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Eve of the Summer Solstice, 15 RD
“You would think that for us to arrange some time off together there would be more time together not less. Again you betray me for your beloved books.”
“Oh hush you, teasing me about reading or books are nothing new, maybe you need a different subject to tease me over.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“Does it have to be? Anyway I did in fact find something to read or rather look over. Do you recognize the cover of this?”
“Hmm that does look familiar…. Oh, now I remember, that is the scrapbook we helped piece together.”
“Yes, I’ve been looking through some of the stuff in here and there’s quite a lot in here, mostly photos, and letters. So would you like to join me?”
Summer of 985 RS
I had just finished Raising the Sun for the 985th Summer Sun Celebration. Mentally I sighed at the passage of time as it had been almost millennium since it happened and even now I couldn't help, but sometimes dwell on what had happened and what I wished I had done instead. Touching down on the smooth stone of the raised dais, I landed both physically and mentally as I returned my focus to the gathered crowd I stood before and it was then that I noticed a tiny purple filly that looked up to me in admiration. A look I had seen many times before and I would see many times more. I smiled warmly at the crowd and I could see how that filly was elated at seeing me smile, beyond this I thought no more of it, it was a moment in passing and it was doubtful despite living in the same city I would see much of this filly again.
Late Spring, 986 RS
Okay, stay calm, deep breaths. Just calm down and review everything that just happened, okay first I came here for the entrance exam for the Princess' school. Think about the exam; there were two parts and the written test was easy, but the magic test wasn't and now that I think about it I'm not even sure Ponies can hatch Dragon eggs! I think one of my books would have mentioned it if they could, maybe Starswirl has written something about that. After that my magic got out of control and I can't remember anything after that except seeing the Princess next to me. Remember deep breaths, keep calm. That was the next thing, the Princess helped control my magic, I got my Cutie Mark and I got accepted. I still can't believe the Princess is going to be teaching me though! I thought entering her school I could maybe see her again, but I never imagine I would be her student! All my books tell she hasn't had a student in a very long time; still I'm excited about what I can learn from her.
Hearth’s Warming, 986 RS
Often I would celebrate with Hearth's Warming with some of the staff who remained over the holidays and some of the few distant family members I still maintained contact with. However this year was different as Cadance and her parents had made plans to travel aboard to visit relatives while the Bluebloods had unfortunately grown more distant with each passing year. Our last meeting was during a session of the Solar Court and it was painfully obvious of how cold the once close relationship I had shared with the Bluebloods had become. The only possible saving grace was that their son, Polaris, who still spoke to me fondly and without the evident coldness the rest of his family bore. With that in mind I resigned myself to a quiet Hearth's Warming alone, but what I had not expected my student to show up on the day of Hearth's Warming with the rest of her family in tow. It was a pleasant surprise as this was the first time in a long time that I had been so warmly welcomed into a Hearth's Warming celebration by Ponies who were essentially strangers to me.
Day After the Summer Sun Celebration, 1000 RS SM
I put the finishing touches on the first letter I had just dictated to Spike, it was a new assignment from the Princess and while I trusted Spike’s writing it wouldn’t hurt to revise and refine it if necessary, it was important to ensure everything was correct. It was still strange to realize I was no longer among the familiar stone and marble halls and roads of Canterlot and even stranger was how distant, physically speaking, I now was from the Princess. That change was one of the more drastic ones as a result of moving to Ponyville for I had spent fourteen years by her side, still I had no regrets about moving here, this town was warm and inviting to Spike and I moving in and there was also the fact that I living close by my new friends.
Early Autumn, 2 RD
The slightly damp paper with its panicked and frantic writing was more than enough to tell me what was wrong with Twilight; the supplementary letter from Spike was confirmation of that fact. This time a letter would not do, instead I gave a few quick instructions to my sénéchal and then a few words to a sleepy Luna who found me and soon I found myself inside Golden Oaks with my student leaning against me or rather crying against me. Once she was mostly calm she began to tell me of recent events in greater detail, she told me of her interest in a Pony whose name I did not catch and the story trailed off after that although what I could understand the events that followed were disastrous to say the least. This was not the first time she confided in me although it was the first time she spoken of something like this. Not long after I had arrived that more Ponies arrived. Twilight’s friends all saw me and bowed before I asked them to stand and between them I had pieced together more of the story that Twilight understandably hesitated to speak of.
I spent a long time after that talking to Twilight directly; something we had not done in some time given that it was no longer as easy to do as it once was. In many ways it felt like we were back in Canterlot where Twilight would find me at almost all hours of the day and speak candidly on any number of subjects. Our time together this time was unfortunately brief and yet in that time I had managed to convince her that things would not always turn out like this and so I chose to share something that only Luna in this day and age knew of. I spoke to her of my life as a Unicorn living towards the end of the era of the Three Tribes and falling for Thunderous, a Pegasus and the first Pony who I had ever loved and all the trials and tribulations of our relationship. I could feel Twilight relax against me as I told of her times long past and I could see her smiling after the events of earlier and it was moments like these that I truly missed. It was rare and difficult for me to open myself up so closely with another and it had been a long time since I had been close enough with another to do so.
Late Spring, 3 RD
After the…. I guess disaster would be the best term for whatever happened, but it was almost a year ago now. Since then I found the time to spend weekends and once or twice a week back in Canterlot. It not that I don’t like living here, it’s more of how much I missed the closeness I shared with the Princess, or Celestia as she’s been insisting I try to call her, and there are some things that letters can’t do. My friends have all been understanding about my lack of interest in trying again although Rarity thinks maybe it’s time that I could try again. Between their varying advices I’m not entirely certain what I should do or maybe I was avoiding the matter.
If I didn’t take into account Rarity’s calls for her dashing Prince to sweep her off her hooves or a few suggestions for a quick…. er…. one night stand then I was left with little. Largely what I had left was listen to your heart; how you quantify what exactly that is I’m not entirely sure. The other piece of advice was more sound and that was to find a Pony who shared your interests and hobbies, somepony you were closer to. The only Pony I had like that was Celestia…. would that even work? Friendship was one thing, but the concept of romance was something else…. I guess that may be why I was on a train to Canterlot, to visit Celestia and maybe find some answers.
Autumn Equinox, 4 RD
It was late or rather early, that depended on how one sees it. The Sun had yet to rise and the air was still cool and crisp. It was almost time to raise the Sun and yet today was not my day to raise the Sun. Rather today would be first time that Twilight raises the Sun, well more accurately the first time she would formally raise the Sun under her own power. Under her own power and not bolstered by the magic of three other Alicorns in addition to her own and most certainly it would not be the panicked demonstration that occurred during the return of Tirek. Just standing next to her I could tell she was nervous as I had insisted on this to be a public Raising of the Sun, most days the Sun and Moon rose and fell without much fanfare. It wouldn't help matters if every time the Raising and Setting happened that it was made into a public event and so public demonstrations were reserved for special occasions of the Solstices and Equinoxes which led to today.
I had my wing wrapped firmly around Twilight as we stood next to each other in the time leading up to the dawn; it was a quiet reassurance that things will be well. A gesture she returned with a small smile before she stepped onto the dais to begin the Raising. As my love brought the Sun above the horizon and set the Sun on its course I couldn't help, but smile broadly with pride of how far she had come. That smile quickly became a smirk as a new idea came to me, perhaps next year I could have her Raise the Sun alongside me during the Summer Sun Celebration.
Spring Equinox, 7 RD
Knowing the Moon and Sun rises and falls by magic and even having felt that magic from Raising the Sun makes it no less special yet when the Raising is done before an audience, there is something that makes that display all the more beautiful. Our choice of date for the wedding was also the Spring Equinox and that was no coincidence, the Raising ceremony rotated to different towns and cities across the nation and this year the Spring Equinox was planned for Ponyville. Normally the Solstice and Equinox festivals drew large crowds especially when they were hosted in the larger cities of the realm. Ponyville remained small or at least small enough to still be classified as a town and not a city; somewhat strange given that several Heroes of Equestria and two members of Equestrian Royalty called this place as home, yet at the same time it was fitting given how the town was on almost any given day. Musings aside, today's was the wedding itself, an event I had planned little of largely at the insistence of all my friends and family. Aside from the ceremony itself I knew very little of the details for everything else except for a surprise from Luna.
And what a surprise it was. Luna would usually lead the Raising ceremony during the Autumn Equinox and during the Winter Moon Celebration, the times when darkness is more prevalent. However these last few years Celestia’s mentioned she wanted to switch things up more, more than having me lead the ceremony. Luna’s surprise was a Raising ceremony unlike any I had seen before and it was at least in part a show on the finer points of magic. Now I had a greater understanding as to why she once bore the Element of Magic. Despite trying my best to remember every last detail that I could, I honestly I was too distracted by Celestia to remember much beyond the exchange of vows as we had opted to forgo the usual ring. Today was a special day; it was a change in some ways and not a change in other ways; today was the first of many days spent together with my wife.
Hearth's Warming Eve, 7 RD
I smiled to myself as I watched my wife frantically checking over everything before her family arrives, this is by no means the first Hearth's Warming I've celebrated with her family and no matter how much time has passed Twilight still enjoys her checklists. Luna is not here yet although what she was doing I had no idea other than it involving a lot of little details along with some odds and ends so I was hedging my bets on some form of surprise, hopefully this time with a little less shock and awe than what her usual entrances entailed.
I heard a few soft knocks on the door and like clockwork her family or rather our family is here, punctual as ever; things really have come a long way since that first Hearth’s Warming with the Sparkles, Ponies I once thought of as strangers became friends and later family and Hearth’s Warming is truly a time for families.
Late Summer, 10 RD
Preparing for the foal to come is one thing. In many ways easier as you still had time to get things together before it happened. In other ways it was harder since you had little idea of what to expect and all you could do was latch onto what advice your mother or my wife could supply. Most of it was helpful although some of the ones from Celestia were less than helpful. Well less than helpful in the preparing for a foal sort of way and more helpful in a different way. Anyway the eleven months of stress is all the more worthwhile when the day comes to welcome them into the world and that was only days ago. We had finally started to settle into something that resembled a routine, although foals do not keep well organized schedules. Despite that it was still worthwhile to welcome Asalie into the world.
“Mom?”
“Good morning Asalie.”
“And for once it actually is morning given that how often you sleep in. So I’m a little surprised how early you’re up this morning.”
“That's cause tomorrow’s the Summer Sun Celebration and today and tomorrow’s about games and such.”
“Don’t forget about your Aunt Luna, she’s Raising the Sun tomorrow morning.”
“That too.”
“Looks like somepony is excited about what will be happening later. But none of the events start until after noon so we have a few hours still.”
“Oh…. Hey, what’s that?”
“This book here is a scrapbook, a little collection of things that happened in my life and later in our life together.”
“Could I see?”
“You should show him, it would be a nice story for you to tell while I get breakfast ready since there is still no chance that I will let you near a stove after yesterday’s attempt.”
“Did you have to bring that up?”
“You thought I needed new material to tease you over and I found some.”
“Mom, what is Mom talking about?”
“That’s a long story for a different day son.”
"Aww, I want to hear it."
"Just give your mom some time; just know your mom is a very silly Pony when it comes to cooking. She needs to remember that cooking is not the same as a science experiment."