by Honey Mead
***
Celestia sat behind her desk, only the moon and a single candle to illuminate the words of the paperwork before her. The day had been long and filled with meetings, each of which produced a plethora of forms and decrees that required her seal. There were days where such things came easily, mindless work that lulled her into a near meditative state. This was not one of them. For reasons she could not fathom, her mind continued to drift away for minutes on end before she noticed and snapped it back to task.
A small clock above the hearth chimed the hour. Shaking her head, she decided that there was nothing urgent and it could all wait till the morrow. Just as she rose from her seat and began to remove the golden tiara from her brow, a knock at the door demanded her attention.
"Your Highness," the guardspony said as he entered with a bow, "there is a situation at the School."
Ten minutes later saw the princess outside a much smaller door, if one still tall enough for her to enter without bowing too low. "She is refusing to come out," the headmistress was saying, "and the spell she has cast on the door... stars know where she learned such a thing."
Celestia wore her mask as always, a small smile of understanding that always put her little ponies at ease. "Thank you, Ms. Studious, I shall take it from here."
Once the mare bowed and left, she turned her attention to the door. A golden light surrounded Celestia's horn and the wall beside the door. "Twilight, may I come in?"
A strangled yelp of 'Princess!' made it through the thick wood seconds before the enchantment broke and the door opened an inch. Celestia nuzzled her way inside the library.
There she found the small purple filly, half hidden behind a veritable wall of books. Violet eyes stared up at her, brimming with tears on the verge of crying. Celestia's mask did not so much fall as melt into something far more genuine. Laying down with her legs tucked comfortably beneath her, Celestia put herself at eye level with Twilight, only the bookwall separating them.
"Aren't you going to yell at me?" Twilight asked.
Celestia's smile only grew. "Why would I do that?"
Twilight sniffed. "Because it's past my bedtime and I locked out the headmistress and I made a mess of the library and..."
Twilight continued to list off the myriad of infractions she'd committed, or thought she committed, in the past hour, each only making it harder for the princess to restrain her laughter. She placed a wingtip to Twilight's lips, silencing the litany of confessions. "My, you have been quite the troublemaker today. What do you think your punishment should be?"
That's when the dam broke, and Celestia realized her mistake. Twilight tried to speak, but with her sobbing, she only managed to get out single syllables at a time. Still, it was enough for Celestia to know what she feared. Scooping her up over the wall, Celestia nuzzled the tiny filly, using her own cheeks to wipe away the tears. Despite her fear of expulsion, Twilight latched onto her face, burying her muzzle in Celestia's mane. She spoke words of reassurance and comfort, promising Twilight that she need never fear being sent away.
As Celestia held her, Twilight calmed and the lateness of the hour finally began to creep upon her. The first of her yawns was small, only to be eclipsed by a second that seemed to encompass the whole of her body.
In a flash of golden magic, they appeared in Twilight's bedroom at the school. The little filly was barely able to keep her eyes open as Celestia set about tucking her in. Without really realizing it, the princess began to hum, the tune was an old one that she had not heard for an age. The passage of years had not diminished its effectiveness, both in sending Twilight off into the realm of dreams, and bringing forth ancient memories Celestia.
With tears wetting her own eyes, Celestia placed a kiss atop her brow. "Goodnight, my faithful student. Sleep well." And may you find it in your heart to forgive me for the destiny I will force upon your withers.