• On the Train to Ponyville,

3 Years After Ponyville Became a City State.

"This sucks," Flash Sentry groaned at the Captain of the guard, as they sat on the train. Speaking privately, and frankly, in their own compartment. "Why do I have to go to Ponyville?"

Shining Armor sighed, "Look I'm not happy about this either, you're one of my most promising junior officers."

"Then don't let them take me! Talk to your wife! I don't want to be a consort!"

"Look it wasn't Cadence's decision," Shining sighed. "Our Governesses wanted to send Twilight a gift to honor her 30th birthday. She's legally an adult now, and traditionally princesses are given their first consort at this stage in their life. It goes back to the old Alicorn Dynasty, when every city state had an Alicorn ruling over it. Before the Crystal Empire disappeared this stuff was still pretty common place."

"But it's not anymore!" Flash wailed, "I don't want to be a sex slave for some princess!" however cute she was.

"You think I'm any happier about this? This is my little sister we're talking about! This is going to be awkward as all Tartarus."

Flash huffed, "Well I'm sorry to make things awkward for you!" He sarcastically quipped.

Shining groaned, "Look, regardless of how behind the times the Crystal Empire is, you do have rights. All you have to do is say the word and Cadence will defend your refusal to her Governesses."

Flash's ears flattened. It was one thing to complain... but now that he had an out. "I don't want to cause an incident. If Cadence blatantly disregards her council's decision-"

"Nothing will happen. They can't make Cadence go against Equestrian law, and the law says Stallions have the right to choose their own mate. It is within your rights to refuse at any point. Even after I give you to Twilight you can still back out."

Flash sighed, "It will just cause even more tension between you and the governesses. They are already pissed enough the guard has evolved from a harem for the princess into an actual branch of the military... even if we are just scouts not permitted in combat..."

Stallions had come a long way, but the royal guard was still more an honorary position, to keep stallions happy.

"Flash," Shining smiled. "You know why Cadence chose you after the Council told her she had to send somepony?"

The young Stallion sighed, "Because I'm a liability..." he thought he had been forgiven.

Flash had been helping Sunset for years. Going back and forth between the portal... telling her what was going on in Equestria. He didn't think of it at the time, as he just wanted to see his special somepony, but he was technically committing treason... by smuggling political information across borders... and what made it worse... Sunset was just using him.

After Flash learned Sunset stole the element of magic, he turned himself into Cadence... and all he got for it was a routine flogging, as any apprentice would have received after a minor transgression...

Then Cadence put him on her personal guard. Supposedly rewarding him for his honesty and bravery to come forward... but what if she had just been keeping an eye on him.

Shining sighed, seeing the colt's distress. Flash had always been overly hard on himself. He gets manipulated by a villain, though she later reformed, and he still carried scars from that. She had used him for years, when he thought they loved each other. That's not something the boy can be expected to recover from.

Maybe some good news would help put the colt's mind at ease. "Cadence chose you, because Twilight has a crush on you."

Flash stiffened, as his face reddened, "R-really?"

"Yep and, if you constantly volunteering, to be on any duty that involves my baby sister, is any indication, then you like her to."

Flash blushed and shifted awkwardly, "Well... I guess I might," He had been head over heels in love with her. Ever since the first moment they bumped into each other, back when he was just an apprentice... however, "I still don't like that I am being forced into this."

"Listen to me," Shining got a serious expression on his face. "Twilight would NEVER force you into anything. If you don't like something, just tell her, and if you at any point want to stop being her consort, Cadence and I will support you, and welcome you back into our guard. I realize consorts used to be... sex slaves, but you do have a choice."

"What about..." Flash lost the nerve to ask half way.

"Hum?" Shining forced it out of the barely legal colt, with nothing more then an expectant look.

"P-punishment?" Flash got it out.

"Oh..." Shining blushed. "Yeah, consorts were pretty famous whipping colts back in the day..."

"They still are!" Flash exclaimed. "Celestia is well known for tanning her consorts hides, even in public!"

"Yeah..." Shining shifted uncomfortably. "But unlike the old days, they agreed to it... Unfortunately, and it is all kinds of embarrassing to admit this, but Twilight will probably want to keep that up to. She's a bit kinky." Flash's, already red face, exploded.

Shining seemed to notice. "I caught her playing a lot of spanking games as a filly so... Anyway think of it this way, royal guards get flogged when they act inappropriately or mess up, right?"

"Y-yeah," Flash continued to blush, "but not by a mare in front of everypony."

"And I know you get it a few times a moon," Shining reminded.

That comment didn't help, as now Flash was squirming. "Not since I was an apprentice." at least not that often anymore.

"My point is, you know how a spanking feels and I doubt my sister would do any worse to you then that."

"You sure?" Flash looked up.

"If she wants to experiment, it will most certainly not be during a punishment and she will ask for your consent first, and use safewords," Shining was blushing more then Flash now. "Our parents had a long talk with her once they discovered her... interest. So she knows to respect the wishes of her partner."

Flash squirmed.

"Like I said," Shining reminded. "You can back out anytime." Just as the train stopped at Ponyville station.