Prince Dusk Shine placed the third scroll in the “Finished” pile and turned his attention to the four other scrolls that were left untouched. The Prince noticed that from the last letter, he himself didn’t feel uncomfortable. If anything, he was looking forward to the next one. It is here that Dusk gave reason to pause.
‘Wait, why am I not uncomfortable?’ he thought. ‘I mean, I think I should be weirded out that Solaris is practically flirting with me through letters, but… I’m not. Why is-‘
Dusk shook his head, “Come on, focus. The sooner you read all of them, the more likely a definite course will be taken.”
The alicorn unrolled the next scroll.
My faithful
My belo
Dear Dusk
My Dearest Dusk Shine,
I believe that I have a confession to make. Something that I have questioned myself for the past several weeks that I need to confront here and now. It has come out of me from constant reexamination and self-doubt, but I think that I’m ready to face it. When you read this, I want you to read it through until the end. Set aside any prejudice you may have and consider what I have to say first before you make your opinion about me.
Dusk Shine, my most faithful student… I… I think I’m in love with you. Please keep reading, I already know what you’re thinking, and no, this is not a prank. This is not a cruel joke that I’m playing, for I say this with all honesty and sincerity. Dusk Shine, I love you.
By now you’re probably wondering how this can be. I imagine that you’re probably having another mental breakdown in how that I, the Prince of Equestria, am in love with his unicorn student.
"You're a little bit late for that Solaris," Dusk commented.
Don’t deny it; you’re probably in shock as it is. And no doubt you probably want some answers as to how I came to this conclusion.
Let me explain it then.
You see Dusk, I didn’t fall in love with you immediately. It didn’t start when I first saw you at the School for Gifted Unicorns that I fell head over hooves. Back then, I saw you as a promising student, full of the potential to become something great, that was so excited to be my student. As you grew, your passion for knowledge and your skill in learning even the most complex of spells from colts your age had impressed me.
During our sessions, you became a friend that I could drop my mask too. For although it was obvious that you wanted to do everything you could to impress me, I, for one, was astonished that you were the one to talk to me like a real pony. You saw me as so much more than the great Sun God that rules this country through wisdom, kindness, and justice. For you were the first in a very long time that was able to see me as somepony who just wanted to be, well, a pony.
You were my escape from the mundane duties at court; you were the pony I looked forward to in a heated debate of dignitaries. You were the one I wanted to laugh with at the most uptight of dinners.
When you were in your teenage years, I must also confess that I did see myself as a kind of second father, where you would come to me with difficult questions that you were too afraid to ask even your parents. Or that time that you came to me because you once had a bullying problem. But I think I would cherish the memory of your reaction when I explained to you what puberty was.
Dusk was a bit embarrassed when he read that part. His ears folded back and his cheeks turned pink at the memory of his horrified expression when he learned where foals came from.
Yet, on the eve of your eighteenth birthday, I’ve reexamined how I see you. There was no question that I admire you, with your intelligence and being ahead of your time. But what kind of relationship do I see with you now? I don’t believe I would go as far as to call your family, for I don’t really see that. You have become closer and much more open-minded to me than any close relative, such as Princess Bluebelle. (At times it makes me wonder how that we’re related in the first place.) And considering that you are less spoiled than anypony I know despite your privilege.
A best friend is probably closer, for you tend to open up to me than anypony else. Like when you told me that you’re favorite book was “Frankenstallion”, or that you think that pineapple shouldn’t belong on a pizza (which I concede to a degree). And even that you used to be afraid of the headless horse until you were sixteen.
“Well, he does have a point,” the Prince of Friendship said aloud. “I guess outside of Prince Crescendo, Solaris was always the best of being my best friend.”
But for me, however, I felt that our relationship has grown into something else. I always thought about spending each day with you. I’ve wanted to listen to your voice as you told me what you’ve learned. And I wanted to see me pull a prank just so I could hear that laugh of yours. Whenever you are happy around me, I, in return, could feel nothing but joy. When you’re sad, I wanted to stay as long as it took to make sure that your concerns and fears were heard.
I came to admire you beyond your intellect and your fresh observations Dusk, more so than your looks too! As of now, I want to be there with you, both on your best and worst days. I want to show you the world of difference you have made in your time with me. That I would gladly sacrifice myself, the crown, and all of Equestria, just to see you crack a smile.
And that was when I realized it; for the first time in several decades, I had fallen in love. Also, yes, I have for weeks questioned myself of this. I challenged both my mind and heart to see if I loved you or the idea of you. The difference being that one is I love you for who you are versus being in love to the pony that I think you are.
I’ve concluded that even when we had disagreed on a few things here and there, I could always find something to give me a reason as to why I fell in love with you in the first place. Your hunger and use of new knowledge, your willingness to look at anyone and anything from a different point of view, your cute
No! I refuse to use the word “cute” to describe you! The word itself, in my opinion, has been overdone and overused. Cute is used to describe things that you did when you were five; that is to say, the word itself is childish. You, sir, are not cute. You, my love – are wonderful.
Yes, that’s why I fell in love with you. You have a wonderful personality, you are fun to speak with, you are dedicated to making me proud, you are passionate in your reports, you are wise beyond your age, you struggle to be kind and polite with everypony you meet, you test everything to see what the truth really is… you, my beloved, are in every definition of the word, wonderful.
Dusk couldn’t feel anything but awe when he read that. Nopony had ever complimented him like this before. For a split second, he wondered if this is what being wooed was like.
At the same time Dusk, I must accept the fact that there’s a good chance you may never feel the same way that I with you. That my decoration to you may all be in vain. As much as I hate to think of it, you may not see me as anything past your teacher, your best friend.
I have learned from painful experience that love itself can only work if the other is willing to do the same. And I don’t expect for you to say “I love you too” because, at this moment, I’m not certain if you are even attracted to stallions like I am.
Oh Dusk, I really hope this doesn’t change how you see me. I hope you look past the fact that I’m gay and see that I’m just a stallion that wishes to love and be loved like everypony else. So if you say “no” to me, please, do so gently. But if you say “yes,” oh, what joy it will it be for me to have you, my Dusk Shine, like mine.
Yet, if you’re not sure, please, take your time to examine yourself in where you stand. And whatever you may decide, I will love you regardless.
Also, Happy Birthday Dusk Shine. I wish that your life will be filled with endless joy from here on out.
Forever yours,
Forever mine,
Forever us,
Dusk Shine was speechless. Layers of emotions from nervousness to excitement swam around like goldfishes in a tank. Up until now, the lilac alicorn had never thought about his teacher like this before.
So, he decided to take Solaris’s advice. He would reexamine himself, and ask how he sees his old mentor.