her room, as the remaining diplomats had gotten deep into their cups.
Now it was the small hours of the night but neither of them was asleep.
For Sunset, she was at least trying to rest. She'd briefly had some doubts - if this was part of being a princess, Sunset wasn't sure she wanted it. That had passed quickly enough once she realized that as a princess she could delegate.
Her eyes shifted over to Cadance, barely visible by the light of last embers in the fireplace. Perhaps not delegate so much as share: Cadance had read the room of the conference itself expertly, and had seemed to enjoy chattering with the diplomats before she'd fallen into thought. Leave the annoying work like diplomacy and ribbon cuttings to Cadance where she shined, while Sunset sat on the throne to rule.
But those thoughts had been sorted out more than an hour ago and Sunset was still awake. Largely because Cadance was and even as the alicorn tried to be still and silent, in their close quarters it was impossible to miss the small shifts and more tense breathing of not being asleep.
Eventually, it bothered Sunset too much to stay silent. "Cadance. What's wrong." It came out more annoyed than she had intended - but that was a consequence of being kept awake deep into the night.
It took a bit for her to reply. "Just... thinking?"
Sunset sighed, mostly inside her head. "About?"
Another lengthy pause before Cadance's reply. "I'm not sure."
And another internal sigh, this time more frustrated. "What do you mean you're not sure?"
"I'm not sure how to say it," Cadance ventured at a near whisper. "There's a lot of things I'm still sorting out in my head. I just..." She trailed away.
Sunset frowned. "Was it that dumb gardener thing?"
Cadance hesitated. "Yeah."
"Who cares?" Sunset quietly snorted. "All I heard was a bunch of cowards justifying why they don't get their hooves dirty. Forget about it and get some sleep."
Cadance hummed in thoughtful agreement - but didn't fall asleep.
Both were very tired come the next morning, and Cadance still couldn't find the words.