There was a gramophone resting idly on a small table nearby. The few times she had heard it playing, it was always the same few songs. The grey unicorn felt the same, like a record player stuck on the same track, repeating it over and over, week after week. "...About two dozens ponies were hurt in the rain of swordfishes, four of which severely, but we managed to rescue them before the floating jellyfish invaded the area, so they were all saved. We..." She bit her lips, she couldn't bear to look at her princess any more, so she turned her gaze to the ground. "We didn't manage to evacuate the western part of the town before the whales fell from the sky. Several houses were crushed or damaged, causing about another dozen injured and..." She gulped. Even record players could get worn by time. "Two victims." She grimaced, it used to be easier to deliver her reports; now she felt unable to even articulate simple words "And..." She didn't recall when it started. She used to be proud of everypony she managed to save, when she was younger, and she felt every injury and every victim as nothing more than a stain on her pride. A failure, so to speak, something to mend by giving her 110% the following week. It was because of that she managed to raise the ranks and become her Celestia's second in command. "And..." But now things had changed.
"Velvet, you can stop." As the unicorn timidly raised her head, she saw the full dignity and nobility of her princess reflected in her stance, in her head raised high and in her understanding gaze. And yet her eyes were teary too. Twilight Velvet shivered in front of such a display of empathy and love. "I know it can be difficult, I know it can painful..." Ashamed, the unicorn realized once again there was no point in even trying to hide her feeling, or trying to look strong, in front of such a mare. The tears that had been building in the unicorn's eyes started finally to flow. It was liberating "But remember I am very grateful for and very proud of everything you do." Celestia's large right wing, despite the curse weakening it, got around velvet's shoulder in a warm hug, and for a few moments just stood there.
"No... I..." But that was exactly what she needed. After drawing a long breath, she was finally able to speak again. Just a few blunt words. "They left a foal behind". Then there was silence. Celestia's expression was unreadable, she seemed to be looking in the distance, way past the close walls of the cave they were in. "She doesn't have any other relative, so..." And even if she was hesitating to complete her sentence, doubting herself and her choice, Celestia was saying nothing. All she got from her was an encouraging nod. "So I brought her here." She had managed to keep her eyes on Celestia, but her voice weakened at every word. As far as she knew, it was an unprecedented act. A complete breach of security, even. But Celestia seemed... Ok with it?
"I see." the Alicorn nodded again, there was understanding in her eyes. A little smile was appearing on her muzzle, and although the unicorn still couldn't read her eyes as well as she would have liked, she seemed relieved. "Velvet, you know I trust your judgement completely."
The tears in Velvet's eyes, which had just moments before stopped, started flowing once more. "I don't deserve such kind words, Princess" Her voice was faltering. How could she deserve her trust, if she couldn't control her own feelings? "I-I just made a choice in the spur on the moment" Weakness, that's the word she would have used.
Celestia's gaze, now slightly harsher, seemed to be able to read her completely. "I disagree" Her tone was serious, decisive, but certainly not unkind. In another time the princess might even have had a song prepared for the occasion, to make the moral of the whole situation even more memorable. But she was too old for that "Everypony deserves kindness" It was as simple as that. Inspiring, but even Velvet didn't fully realize how heartfelt it really was "And I'm really glad you learnt this lesson by yourself" Her face relaxed a little bit, her smile became more comforting.
Velvet tried to wipe out the lingering tears on her muzzle, almost managing to calm herself down. She was blushing, still embarrassed, although relieved her Princess supported her choice "When I looked at her, it reminded me of my Twilight" It all boiled down to that. In retrospect, when she was younger she only thought of herself and her Princess. She wanted adventure, excitement, glory. "Although she must be the age of Shiny" Having to think of others, of Nigh Light first and of her two foals afterwards, changed her perspective completely. She could now feel the pain of others as her own. It made her job so much more difficult. And yet so much more meaningful. "I guess having foals really change you..." Her tone was neutral, her gaze more distant, many thoughts going through her mind.
After a few moments, the princess released a sober giggle. Most of the tension lingering in the room vanished right there. "You don't seem to like the fact." And she had hit the mark perfectly. For someone like Twilight Velvet, who had always worked hard and tried to succeed on her own merits, it was difficult to accept she might have become a better pony in virtue of something that merely 'happened' to her. "You have been helping me for a very long time, so I know you always try to better yourself" velvet blushed, as her princess hit the mark for the second time. Celestia paid no mind to it. "Giving birth is but one of the many things that made you who you are now: Leaving Canterlot, meeting me, befriending our comrades, fighting chaos, falling in love, and finally having foals..." Twilight velvet ended up reminiscing about her whole life, so briefly summarized by the Princess. It was certainly a little thing, vis-a-vis with the millennium of the alicorn's life, but it certainly was not without meaning: "Remove just one of these elements, and you might be a very different 'you'. And there is..." A reason, she thought. But no, that was not what she wanted to say at all. She caught herself in time, and seamlessly rephrased her thought. "And I wouldn't want you any other way."
The unicorn did not even notice that small faux-pas. It was easy, in such emotional conversations, to misspeak, and it was on the contrary surprising how articulate her Princess still managed to be. Awe-inspiring, even. "..." She barely knew what to say. She couldn't conceive an answer fitting such high praise. So, after a few more moments, with the grey of her muzzle now changed in red, she opted for the simplest and yet more effective one: "Thank you."
The alicorn simply smiled and nodded, glad of having shared this precious moment with her. But then she started to move towards the door of the room, unwilling to linger any longer on the discussion. There was another thing that she thought she had to do. So she turned a little to look at her companion, and asked kindly: "Could I see the foal, Velvet?"
The request caught her by surprise. One one hand, because she didn't think her princess should preoccupy herself with something so trivial. On the other hand because, as usual, she was asking as if rejecting her request was an option. No one in the resistance would ever say no to her. And certainly not her second in command: "Sure." Trotting quickly she got ahead of Celestia, opening the door with her magic and then waiting for her: "I'll lead the way!"