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// Trixie Opens Up 
// Story: Trixie's New Role (Rework) 
// by Jhoira 
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Trixie jumped slightly as the doors to Princess Celestia's room opened. Her ears instantly drooped when she saw Celestia flanked by royal guards, hanging her head as she knew she wouldn't be getting to try and justify herself. However, Celestia strode forward alone and the doors closed behind her, leaving the royal guards in the hall outside. Trixie looked up a little more hopefully as Celestia looked down at her, the look on her face inscrutable. Trixie was about to try to start her explanation when Celestia interrupted her with a single word. "Explain." Coming across more like Luna's 'royal voice' than Celestia's own gentle tones.

Not able to meet the princess' eyes Trixie looked away. The cold demanding Celestia intimidated her more than when she had been flanked by royal guards. Pawing at the floor in front of her Trixie spoke in a quiet voice, not her usual loud way. "Princess Celestia... T-Trixie... Trixie would like to return to the subject of who Trixie is..."

Managing to work up the courage to look back up at Celestia it seemed that Celestia had turned from cold to a slightly more encouraging curious but annoyed. She leaned down slightly, so she wasn't quite so much taller than Trixie. Speaking this time in a gentler, less imperious tone. "What do you mean Trixie?"

Trixie hesitated before she puffed her chest up slightly again. "T-Trixie is still very... C-Confident mare...! But..." She broke eye contact with the princess again, glancing down and off to the side. "But... But Trixie might... Want to talk more about... About being... Less... Confident..."

Celestia frowned for a moment before a few moments later she smiled, laying down as she looked at Trixie. Now she was more or less on the same level as the other sitting pony. "Well that fits, you don't sound so confident, precious."

Trixie blinked, opening her mouth to lash out at the insult before she stopped herself just in time. She blinked a bit and bit her bottom lip. "Princess..." She wasn't confident about opening up with her emotions, that was a factual statement. She swallowed and started again as she still wouldn't meet the princess' eye. "Princess, would you... Help Trixie with her... Issues?"

Celestia smiled at that request, cooing to the young pony. "Help you with what issues?"

Trixie blinked, a little confused by the change. Looking back at the princess and tilting her head to the side. "Uh... What we talked about last night princess."

Trixie smiled happily as Celestia nodded, but then let out a small whine when Celestia spoke again. "I know, but we should go over it again. Now that you're sober." Trixie squirmed under that unerring gave, looking away before having her eyes drawn back as Celestia clicked her tongue. "Eye contact. You can't pretend you're not talking to me."

Trixie let out another small whine but licked her lips as she nervously kept eye contact with the princess. "Trixie would like to talk about..."

Celestia interrupted the poor blue mare, though kindly, and gently. "You would like to talk, precious." At Trixie's confused look Celestia expanded on her demand. "You are saying these things. It's not Trixie, it's you."

Trixie giggled a little, this time it was genuine amusement. "Princess, that's how show ponies talk! It's not about Trixie avoiding her issues." At Celestia's raised eyebrow Trixie whined again, recoiling a little under the gaze. "I-It's not..."

Celestia shook her head, being gentle with the younger mare. "Alright Trixie, it's your personal style." Trixie smiled, sitting back more normally. "But humor me?"

Trixie nodded, happy she, at least in her head, had convinced the princess. And to Trixie's credit, she did legitimately believe her statement, whether it was true or not. "Tri... I." She smiled a bit triumphantly as she remembered the princess' request. Even in the midst of her deciding if Trixie was being honest Celestia had to smile at that cute little shift. "I haven't really told anypony about my issues before..."

That piece of information was something that Celestia hadn't gotten last night, and it caused a wide smile to spread across her muzzle. That was extremely touching, but it was also a little bit odd. "You now have friends don't you?" Trixie said that she hadn't had friends when she was younger, but now she did. "Why haven't you told Starlight Glimmer or Twilight?"

Trixie bit her bottom lip, not wanting to point out that she wasn't really friends with the princess' favorite student. "Well... Princess if others knew about... My, my issues. They might not like me." She nervously circled one of her hooves on the ground. "And besides... They have their own issues..." Starlight was still dealing with some guilt about her old actions, though it wasn't as bad as it used to be.

Trixie was surprised by the low chuckle from Celestia who smiled at her. "But a princess is a fine place to unload your problem on?"

Trixie flushed gently. "T-Trixie was tipsy..."

"You were tipsy."

"I was tipsy. I-I didn't really... Mean to."

Trixie let out a small meep as Celestia's magic surrounded her. Pulling her over to Celestia as she sat up she tucked Trixie back inbetween her forelegs and smiled down at her. "I think it was an excellent idea. It got us here did it not?"

Trixie giggled a little and nodded, looking up at Celestia with a small, hesitant smile. "It did." Trixie looked off to the side for a moment but then looked back at Celestia without prompting, causing the princess to give her an encouraging smile. "I... I would like to ask again if... If I can stay with you princess?"

Celestia smiled gently, cooing to the girl. "You can, but only if you admit to one last thing, precious. You can't avoid that either."

Trixie let out a small whine, shaking her head gently, less so in a denial of the demand, more in the denial of the event. "B-But princess..." At Celestia's slight narrowing of the eyes, Trixie whined again. "T-Trixie... Cried last night..."

Celestia smiled gently at the girl, it wasn't perfect, but it was close, certainly enough effort to let Trixie try to correct her error. "Trixie did something last night?"

Trixie sighed gently, her eyes quivering as she was again close to tears from having the memories of the time she'd decided others weren't to be trusted brought up. "I... I cried last night."

Celestia nodded, cooing to the girl quietly. "And why did you cry?"

Swallowing Trixie continued. "B-Because... Because..." Trixie shook her head, whimpering as she thought back to when she was just a little filly. "I-It wasn't my fault!" Celestia raised a hoof and gently rubbed the younger mare's chest gently, waiting. After a few moments of silence, Trixie started up again. "Because he b-betrayed me!" Trixie couldn't keep her voice from breaking as she said that.

Celestia nodded, cooing to her gently. "He did. But you didn't have to turn away from everyone."

Trixie frowned at that, shaking her head. "B-But they could hurt me again!" She retracted slightly, puffing her chest out. "Th-The great and powerful Trixie doesn't need to let anyone in! She won't be hurt ag..." Trixie trailed off as Celestia's eyes softened again to sad orbs and Trixie whimpered, letting out her held breath. "I-I'd like to let you in princess..."

Celestia smiled again, rubbing the younger mare's chest gently. "We'll need to work on that, but yes, I think that we can do this. You can be my consort, Trixie." She paused then snickered gently. "I take it you don't well remember what we discussed last night? About consorts." Trixie shook her head and Celestia chuckled gently. "The short version is that as a princess my actions are under constant watch by the court. I don't get to have marefriends. I get concubines/catamites, something I have never availed myself of, consorts, and spouses. All of these ponies I have limited authority over." Trixie's eyebrows hit the ceiling so to speak, so fast that Celestia hurried to clarify. "In a legal sense, precious. I have wide authority to pardon criminals and other privileges. Most of those privileges do not extend to those ponies that I am close with. The nobles demanded that such things be quantified."

Trixie nodded, smiling shyly as she looked up at the princess. "But... It's pretty much just another word for marefriends then?"

Celestia chuckled and nodded, pulling Trixie into a small hug. "Yes, it does." She got up and stretched a little, smiling down at Trixie. "I do have to get back to court, make yourself at home in my room." Celestia looked a little chagrined a moment later. "Oh, or would you prefer your own room? Or perhaps sleeping in your caravan? I can have it brought onto the grounds, perhaps in the gardens?" Celestia had realized right after she said it that perhaps Trixie wouldn't want to share her bedroom.

Trixie, however, jumped on the proposition. "Oh! Trixie wo..." She paused and looked up at Celestia, who gave her an encouraging nod. "Trixie would love to share your..." She blushed ever so gently. "To share your bedroom princess." She grinned and tilted her head to the side. "Trixie supposes we should get her cape and hat so they don't get cleaned again."

Celestia smiled and shook her head. "If you're staying here, precious, I'll order some new ones made."

Trixie's eyes widened and she bounced up to her hooves, grinning widely. "Ooh! New capes? I would love that! Thank you so much, princess! I..." She frowned for a moment. "Uh... But... Trixie would still get her old ones back, right?"

Celestia hadn't even considered that and shrugged. "Well, I don't see why not."

Trixie nodded happily. "Trixie's had them for a long time, they're sentimental to me!" But it was obvious Trixie was extremely excited at the concept of new capes. Celestia smiled faintly as she made another realization.

"You aren't used to getting gifts are you?" Celestia grinned, Trixie could have bought herself new capes long ago, but getting them as a gift seemed to make her so happy.

Trixie blushed a little and shook her head. "N-Not really princess."

The princess leaned down, smiling at her new consort. "I'll make sure to bring you plenty of gifts then, precious one." Celestia leaned in and left a lingering kiss on Trixie's lips before she turned and left the young mare to get used to the idea of her new role.