//------------------------------// // Morning // Story: A dream of daylight // by Crimson_Moonlight //------------------------------// Twilight thought about entering Celestia's chambers again for quite a while, her thoughts roaming from panicked to depressed. 'Princess Celestia might wonder why I'm not there...or if I decided to leave...but I don't want to make Princess Luna upset either...' She paced the halls, blushing and muttering to herself, almost not realizing she had come quite close to bumping into the oncoming unicorn. Dark blue coat looking shadowy in the moonlight, Misty Haze smiled softly in what must of been an apologetic way. "Pardon, I'll get out of your way." Twilight merely blinked, broken from her thoughts as she watched the somewhat happy looking unicorn side-step then kept trotting past her, towards the east end of the castle. "Huh...That pony looks awfully familiar..." She shook her head and got back to pondering. Not a minute later she was politely asking the guards to admit her back into Celestia's study, they did -not asking a word of course- and she let her eyes adjust to the low light, room illuminated by nothing but moonlight coming in. Slowly Twilight trotted up to the bed of the princess, her regal and large form still laying there, more or less how the unicorn had left her. Nervousness formed in her mind, not to mention hesitation and anxiety and outright shame at the self indulgent thing she wanted to do. However, her mind countered, she got herself into this mess, regardless of whether or not the princess was coercing and coaxing the right answers from her. 'I want this...' She heard her mind state, it was almost a shock, the loud and clear words coming to her head in the deep quiet of the room. Slowly, carefully, the unicorn nestled herself back close to Celestia, those white long arms almost instantly reaching out to hug her. She listened to the princess breathing deeply, the sound like music to her heart. Gently arching to press herself into the embrace of the dreaming Sun Goddess, Twilight Sparkle began to drift off too, smiling all the while. ---------------- While the duty of Night Court was somewhat tedious, Princess Luna, residing on her regal throne and flanked by her trusty Night Guards, listened to each petitioner with a regal poise that no other could possibly pull off. The mere thought of one of the Canterlot Nobility nodding off from sheer boredom as they listened to the thirtieth pony pleading a case of wrong doing and over dramatized crimes, threatened to make the Night Goddess start laughing. It was the pause at her smile that made the young business pony stop his speech of why the merchant, opposite him, should pay for doing business across the way. Realizing he'd stopped, the Princess of the Night cleared her throat softly and raised a hoof "Thou hast made quite a tale weaved around thy loss of business. However, Canterlot laws state that so long as the merchant is not encroaching on thy property, and indeed has not made any slanderous or accusatory ploys against thy shop, I must dismiss the request that he be forced to move." The expected looks of triumph and disappointment from the merchant and business pony, respectively, came and went as they bowed and left. Sighing with a smirk, the Night Guard to her right announced "That was the last of the petitioners for tonight, Princess." To which the blue alicorn left her throne and stretched, beginning to walk off toward her chambers with as much poise as a tired princess with a sore rump could manage. Night guards following at her side, the herald and two scribes having taken all official paperwork and already sending it to the Night Goddess' chambers or office to be filled out so her edicts and proclaiments can be made more 'official'. Sighing, magic pulsing to keep a book floating before her, given to her by one trusty unicorn, the princess read lines from the old romantic poetry silently. Smiling softly as she mentally reminded herself to thank that unicorn librarian. At last, at her chamber, she dismissed her escort of guards and entered. Blue flamed candles lit themselves as she picked up a quill in her magical grasp and began to write and answer the papers on her desk. She thought and pondered not only on the poetic works, the misgivings of the night petitioners, but also and mainly, on a particular lavender unicorn. "Twilight Sparkle...what goes on inside of thy heart..." She idly wondered out loud, not bothering to check if the unicorn had gone to her own room to sleep, it would be addressed later, eventually. On into the night and morning the Princess of moon and stars worked for her kingdom and gave her sister's marefriend much thought as the moon waxed low and the time would soon come where she would need to dismiss the dark skies for the new day to take it's place. ---------------- Eyes lifting slowly, Mane billowing gently without a care for how her head turned, Celestia stared down at the unicorn in her hooves. A small smile blooming on her face like the blossoms that opened to bathe in her sunlight. Leaning in to nuzzle at Twilight's mane and simply take in the warm sensations that made her heart dance. After a few moments, when her mind began to focus, the nuzzle stopped as she blinked, smelling a familiar scent on her little unicorn. A scent of...Moonflowers. The white alicorn stared down at her little student, realizing slowly that she hadn't been in the same position as when she fell asleep, she must of met with her sister. A stirring against her chest brought the Sun Goddess out of her thoughts, watching Twilight nuzzle and press to her chest. She could not help but smile more brightly and lovingly as her hooves wrapped around the unicorn a bit tighter, holding her close. She lost all track of time, too happy with the unicorn in her arms, even as she began to form calculating and decisive thoughts and retorts on why she had chosen Twilight. Her sister was honest and fair, but young...oh, how Celestia dreaded a confrontation with her sister over this matter. 'As if this'd be the first time...' whispered a knowing part of her mind, which promptly quieted itself as she took note of the dimming moonlight, the giant pearl of the sky hung low, the hours late into the morning. Again the unicorn in her arms stirred and this time, she glanced to see the pony of her affections looking back up at her. "I...I hope it's alright that I...stayed here, in your arms, princess." The pony apologized, despite the fact Celestia herself had requested this. Smiling and leaning in to softly kiss Twilight's horn -enjoying the shiver and slight gasp it elicited-, Celestia replied softly to the adorable unicorn in her arms. "No need to ask forgiveness, especially when this is something I wanted. Unfortunately, it's growing early...I will need to raise the sun, Twilight..." Watching her friend and...marefriend? Another discussion for later, sooner then she liked, the pony nodded and began to disentangle herself from the alicorn as she must have done hours ago. Slipping out of the covers and standing, catching a longing gaze from Twilight that made Celestia smile even more, she made her way out onto her balcony window. A look to her left greeted her with the sight of her sister, also out on her balcony, the Castle shaped in such a splendid show of duality, and it was with twin pulses of magic that moon sank to allow the sun to rise. Morning rays of gold and red slowly soaking the landscape. Watching Luna give one of those looks before disappearing back into her room, looking tired as usual, the Sun Goddess also entered to find Twilight Sparkle there, waiting with an unsure look on her face. "Is everything alright, Twilight?" The question must of startled her, she stepped back and before she could make up an excuse, she nodded. "Yes ...Celestia, um, Princess Luna and I...well, she wanted to talk to me, I ..sort of suggested we should all talk, about..." A brief smile crossed the slightly vexed features Celestia had grown, she knew it, but was quite pleased that her dear Twilight had the courage to admit it. Hoofsteps echoing in the quiet room as golden rays filtered in from the windows, she leaned down to brush affectionately against the unicorn. "Thank you for telling me...now, lets get ready, Luna's likely quite tired from her work." Watching the lavender unicorn give a perplexed look as she was likely expecting punishment for setting up such a...discussion, without the express permission of her ruler and marefriend, well, Celestia did not wish to hold this up any longer, and it wasn't dear Twilight's fault to begin with. Off they went, down the halls and towards the studies and offices the Sisters enjoyed using when not busied with the chores running a land brought. Rather then a cramped office however, the Sister of Sunlight greeted her Sister of Moonlight in what amounted to an oversized dining room. Too small to be called a dining hall with only one table sized for eight or so, large, to compensate for the alicorn's height. Alongside this were a sparkling chandelier like many that hung in the more decorative portions of the castle and chefs along with their staff stood nearby with carts for whatever the Princesses may want. Luna sat, nibbling on what might of been a blackberry muffin, Night Guards nearby, standing stoically for her, they also looked rather tired. Twilight gave a bow to the Princess of the Night after a second's hesitation and deliberating if it'd be rude not to. Luna gave a nod in greeting. "I believe I will have a simple salad for this morning." Celestia said gently to one of the kitchen staff, he nodded and wheeled up a cart, placing the bowl for the princess after she took her seat, Twilight at her side. "Did you want anything, dear?" At the question Twilight simply shook her head, satisfied with that, Celestia bid the kitchen staff to leave them to enjoy their meals. Being courteous and polite as she also asked the guards to wait outside. The two Night Guards looked a bit skeptical and maybe concerned but followed orders immediately when Luna gave them a little nod. "So...Dear sister, shall we commence our conversation now?" Luna asked, giving a small smile as her eyes showed only calculating and stern thoughts. Closing her eyes to not look at the blue alicorn, a motion that seemed to agitate Luna a bit, Celestia spoke softly and calmly to her sister "Which conversation, specifically, Luna? I would like to be as clear as I can be, and remember that Twilight isn't aware of everything." The alicorns ignored the confused and helpless look of the silent unicorn as Luna grimaced "Very well, sister, then I shant mention Wisteria or any other such tragedies. Do not think that those events have gone by without wounding mine heart as well." The white alicorn gave her a sad look and with that Luna continued " I asked for a discussion to ascertain what your motives are, and to what ends Twilight agreed. I know she is a most dependable and stalwart pony, even helping me not long ago, tis more personal then that." Celestia gave her sister another sad but even look, raising a hoof to Twilight's lips to stop the outburst before she got a word off "One moment, dear." She said, the questioning gaze nodded more out of trust for her ruler then understanding. "First of all, Luna, as you might of guessed, yes, I led my dear Twilight in, I asked her to comfort me...however that was the extent, I put my feelings for her out there... I watched her grow to be such a splendid pony, I was as surprised as you when I was asked to be her mare...This brings me to a question, Lu-Lu. How did you find out I had been with her?" As Luna took a moment to look bashful, perhaps apologetic, Twilight leaned in to the hoof still on her mouth, nuzzling against her wonderful princess, Celestia chuckled. "I admit, twas during a moment of dream diving, I happen to...stumble upon thee..." The sisters shared a knowing little look that promised of playful revenge for Luna's snooping in the larger alicorn's dreams. "I see...well, I suppose then, you saw quite...a lot." Both the sisters blushed, but it was Luna's curious and perhaps troubled expression that made Celestia chuckle, grabbing her unicorn marefriend and holding her close. The student turned suitor squeaked with joy and panic. "I know you mean well, Luna, but I do care for Twilight, she would not agree to be with me for power or wealth or favors." Her gaze was now locked on the young yet mature Twilight's. "Never. I will never do anything like that. I never want to hurt you, Princess." She answered, blushing at the scrutinizing gaze Luna gave, the alicorn of night rose and strode closer, eyeing her then staring up into her sister's eyes. On impulse, the unicorn buried her head in the white furred chest. The two sisters kept their eyes locked on one another, occasionally flicking down to the unicorn who could feel the tension, almost bringing her to tears. "Very well, if thou art sure of this path. I warn you, Twilight Sparkle, thy character is not the only one that matters. Many ponies may vie for thy affections, to acquire tokens and favors or to blackmail or humiliate my sister." Luna's cold voice cut through Twilight, she lifted her head, a tear running down her cheek "Wha.. what kind of ponies would do that? Why?" The sad and perhaps even pitiful look the sisters gave Twilight left her feeling more like a foal. "It wouldst not even be the fiftieth time that I knowest of, Ponyville is quite tame in it's happenings, despite the dangers of the world, yet there art many whom secretly harbor feelings of disgust or perhaps envy or greed towards us all across Equestria. Many seek to make political spectacles of us, so that their agendas may be reached." The Sun Goddess nodded while a hoof stroked over Twilight's mane comfortingly. A soft 'oh' was all that came from the unicorn as Celestia held her and kept comfortingly stroking over her. Looking down, a thought came to Celestia's mind as she looked to her sister again and smiled. The look caught Luna off guard. "Twilight, my dear little pony. My marefriend, will you always be there to comfort me, the way I am doing for you?" Luna's eyes were serious in their gaze, the unicorn didn't hesitate as she stared up at the alicorn of light. "Yes. Always...as often as I can be, I want to be here for you Celestia." Her tear filled eyes were so heartfelt, it even made Luna blink in contemplation. A genuinely happy smile on the white alicorn's face met Twilight's gaze before she leaned in, kissing the unicorn deeply as she held her. The reciprocation just filled her heart with more joy. Luna shook her head with a little smile as she slowly stepped away "I worry for thee, sister...Still I am happy for thee." And with that, the tired Night Princess left towards her chamber, Night Guard joining to escort the alicorn to her bed for some well deserved sleep.