The Nutcracker Prince

by Rytex


The Aftermath

The Nutcracker Prince
Chapter 04 - The Aftermath

“...and don’t forget to tell the chef that we will need three Hearth’s Warming meals cooked today,” Princess Celestia reminded Kibitz while the dutiful servant scribbled down her commands.  “One for the castle staff, one for the soldiers, and one for the four princesses.”

“Will there be anything else you need today, Princess?” asked the stallion, adjusting his glasses as he looked down at the list of instructions.  “Remember, your presence at the Canterlot production of the Hearth’s Warming Pageant is tradition, and you appear to not be scheduled this year.”

“Something unexpected came up,” she said, rolling her eyes.  “Apparently one of the Lords from Manehattan is trying to get some legislation passed while I can’t stop him at this pageant.  Like it or not, Equestria as a nation comes ahead of my presence at an annual play.”

“Of course, your highness,” Kibitz said with a bow, the tips of his bushy moustache grazing the ground beneath him.  “I shall notify the Canterlot Royal Theatres at once.  I am sure they will understand.”

“They had better,” Celestia muttered to herself.  A particular incident a couple of decades back rang clearly in her mind where she had been the subject of tabloids because she didn’t show up for a similar reason.  The theatre staff, angry that she’d had to miss, had decided to sling some mud at her with the press.  “If they don’t, they won’t see me at their productions ever again.”

As they continued to walk along the halls of the castle, Princess Cadance joined them as they passed by the halls that led to her old room.

“I couldn’t help but overhear,” she said, smiling sheepishly.  “If you want, auntie, I could go in your stead.”

“Thank-you, niece,” Celestia said thankfully, nuzzling her adopted relative fondly.  “That would make this day even better.  Do enjoy yourself, won’t you?  I haven’t had a reason to actually enjoy the play since Twilight and her friends starred in it.”

“Speaking of Twilight,” Cadance said, her smile vanishing, “has anyone seen her today?”

“If I recall, Princess Twilight Sparkle has yet to leave her room,” Kibitz answered.  “None of the staff have seen her, and we were preparing to bring her breakfast in her room.  Unless she doesn’t want to be disturbed?”

“Oh, she probably just had a really good dream,” Celestia said.

She and Cadance shared a significant look that Kibitz missed.

“And on the topic of the whereabouts of princesses, where is Princess Luna?” asked Kibitz.

“Off visiting old friends,” answered Celestia.  “It’s a tradition with her, that she visits her departed lovers on Hearth’s Warming.”

“Visits their graves?” asked Kibitz, never having seen Princess Luna at the graveyard since her return from banishment.

“Not… exactly,” said Celestia, smiling to herself.  “It’s a complicated explanation, but she essentially visits them in pony through the magic of the dreamscape.”

“I… well, I don’t understand, but I’ll take your word for it,” Kibitz said honestly.  “Less mouths to feed, I suppose.”

“No, you’ll want to prepare the same amount we discussed.  Luna doesn’t take kindly to those who short-change her on food,” Celestia said, smiling fondly at a Hearth’s Warming memory of her and her sister as she tried to steal Luna’s cake, right in front of their mother and father.

“Understood,” Kibitz said.  “With that in mind, may I--”

He trailed off as all three of them stopped, right in the hall.  Twilight Sparkle was in front of them, looking utterly miserable and making her way who knows where at a snail’s pace.  It was not lost on any of them that her eyes were puffy, her face had tear streaks, and her chest was periodically shaking as though she had just gotten done crying.

“Twilight?” asked Cadance gently, trotting forward.

Twilight turned, revealing bloodshot eyes that definitely showed she had just had a sobfest.  But it didn’t seem as though she paid any attention to Cadance, or to Kibitz.  Her gaze, instead, went straight to Celestia.

“Was it just a story?” she asked, softly.  Celestia and Cadance both heard a note in her voice that sounded desperate.  “Please, tell me it was true, and not just some fairy tale!”

Cadance turned to Celestia, looking shocked.

“Is this about--”

She broke off what she had to say, as Celestia gave her a very meaningful look.

“Please excuse us, Kibitz, Cadance,” she said, her tone making it clear to the latter that she was to leave them in peace.

Kibitz immediately trotted off, both out of a desire to get to his duties and to leave the princesses in peace.  Cadance, too, started to walk away, but as she neared the end of the hall, she turned to give Twilight one last concerned look before continuing on her way.

“Please,” repeated Twilight, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Oh dear, did you have a bad dream?” Celestia asked, walking forward and draping a wing over her former pupil.

“It… it wasn’t a n-nightmare,” Twilight said, her voice trembling slightly.  “I d-dreamt of-- of him.  Of Winter Storm.”

“Oh,” Celestia said sympathetically, and she leaned down to give a comforting nuzzle to her student.  “I’m so sorry, Twilight.  I, too, know of the pain those dreams bring.  Come with me, you’re going to need a pick-me-up.”

Twilight sniffled, but nodded and followed as Celestia began to lead her back to her own room.

“I’ve had many of those,” she continued.  “Too many of them during Luna’s absence, where I dreamt that she was back, and that it was like old times.  They happen, and they hurt.  To be so convinced of something’s reality, only to see it snatched away…”

They walked in silence for a short while, save for Twilight’s sniffling and quiet little moans that she made.  Celestia could only comfort her so much, even though she wished she could do more.

They arrived at her room, where she opened the door for Twilight and allowed her in.

“Come on, go in.  Have a seat by the bed, and I’ll have you feeling better in no time.”

As Twilight plodded to the bedside, Celestia walked over to her armoire and, surreptitiously, withdrew the broken nutcracker doll that Princess Luna had found in the throne room, alongside the unconscious body of....

Three… two… one…

“WINTER!”

Twilight’s shriek had practically woken up any sleeping night-shift guards, but Celestia had no desire to tell her off.  For there, lying in her bed, was the resting body of Captain Winter Storm, freshly freed from his curse.

Twilight could only stare at it, completely shocked and wondrous as the letdown of her life became the best moment of it.

Winter’s eyes opened suddenly, startled by the shriek.  It had been far too long since Celestia had seen those blue eyes of his.

“What the--” he said, sounding confused, but before he could say anything else, he found himself the victim of Twilight Sparkle hugging him so hard she could have given Pinkie Pie a run for her money.

“Twi...  light?” he asked, his confusion turning to sudden joyous anticipation.  He weaseled his hooves out of her grasp and held them up for inspection.

“It… it worked.  It worked!”

He laughed, a giddy sound that made Celestia smile, and in a movement so quick neither Twilight nor Celestia really caught it, he grabbed Twilight’s face in his hooves and kissed her.

Twilight could only stare straight ahead for a moment, before giving in and kissing him right back.  Celestia, however, could only watch helplessly.  Happy for her former pupil and for one of her dearest friends, but helplessly nonetheless.

After they separated, Twilight resumed hugging him with every bit of her new earth pony strength, which Winter was sure wasn’t doing good things to his wings, but he didn’t care.  The curse was broken!  He was whole once again!

“I am so proud and happy for you, Twilight,” Celestia said, trotting over to nuzzle her once more.  “Not only did you return my sister to me, you returned a dear friend as well.  And, since Luna told me of your’s, her’s, and Cadance’s discussion on the way to my room, you should know that I approve.”

Twilight either didn’t hear her, didn’t care, or just was too concerned with holding on to Winter as tightly as she could to respond.

“But, there is something that might… discourage you just a bit.”

Twilight turned her head to look at Celestia.  The earlier puffiness was almost gone already.

“Discourage?” she asked, confused.

“Well, rain on the parade, so to speak,” she said shrugging.  “Winter was never officially removed from the army, even during the Pegasus transfer.  All of the pegasus guards were to serve a default three years in Canterlot after the Uniting, which he never accomplished.  Which means he is to be stationed here in Canterlot for a couple of years.”

“How is this a problem?” asked Winter, blinking.

“Because I live in Ponyville,” Twilight answered.  “Where the Gingerbread Town was, in the Land of the Toys.”

“I see,” said Winter, his smile vanishing, but only a little.  “It’s not that far.”

“Unless you take the train,” pointed out Celestia.  “Sometimes that ride can take a whole night, such as when you brought that delicious cake.  Other times, it can only last a couple of hours at most, such as your trip for Cadance and Shining Armor’s wedding.”

“But what about flying manually?”

“I don’t think flying would be a good idea until you’re absolutely sure.  Who knows what your physical condition is like after being brought out?”

“I have a solution,” said Twilight, smiling quite proudly as a piece of paper materialized in the air and was levitated over to Celestia, who caught it in her hooves.

“‘The bearer of this certificate is entitled to one free military transfer of one pegasus trooper to any different post in Equestria.’”

A small smile once again spread across her face.

Well played, my former pupil.  Using Cadance’s gift on Winter.

“Very well.  I assume you’re having him transferred to your new castle in Ponyville, then?”

“Of course,” said Twilight with a smile.

“Then I will have this filed just in time for your return to Ponyville, so that he may accompany you.  But I think it’s time to prepare for Hearth’s Warming Brunch, so I would suggest that the two of you vacate my bed and move elsewhere if you wish to continue?  Or perhaps, go to the castle banquet hall?”

Twilight and Winter needed no telling twice, getting out of the bed and walking hoof-in-hoof out the door and into the castle.  Celestia watched after them as the door closed, feeling the emotion she had kept inside of her for the last few minutes start to burst through.

A tear fell from her eyes as she turned her gaze out the window, noting that she had been in this very position yesterday, worrying about the night’s possibilities.  Her small smile spread even further over her face, as she watched her sun progress up the sky.

For the first time in seventeen hundred years, Hearth’s Warming had become a happy holiday for her once again.

Completely true to Luna’s word, all it had taken was just a little leap of faith.


Two years later…

As they had the last three years, Twilight and Cadance walked together toward Celestia’s room for their annual gathering.  Cadance had foregone her crown this time, seeing has how little Skyla enjoyed playing with it at home with her father.  Twilight had also left her down at her castle, but she refused to leave home without her ring, which sat on her horn proudly for all to see.

It had been a really quiet and lovely ceremony, not even six months after the fact. Twilight's friends had been incredibly confused when she turned up a couple of days later with a coltfriend and was engaged with him within the month, but they came around. The added confusion Winter showed to any modern technology didn't help things, either, but he got over that relatively quickly. Shining Armor, however, took a lot longer to convince. He and their dad had even made the trip to make a house call, just to meet Winter. But it was all behind them now.

“...and then she turned the cookie jar right over and spilled them all on top of her daddy,” Cadance finished, which caused Twilight to burst into a fit of giggles.  “I haven’t seen that early of actual control over magic in my life, I’ll admit.”

“I can imagine I was like that,” Twilight said.  “I remember my dad telling me about a time where I had learned how to phase through walls.  As a one-year old.  And apparently, I somehow ended up in their room during… you know.”

Cadance chuckled.

“Yes, I can see how that would be memorable.  Quite a mood-killer, I suppose.  Speaking of, considering her reputation of crashing into your house at various points, has Rainbow Dash ever barged in on your time with Winter?”

Twilight went pink at the thought, but shook her head.

“She’s only crashed into my new castle once.  A week in the hospital with a serious concussion was enough to convince her to steer clear of the diamond-hard walls.”

Twilight felt a little bump in her midsection and reflexively ran a hoof over it, where the telltale bulge of her pregnancy was entering its final stages.

“Strong little kicker, isn’t he,” Cadance asked, giving a fond look at where her nephew-to-be currently sat curled up.

“Oh yes, just like his father,” Twilight said.  “How is Sunset adjusting?”

“She’s doing well,” Cadance said.  “It took a bit at first for her to get her hooves down under her.  Literally, even.  I guess she spent so long walking on two legs that she went native.  We actually hired her as a foalsitter for Skyla, too.  We thought that, considering her aunt might have a few tendencies toward insanity, a bit more of a stable mind was in order.”

Even at her own expense, Twilight found it in herself to laugh.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Cadance.”

“Happy Hearth’s Warming to you too, Twilight.”

The door to Celestia’s room was thrown open, revealing Luna and Celestia already prepared for the evening’s festivities.  Twilight and Cadance trotted on in and shut the door behind them, ready to begin their annual night of fun.