//------------------------------//
// The Princess and the Queen 
// Story: Twilight's Reign 
// by James Pwyll 
//------------------------------//

"Okay, Twilight...just breathe." Twilight's words were as calming as possible as she spoke to herself, and per her own advice, she tried breathing in and out. It was standard relaxation exercises, and she'd used them ever since Cadance had taught them to her so long ago. But even with this being done, there was a tension in her that simply wouldn't let her go, and it was starting to get to her. "Spike...I'm not looking forward to this."

Spike, sitting beside her in the throne room, looked to her with equal concern. "I know the feeling. Last time we saw her wasn't exactly on the best of terms." A smile came to him. "But, you know, a whole bunch of good stuff has happened since then, and ponies and Hippogriffs are close friends now, so...maybe it'll be okay?"

Twilight's ears drooped. "I know...but she and I haven't spoken since my...since the last time. Whenever she's come to Equestria it was always Princess Celestia she was talking with. Today's the first day I'll be the one she's visiting." She gulped. "I just hope this goes okay."

Just then, the doors of the throne room opened, and from them emerged Flash's current replacement, who fulfilled his duties loudly. "Announcing the arrival of Novo, Queen of the Hippogriffs!"

Twilight stood from her throne, as did Spike, and watched as the distinguished monarch entered. Flanked by two other Hippogriffs in royal armor, Novo made a graceful approach to the throne, and Twilight, seeing her composed and stern face, gave a deep bow as soon as she got there. "Queen Novo. It's a pleasure to welcome you to the Royal Palace."

Novo returned the bow, then rose up again. "I am grateful for the invitation, Princess Twilight. It has been quite a while since we last saw one another. I trust your time on the throne has been successful thus far?"

Twilight, to that at least, was able to smile. "It has been. Taking on a role like this has been daunting...but I like to think I've risen to the challenge."

Novo gave a nod, then glanced both to her own guards and to the ones stationed around the rest of the room. "Pardon my forwardness, but I prefer not having too much of an audience during my official visits."

Twilight understood immediately. "Of course." She gestured to her guards, all of whom gave a salute before starting to make their way out. Novo's own guards followed suit, and before long it was just the two monarchs and Spike. Taking a few steps down from her throne, Twilight's uncertainty about the visit was starting to show in her tone. "I was...unsure if you'd be willing to come here when I invited you. I'm glad you accepted."

To that, Novo smiled. "But of course. My people spent years away from all others. Now that the shadow of the Storm king is no longer upon us, I have no intention of staying down below the waves if I have a chance to get out and about."

Spike, who had been keeping quiet throughout most of this, looked to the Queen with curiosity. "How's Skystar?"

Novo looked down to him, appearing happy that such a question was asked. "Oh, my daughter is the same as always. Eager to get out and see other things, even more than she was before. It can be quite a hoofful, as you can expect. You and your friends certainly had an impact on her during your brief time with us back then."

Twilight too thought back happily on their brief interactions with the excitable Princess. "It was a delight to meet her, and all of you. I cannot thank her enough for her help in battling the Storm King."

Here, Novo's smile faltered, though only a little. "Indeed...though I wish the rest of your first visit had been similarly pleasant."

And there it was, Twilight thought to herself. The sticking point she'd feared since this visit first began. The one thing she'd been dreading having to talk about all day. Here it was, staring her in the face. She knew it, Novo knew it, and Spike certainly knew it, given how the latter was starting to shrink away from the two leaders. After a long silence, Twilight took one last deep breath in an effort to calm herself, then spoke earnestly. "Queen Novo...I should have said this a long time ago...but I am truly sorry for what I did." Novo didn't answer, thus giving Twilight leave to continue. "I tried to steal from you and your people. I let my desperation cloud my judgement and cause me to act...shamefully. No matter my intentions, or what I hoped to achieve...what I did was a crime, and for that..." She bowed. "I beg forgiveness."

Novo stared at her intently, her mind clearly going through a great deal. And after almost a full minute of not saying anything, she sighed deeply. "Yes...you did wrong. But..." She hesitated for a second before getting her words out. "I erred too." Seeing Twilight look to her with confusion, she elaborated. "For so long, I had one priority above all else. Keep my people away from the Storm King. I transformed us, I hid us, and I kept outsiders away from us all to achieve that goal." A grimace came to her. "And after all that, I'd closed my heart to the suffering of others. You and yours...the Storm King hurt you, just as he meant to hurt us, yet when you came to us, appealed to us for help, begged us for a way to free your people...I turned a blind eye." She stared Twilight right in the eye. "Had I been in your position...I might have done the same thing if it meant giving my Kingdom some small hope of a future."

Twilight was stunned to hear this, but still wasn't entirely happy. "It...was still wrong to steal from you."

A firm nod from Novo. "Yes, it was. Intentions may explain an action, but it will never truly excuse it." Then, her expression softened. "Likewise my intentions, safety for me and mine...cannot excuse my willingness to allow others to suffer without doing something to help them." She shook her head. "Fear had taken control of me, Twilight. A fear I'd allowed to grow in me for far too long." A frown came to her. "Fear cannot be what leads a people, no matter how noble the goals behind it." Again, she looked to Twilight. "You were wrong to try and steal...just as I was wrong to refuse to help." Another sigh. "How much suffering in this world is kept going simply because those who see it refuse to step in and lend a hoof?"

Twilight too looked saddened. "A great deal of it, I imagine."

Spike, looking from one monarch to the other, scratched the side of his head, then stepped forward, his voice tinted with nervousness and uncertainty. "So...we're good?"

Novo looked down to him, and after considering the question, broke out into a smile, reaching out and giving him a quick pat on the head. "Yes, little one, we're good."

Twilight, as one would expect after hearing that, breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Oh, that's so good to hear. You would not believe how worried I've been about this."

Novo chuckled. "I can imagine. Still, it's good to get these things off our chests. Besides, given all you and your friends have done for the world, I can't really hold something like that against you forever, especially since it's thanks to all of you that my people can see the sun again."

Twilight blushed. "Well, learning how to move that thing around has been tough going, but with luck I'll be able to do it as well as Princess Celestia was able to."

Novo nodded. "Be careful not to compare yourself too much to others, Twilight. That kind of standard can be hard to reach sometimes." A sly look came to her. "Even if I do believe you'll surpass it one day."

Twilight gave another bow. "You're too kind, your Majesty."

Novo shrugged. "Well, given how much my niece keeps going on about you when you were her teacher, it'd be hard for me to think you don't have it in you."

Looking back to her, Twilight took on a happier look. "I'm glad to hear Silverstream has enjoyed her time at the school, even if I'm not there anymore."

Novo considered that, maintaining her smile. "Oh, she wouldn't stop going on about it, nor would she stop talking about all her new friends." She then leaned forward. "Friends who seem to be very eager to try and follow in the example of you and your friends. Shall I assume you took some of that school time to try and teach them to be world-saving heroes?"

To that, Twilight shook her head. "No..." Then, she smiled. "They were heroes already. They just didn't realise it yet."

Hearing that, Novo nodded slowly, her mind no doubt dwelling on the smiling face of her niece. "...That's my girl."