Celestia was more than a little tired during her walk back to her chambers.
She never had what could be called an “easy” day, but meeting with the Saddle-Arabian's was always a draining experience. They weren't difficult or antagonistic in any traditional sense. They certainly weren't aggressive or unreasonable or even particularly annoying. It was just that the meetings ran for so long and demanded such adherence to protocol. It wasn't like meeting with griffons. Griffons were rude, abrasive, difficult, and aggressive, but at least she didn't have to worry about using the “wrong” fork.
There were days she wished the capital was in a city founded by earth ponies or pegasi. Anything to get away from the unicorn nobility. Her one solace was that her younger companion felt much the same way.
“I don't understand why I had to be there,” Cadance said. “All I did was wait in the hallway for hours, bow, smile, and thank them for coming. That seems like all I ever do except smile and wave. At least when I was foalsitting I felt like I was helping somepony. What did I even do today?”
Celestia smiled down at the much younger alicorn.
“By being there, you reinforced their impression that we're taking them seriously. In their minds, you are there to immediately speak with me and be told what you need to know in order to see to their needs. They trust me to hear everything and to delegate information appropriately on a need-to-know basis.”
Cadance furrowed her brow. “But… you haven't told me anything.”
“With your current duties being what they are, you don't 'need' to know anything about our discussions. They do not know that, of course. They only know that you are a princess and thus a pony of great importance.”
“So, I was there as a prop.”
Celestia's smile widened a little. “You would be surprised how much of being a princess, or any form of official for that matter, revolves around appearances. Poise, grooming, and knowing when to smile can take you far.”
Cadance frowned and ruffled her wings. “I just wish I could actually help somepony.”
Celestia reached out her own wing to rest gently across Cadance's back.
“All in good time. I know you are frustrated but you are a princess of Equestria. You'll play your part.”
A somewhat weak smile finally broke out on the young princess's face. “Well, it's not a complete loss. At least I get to see Twilight this weekend. It feels like forever since I spent any time with her.”
Celestia's own smile faded slightly at the reminder of her student. Leaving her with Spike again had been a gamble, one that had been on her mind for much of the evening. Had Twilight learned from her mistakes? Had Spike been bold enough to reach out again? What was she going to find when she opened the door? Two new friends or two upset children? The possibilities flitted past her mind's eye as they rounded the corner into the final stretch of hallway leading to her chambers.
“She's been very engrossed in her studies. You know how... diligent she can be.”
“I heard something about that. Five guards?”
“She held them at bay for nearly two hours. Final Draft didn't have time to fill me in on all the details.”
“One of the guards I spoke to mentioned something about a barrier spell. She must have picked that up from Shining Armor.”
The change in her companion's tone when she mentioned Shining Armor didn't go unnoticed by Celestia. If that colt didn't make an open move soon she was seriously considering ordering him to ask Cadance out officially. Life was too short to waste time, and too long to not cultivate some joy to fill it. Royalty or not, there was no way she was going to let Cadance fall into some stuffy, political marriage.
Not on her watch.
Cadance, made eager by the chance to do something after waiting for hours on end for a meeting she wasn't even in, trotted ahead of her and pushed open the door.
“Hm, it's quiet,” she whispered when Celestia caught up. "I wonder if they dozed off?”
Celestia's smile slipped fully into a frown when she stepped over the threshold. Quiet was not encouraging. She'd been hoping for talking or laughter or… something. Anything to indicate that the two children had found some common ground to bond on.
The place was clean and smelled faintly of soap. The distinctive twang of remover potion was absent, so her instructions had been followed, at least. She cast a critical eye over the doors to her study and bedroom, both of which were ajar. No lights were on in either of them, and the sitting room was rather dimly lit by only a single lamp and the flickering of a dying fire. She was about to call out for Twilight when she heard a stifled squeal.
Cadance had already reached the center of the room, right behind the long lounge that sat facing the fireplace. She was trembling on three hooves with the other pressed to her muzzle, looking over the back of the lounge to something on the floor.
“Cadan-?”
The younger princess frantically shushed her and beckoned her over.
“You have to see this!” she whispered.
Celestia crossed the room as quickly as she could without making a sound. In the dim light she didn't see what had Cadance so excited at first. A cushion from the sofa had found its way onto the floor, something that happened regularly since Spike had hatched. It was oddly lumpy, as though--
For a moment Celestia's jaw went slack in a most undignified manner.
The cushion was surrounded by books. Small, brightly colored books from the bottom shelf of her bookcase. The very same books that she read to Spike every night before she tucked him in. The cushion itself was draped with a blue blanket made lumpy by what was beneath it.
A little, purple unicorn…
…and an even littler purple dragon.
The two of them lay together on the same cushion with a book splayed out, half read and forgotten, in front of them. They were cuddled closely together, Spike tucked under one of Twilight's forelegs by the looks of it, and both fast asleep.
“That is the most adorable thing I've ever seen,” Cadance whispered.
Celestia could only nod. She didn't trust herself to speak. The two princesses stood there, looking down at the sleeping pair for several long minutes. Once again she found herself struck by the urge to lay down beside them. To reach out her wing to tuck the pair of them safely to her side and just… hold them there. She could do it. They were right there. It'd only take a moment and she could have them beside her. Cadance wouldn't say anything, wouldn't judge her for it. She'd understand, wouldn't she? With her gift she would surely understand the feelings swelling in her heart, begging her to--
She turned away and started towards the door. Cadance made to follow but hesitated before tearing her eyes away from the sight that'd so captivated her.
“Should we wake them?”
“No.” Celestia started at the hoarseness of her own voice. She gently cleared her throat and tried again. “They'll be fine. The enchantments on the fireplace will contain…” She shut her eyes to resist the longing to look back. “They'll be fine. Come.”
She lead the way back to the hallway and closed the door behind them.
“Will you join me for a late night snack, my dear Cadance? I believe there are a few leftover confections on hoof in the kitchens.”
Cadance looked up at her elder with eyes full of concern. “Are you alright? You seem troubled.”
Celestia took a long, slow breath. Her gaze wandered up above Cadance's head, towards the tall, narrow window at the far end of the hall through which the moon could be seen, bathing the palace in its pale light. Light that had never seemed quite as bright ever since that dark silhouette had bloomed across its surface so many years ago.
“I...” She swallowed and set her jaw against the tremor that threatened her voice. “I feel that I could use some company tonight if you wouldn't mind staying for a while. I'm feeling… I'm feeling very alone right now.”
Cadance didn't answer, not with words. Her wing reached up, straining to rest across Celestia's withers as the taller alicorn had done for her so many times. Celestia sagged slightly as though the pink and purple feathers weighed on her like a thousand pounds of bricks. Cadance stepped closer, letting Celestia lean on her ever so slightly as the two princesses walked down the hallway together.
It was a testament to a millennium of practiced restraint that she hardly wept at all.