by
Rarity looked up in awe at Celestia, watching as she rose majestically up into the heavens. Today was the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, the first one since she had finally worked up the courage to tell Celestia about her feelings. Oh, how surprised Celestia had been, and how nervous Rarity herself had been.
After she had finally put her feelings out in the open, she had felt a huge sense of relief. It didn’t matter what the princess said, it was out of her hooves and there was nothing she could do about it.
And then she said yes. Time after that had just flown by, and Rarity felt like she hadn’t a care in the world. Sure, she had known somewhere in the back of her mind that the princess was different, but it had never really seemed to matter.
Now though, as she watched the sun rise behind Celestia, she suddenly felt unsettled. Sure, she had always felt that she deserved more, but did she really deserve to be the consort of a god? Did anypony? She mulled these thoughts over silently, not taking her eyes off Celestia as she descended back to the ground.
“Rarity? Is something wrong?”
Rarity jerked out of her stupor at the sound of Twilight’s voice. She whipped her head around to face her, smiling uneasily. “Oh no, Twilight, why would anything be wrong?”
“Well, you have just been staring at Celestia blankly for about 10 minutes,” said Twilight with a bemused smile on her face. “The ceremony’s already ended, she’s just been talking with some nobles.”
“Have I?” said Rarity, blinking in surprise. “Well, I suppose I may be a little preoccupied, but really, darling, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“Is it something to do with Celestia?” asked Twilight concernedly.
“No, no, Celestia hasn’t done anything. She has been completely perfect, as always.” Rarity paused. “I just… No, never mind.”
“Rarity, come on. I’m your friend, you can talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“I think I just…” Rarity trailed off, looking down at Celestia again. “She has been perfect, just… maybe too perfect. She has lived longer than any of us can imagine, she has been seen as a symbol of beauty and perfection by artists for a thousand years. She is graceful and soft spoken and always kind. And now I am her paramour? I don’t deserve her.”
“Rarity,” said Twilight, smiling, “wasn’t it always you who wouldn’t stop going on about how you deserved to be in high society? How you should be in Canterlot, near the princesses? What’s with this sudden humbleness?”
“Oh, darling, I am anything but humble,” replied Rarity, a small smile appearing on her face. “What I am saying is that nopony is deserving of her. She is a literal goddess, she raises the sun for us every morning, and for 1000 years, she raised the moon. She is so far above and beyond anypony else in Equestria, except for you, Cadence, and Luna. She is immortal, I am a mortal. She is a princess, I am a dressmaker.”
“I would have thought you enjoyed the forbidden love aspect,” said Twilight, smirking. “You were always such a hopeless romantic.”
“Be that as it may,” said Rarity, blushing hotly, “just because it is romantic does not mean that it should be. She should not be forced to bring herself down to my level, nor anypony else’s.”
“Rarity…” said Twilight, smiling sadly. “You’re doing exactly what Celestia hates.”
Rarity blinked at Twilight, slightly taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“You’re deifying her, placing her at an insurmountable height that nopony can ever hope to reach. Everypony does that to her, some even truly worship her. But do you really think she wants this? She has the same problem with ponies doing this to her as I do, she’s just, well, better at hiding it than I am. Despite what you may think, she still just considers herself a pony, no better or worse than any other ponies. You know, she talks about you a lot to me.”
Rarity gasped. “She does not!”
“Yes she does, Rarity. She talks about how kind and generous you are and all that sort of stuff, but do you know what she talks about the most, what makes her the happiest? She says you treat her like a pony and not like a princess. She doesn’t want to be revered, she just wants somepony to be themselves around her.”
“I… I guess I never thought of it like that.” Rarity said, looking down to the ground. She paused for a few seconds before looking up at Twilight, beaming. “Thank you, Twilight. You have no idea how much better this makes me feel. I… I think I’m going to go talk to her now.”
With a hurried goodbye, she departed, Twilight smiling behind her.