Consciousness returned to Celestia with a pounding headache. Blearily blinking her eyes opened, she saw the back of the couch she was sprawled across.
She heaved to her side to roll over. ‘What happene–’
“Wo-oah!” Celestia cried out as she rolled off the side and fell to the floor. Shaking her head, she rolled over again, sitting up properly.
‘What happened last night?’ she thought to herself as she looked around. Scattered around the room were two sets of regalia, her own and another set in gold, for a smaller pony’s frame.
Gazing at the furniture, she didn’t recognize the room. Conversely, the room smelled very familiar, welcoming. It comforted Celestia like an old friend.
As her mind slowly ground into motion, the door handle turned. As it opened, a familiar blue hoof stepped in. Celestia’s ears folded back slowly, as in walked the last pony she hoped to see in this state, her sister.
Luna stepped in and closed the door. She gently moved to stand in front of her sister. Luna’s face was stern as she spoke one word, “Explain.”
Celestia was confused. “Lu?”
Luna’s horn lit and she cast a privacy barrier over the room. “Sister. Celestia, don’t play coy with me. Why didn’t you tell me what you had planned last night?”
Celestia’s mind ground into motion, but came up with nothing. No recollection of the previous night. “I’m… afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about–”
The word “Bullshit!” blew her backwards into the couch. Luna looked livid.
Celestia slowly pried herself from the couch and sat down again. She softly spoke, “I’m serious, Lu. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her magic snapped Luna’s muzzle shut as it opened again. “I literally don’t remember last night one bit.” Her muzzle fell, staring at the floor. “At all.”
She released her sister’s muzzle, expecting another shout. What she got was a hoof gently lifting her muzzle to look into her sister’s eyes. “Truly?”
Celestia’s ears pinned back and she nodded gently. “I promised never to lie to you, Lu. If I knew what I did last night, I would explain it in a heartbeat.”
“Well that just takes the cake, does it not?” Luna’s hoof fell. “I had this whole big shpeal planned to berate you for hours, but you just cannot remember!”
“I… let me try something. It may help.”
“Very well.”
Celestia’s horn lit and she cast a memory spell, designed to help self-repressed or magically-suppressed memories return. Several came up, but nothing recent. Lamely, she looked to the side as the magic faded. “Nevermind. It didn’t.”
Luna’s wings sprung open, and she seemed to crouch in on herself. “Did she do this to you?”
“Who? Luna, I don’t remember anything. You’re going to have to tell me what happened.”
Luna sighed before floating over a newspaper.
Newest princess result of nepotism? read the banner.
“No. Twilight is not a princess because of nepotism. She has earned her position fairly.”
“What?” Luna brought it back. “Oh. Wrong heading.”
She folded it over and thrust it back to Celestia.
Royal Wedding soon? Sources say Celestia and Twilight Sparkle to wed Celestia’s eyebrows rose. “What… is this?”
“I don’t know, sister, you tell me?”
“Again, Luna–”
The door handle turned and both ponies looked to see Twilight enter. “Hi Celly! I thought I heard you get up earlier so I–” The rest of what she was going to say turned into a squeal as Luna’s magic grabbed her and roughly pulled her inside. The only sound for a few seconds was the door slamming shut.
Pulled up to stare into Luna’s face, Twilight sputtered under the sheer intimidating presence Luna exuded, “H-hi, Luna. Is… something wrong?”
The paper ripped away from Celestia and shoved into Twilight’s face. “Explain.”
“O-oh. There’s not much to say.” Twilight beamed a bright smile. “Celly asked me and I said yes!”
The sound of stone grating on stone played in Celestia’s mind as Luna slowly turned to stare daggers at her. It took all of Celestia’s not-insignificant will to stay still until Luna looked away.
She found her voice and she sternly said, “Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight straightened up instantly. “Yes, Celestia?”
More softly this time Celestia continued, “I have no memory of last night. What happened?”
“What’s the last thing you remember?”
She racked her mind and found one place where the gap had started. “I had just left dinner.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Twilight took a breath. “I wanted to surprise you with a visit, so I was waiting outside your room. I know after a stressful day you like to have a glass of wine or two, so I brought a bottle.” As Twilight spoke, it was like her memory started returning. Celestia seemed to lose track of herself into Twilight’s recounting.
Her ears pinned back as she explained. “You and I spent some time just relaxing before you seemed to grow… anxious?” Twilight shrugged. “I’m not sure. You just seemed to have something on your mind all night, and it seemed to come to a head at that point.”
“You called me over, and swept me up in a wing.”
Luna looked between the two. Celestia’s eyes were glazed over.
“And after that–”
“I kissed you and asked you to marry me.”
“Y-yeah.” Twilight’s ears perked up and her tail swished. “Hey, didn’t you say you didn’t remember?”
“As you said it, I saw it from my perspective.” Celestia’s muzzle fell. “I did.”
Twilight felt the mood in the room turn down and she tried to fight it. “Hey. I accepted! That’s good, right?”
Luna’s voice had no emotion. She looked to be a statue as she replied, “Nay, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight’s head tilted adorably. “Why is it bad?”
“Because I had promised to let Luna marry you.” Celestia hated the choice of words, but it was the simplest explanation.
Surprise stunned Twilight for a few seconds. She looked between the two. “Why?”
“My gratitude is boundless, Twilight. As I read your lessons from Ponyville, I grew enamored. I was waiting for you to settle in before asking to court you.” She sneered at Celestia. “And now all my plans are for naught.”
Celestia raised a hoof. When did her vision get blurry? “Lu? I’m so–”
Luna stood stiffly. “Don’t apologize to me.” She turned and made her way to the door. “I shall see myself out.”
Luna’s hoof reached for the door handle. Though she tried to keep her voice even, her snide anger did leak into her parting statement. “I… wish you two a wonderful marriage. You two are obviously a match made in heaven.”
Before the door could open, a soft “Luna?” met her ears and she stopped in her tracks. Her head turned to see Twilight at her side.
“I… I can call it off if you want,” Twilight hiccuped She was tearing up, and it about broke Luna’s heart. “I coul–”
Luna shook her head. “Nay. I don’t want to get in the way of your happiness any more than I have.”
“But–” A blue hoof met Twilight’s lips and silenced her.
“No, Twilight.” She nuzzled Twilight softly. “I do not wish to get in the way of your happiness.” She opened the door softly before whispering to Twilight, “Know that I am truly happy for both of you, but my heart wishes it was myself, instead of mine sister causing your heart to soar.”
Celestia watched the scene as her guilt grew. When Luna walked out, she wept silently. Moments later, she felt herself herded back onto the couch. Her face was pressed into warm fur and Celestia broke down entirely, wailing despondently. Distractedly, she felt wet drops fall on her own neck.
The pony comforting her stroked her mane and cooed comfortingly into her ears between her own sniffles.
What felt like hours later, Celestia’s wails faded as her throat burned. Her cries of pain calmed down to gentle sniffles.
A soft “Celestia?” called her attention. She looked into the purple fur she’d cried into, matted with her snot and tears, it would take hours to clean up.
Celestia sniffled loudly. “I’m sorry to do this to you, Twilight. I had never meant to actually ask. Do… do you want to call it off?”
Twilight looked down into Celestia’s eyes, showing she’d been crying along with Celestia. “Answer me this. Do you really love me?”
Celestia’s voice was hoarse, but clear, “I love you, Twilight. With all my heart.”
A hoof stroked Celestia’s mane. “Do you regret asking me?”
“No. My only regret is that I caused Luna so much pain.”
“She…”
“Loves you as much as I do, I would bet.”
“Why?”
“It’s like she said. Saving her life from the Nightmare put the idea in her heart, but reading how you grew as a pony, and getting to know you caused her to fall for you.”
“What about you?”
Celestia answered honestly, “I have always loved you, Twilight.”
“Even as a foal?”
“A different kind of love, perhaps. I saw you as the brightest, most inquisitive, and quite literally the smartest student I had ever taken on. When I wasn’t working with you, the country, or sleeping, I was preparing lessons for you.”
“Did I really take that much of your time?”
Celestia’s small smile could rival the sun. “You did. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world, though. And that love grew after you had moved to Ponyville. When I had actual free time, I found myself habitually making more lesson plans.” Celestia laughed once, a soft, raspy thing. “For a student I would not likely see again.”
“I don’t…”
“I’m not entirely sure when my love for you changed from what it was to romantic, but it did.”
“I have a question. Were you were prepared to sacrifice your love for me, for your sister?” Twilight asked. “You would let Luna live the life you wanted?”
Celestia’s head fell onto Twilight’s chest. “I was. It seems the wine last night made me think otherwise, taking what she deserves selfishly for myself.”
“In my life, I have had the luxury of several ponies I would call a true love.” Celestia frowned. “Luna… has not. Every one of her attempted romances ended catastrophically. Several tried to harm or outright murder her when she refused to grant them power. Others dragged her name through the mud after a breakup. Others parted amicably, but their friendship was never the same.”
“She… thought that you might be her first true love.” One of Celestia’s hooves slammed down on the couch. “And I took that from her.”
Twilight’s hoof lifted Celestia’s head. “Do… do you want me to try and love her?”
“Do you think you love her?”
Twilight shook her head. “No. But that doesn’t mean I can’t give her a chance.” Celestia’s heart skipped a beat. “If you want me to.”
“I want…” Celestia wanted to, so much.
“Celestia.” A hoof made its way to her chin. “Celly. If you want me to try, I will. If you don’t… consider it dropped.”
“I…” Will crumbling, Celestia shut her eyes and nodded. “I want you to try.”
Celestia felt Twilight slide out from around her. “Alright.”
What few tears remained threatened to fall. “I’m sorry, Twilight.”
“No.” She felt a soft pair of lips against her own for a few seconds. “Don’t be sorry.”
Celestia felt as though she’d ripped out her own heart, but was silent as Twilight slipped out of the room.
~ Three years later ~
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Twilight leapt at her wife. Her sister wept happily for the newlyweds.