“Celestia, darling!”
Rarity tried to bury the embarrassment of having literally bumped right into the Hunter-Queen of Equestria by putting a hand to her face to cover one of her bright red cheeks, and giving an awkward smile, one that Celestia could doubtlessly see right through.
Celestia wasted no time; she didn’t make a joke or pretend to be serious or any such thing, she simply reached her arms around Rarity and pulled her into a tight hug, enveloping her mighty white wings around the unicorn who melted into her mentor’s embrace.
“It’s been too long,” Celestia said, clutching Rarity slightly tighter, as if she were afraid to let go.
“My, ever the affectionate one, I see,” Rarity giggled and pulled herself away, though her hands were still gingerly clasping her Queen’s. “It hasn’t been that long, princess.”
Celestia let out a soft giggle, grazing her thumb over the crease in Rarity’s hand. “Perhaps,” she said wistfully, “but the winter is long, and it feels longer without my favorite student.”
“Now, now, Celestia,” Rarity said with a teasing wink, though she couldn’t help but affect a very genuine smile, “you shouldn’t play favorites!” Rarity ran one of her hands through her mane and allowed herself a haughty laugh. “Even if I am the most fabulous mare in Equestria.”
“That you certainly are, my dear student,” Celestia shook her head and laughed once more, then a sigh left her lips as she stared Rarity down.
Rarity looked up at the Queen; while she was only about a head taller than Rarity, she felt like a mountain to the unicorn, moreso even than the mountain that Canterlot was built around.
“So,” Celestia cleared her throat and began walking down the road, Rarity following behind, eager to put her old family home far behind her, “headed to Hunter’s Haven?”
“Absolutely,” Rarity nodded. “You?” Celestia nodded as well, and while another pony may have missed it, Rarity caught the slightest moment where Celestia’s smile faltered. “Something the matter, darling?”
“The winter is getting longer,” Celestia said grimly, almost a whisper, like she was simply thinking out loud. Rarity’s mood shifted with the Queen’s, becoming dour the moment the Queen’s smile vanished.
“Pardon?”
Celestia looked down at Rarity and offered a warm smile. Rarity knew the gesture was only meant to keep her from worrying, but even still, there was nothing quite so relaxing as Queen Celestia’s smile.
“I apologize, Rarity,” she said. “I have simply been on far too many difficult missions this season,” Celestia sighed and shook her head, almost melodramatically so, “I’m just a bit tired today.”
“That’s completely fair,” Rarity said with a nod, a gesture that seemed to make Celestia relax a little. “After all, you may be an immortal alicorn, but you’re still a pony! You need rest just like all of us!”
“I suppose that’s true,” Celestia muttered.
“It is true,” Rarity harrumphed. “I don’t want to hear any more stories of how you’re overworking yourself!” Celestia opened her mouth to speak but Rarity cut her off, “I know ‘overworking is part of your job’ but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to relax from time to time!”
“You’re right, Rarity,” Celestia sighed in defeat, and Rarity finished Celestia’s sentence in unison with her, “like always.”
Celestia took a deep breath and arched her back, letting her wings flare out behind her. Rarity walked beside her as they headed for home together, keeping each other engaged with light jokes and small talk during their walk.
It was early evening, the moon was blanketing the snowy buildings and clean roads in its pale light while the ponies of Canterlot were mostly settling into their homes or into restaurants for dinner time.
The roads were mostly clear of ponies, though a few waved at Celestia and Rarity as they passed by, though none were bold enough to interrupt the Queen’s conversation with her protégé.
“So,” Celestia said as the two drew near Hunter’s Haven, “you haven’t told me about the timberwolf mission! How did it go?”
“I didn’t?” Rarity fluttered her eyelashes at her mentor. “Why, I could have sworn I filed a report like always!”
“You certainly did,” Celestia said, and something in her tone needled Rarity, but she couldn’t quite put a finger on what. Was Celestia teasing her? “And quite an interesting one, at that!”
“How so?” Rarity asked, slightly afraid to learn the answer.
“You almost died,” Celestia said so casually, and Rarity supposed that flirting with death would be something rather casual to an immortal queen, wouldn’t it? Celestia looked down at Rarity and she was sure the alicorn’s gaze was going to puncture a hole right through her. “What happened? It isn’t like you to be so careless, especially for such a simple mission.”
Rarity dared not look at Celestia as the two stopped in their tracks, standing just in front of the bridge that led over the nearly frozen river to Hunter’s Haven, the majestic lavender building towering in the horizon.
“I wish I knew,” Rarity spoke, her eyes glued to the snow at her hooves. “I fear I simply haven’t been myself as of late.”
“It’s something all Slayers go through, I’m sorry to say,” Celestia’s soft voice was comforting, though not nearly as much as her wing stretching out across Rarity’s back, or the feeling of being tugged by that wing into a one-armed hug from the Queen. “You will power through it. I have great faith in you, my dearest Rarity.”
Rarity wanted to thank her Queen, but settled for a contended hum instead as she let herself lean against Celestia’s chest, the alicorn gently caressing Rarity’s shoulder.
“And I know something that will help you immensely,” Celestia said with a pleased grin.
“Oh?” Rarity asked, her eyes closed as she breathed deeply of the crisp winter air. “And what would that be, darling?”
Rarity opened her eyes just in time to see Celestia’s cheerful wink. “A drink with your favorite alicorn, of course!”
“Oh,” Rarity resisted the urge to let a devilish grin cross her face, “I didn’t realize Luna was here.”
The disgusted scoff Celestia made as she shoved Rarity away in shock was nearly as priceless as the positively aghast expression on the Queen’s face, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide as saucers, but the most exquisite element of Rarity’s teasing had to be the bright red flush that adorned Celestia’s pale white cheeks.
Simply marvelous.
Rarity couldn’t hold back her delighted laughter, and after a moment of glaring at Rarity and looking ever so deadly serious, neither could Celestia, who quickly wrapped Rarity up in another hug.