Deep, deep into her slumber the noise echoed. That infernal sound that meant it was time. Bubbles of consciousness tumbled around in her mind as the ringing continued ceaselessly. It whipped up the ocean of her slumbering mind into a frothing mess and slowly she managed to reach out with a hoof and smack around for the cursed device.
Twilight slowly sat up in bed, her blanket draped over her like a cloak. Her head pounded like a symphony orchestra was playing to the tides of war. Every joint and muscle ached like she had just gone several rounds with a minotaur. A groan escaped her lips as her head lifted and the blanket fell back letting in the morning light that filtered through the four paned window.
The sound of glass shattering marked the end of the alarm clock’s endless tiriad and brought her much needed relief. Carefully she stepped from the bed onto the cold stone floor leaving the blanket behind on the bed. “What happened last night?” She groaned as she shook her head hoping that the memories might be jostled loose by the act. “Everything hurts, why?” Another useless attempt to jiggle the memories loose as she began to lumber her way to the restroom.
Tidbits bubbled around her mind as she churned over any and all memories she could recall from the last few days. One thing in particular came to mind, a dream. Something about a top, some crazy magic, and this voice. No there was more, a wish, yes there was a wish.. A pulse of pain lanced through her head forcing her to her knees. This was wrong, she was wrong. Her head pounded with each pulse of her heart and she felt like it was going to split open and some part of her wanted it to, just to end the pain.
Twilight struggled but managed to open her eyes as she lay gasping for air through the pain. Why was she lying on a stone floor, her bedroom, it was crystal not stone. Hazily she made out the spines of books resting on recessed shelves, books were good, they were normal. Her head throbbed again and she winced, her wings flexing. Wait no, her shoulders tensed, where were the wings she had grown used to seeing out of the corner of her eyes when they spread?
Suddenly the pain was forgotten, replaced by sheer panic. This was wrong everything was wrong. Wrong room. Wrong castle. Wrong books. No wings, no crown, no assitant. Carefully she curled up on herself and took her tail between her front hooves and began to gently stroke it. She was real, she could feel herself, that was step one, identify what was real.
An explosive crashing and slamming sound did little to jostle her from her thoughts as she took stock of things she knew. The sound of somepony taking a huge breath came shortly after her door was brutally opened and just as quickly as the breath had been taken Twilight heard the meek sound of the same pony deflating like a balloon. “Seneschal?” The marble white alicorn asked cautiously as she looked at her purple scribe laying curled up in the middle of the floor gently stroking her tail.
A twitch of her eyelid, a flop of her ear and a creepy grin was her only acknowledgement to the intruder at first. Slowly and jerkily she turned her head towards the infringing presence and the smile grew even wider while her pupils grew even smaller. “Yes.” She drew out the word in a fashion that screamed dangerous and laughed slightly. “What can I do for you Princess.” Her eye twitched again.
Slowly Celestia stepped backwards out of the room. “Nothing, nothing at all. Well maybe just a little something. Perhaps you could shower, maybe meet me for breakfast in an hour, the usual place.” She smiled kindly and warmly as the door swung closed quietly.
Twilight stared at the door for a moment before what had just happened came crashing down over her like an anvil. She scrambled to her hooves and tripped her way to the door, her own hooves betraying her in her haste to reach Celestia before she was gone.“Oh my, no, did I just?” She ran to the door and threw it open. “Celestia.” Their muzzles nearly touched as she skidded to a stop in the door. Coughing politely Twilight backed off slightly, very slightly. “Sorry, um. So, yea I’ll um shower and meet you in the dining room in an hour.”
“That sounds lovely.” Celestia shifted a little to give herself some space. “Don’t forget the schedule book this time.” Her piece said she smiled warmly and teasingly before darting in and giving Twilight a peck on the cheek and skipping away down the hall.
Twilight watched her until she disappeared around a corner before darting back into her room and closing the door. She closed her eyes and took several calming breaths just like Cadence had taught her. Breath in and bring your hoof to your chest then exhale while moving your hoof away and repeat as necessary. “Okay, so what was I doing again?” She looked around at the room calmly, everything from before Celestia’s arrival completely forgotten.
It was a simple room. A bed in one corner, bookshelves lined the opposite wall with a large window recessed in the middle of them. Two plush looking pillows on the windowsill looked well used and what looked like a day planner rested on one. On the far wall was the door to the washroom with a tiny desk next to it.
Twilight looked at the hole in the window and sighed. “I’m gonna need another alarm clock.” She added it to a mental list of things she would need to get done today as she made her way to the shower.
~~~
Twilight opened the door to the dining hall and smiled nostalgically, it was just like she remembered it. A large bay window opposite the door, an oak table scarred by time and countless meals. Flowers blooming in the morning light that streamed through the window lined the walls and added a strange exotic garden feel to the room. Twilight pulled open the dumbwaiter nestled between two shrubbery bushes and grabbed the three plates inside. Pancakes for Celestia, eggs and hay bacon for her and a plate of toast for them to share.
She smiled as she turned around and saw Celestia sitting comfortably with the morning paper and sipping at her tea. A calm quiet morning before they both had to get to work. Court would begin and Twilight would advise while she recorded what happened in court. After a while they would break for lunch. Somedays Luna would join them and others they would enjoy with only each other for company. Routine, old and trustworthy, and something Twilight cherished more than words could express. Her routine with Celestia, it brought a giddy smile to her lips even now, months after they had begun dating.
Twilight paused as she thoughts about their months together, her brow knotting up, something about that, what was it? “Seneschal, dear, has breakfast arrived.” Celestia smiled comfortingly at Twilight as their eyes met and all of Twilight’s worries faded into nothing. It didn’t matter anyway, she had Celestia and that was what mattered most.
“Your pancakes Celestia.” Twilight slid the plate onto the table in front of the white alicorn before taking her seat and pulling up her day planner. “Today seems to be a short day, barring any major problems of course. You have a short meeting with Blueblood before court over his use of the garden for the soiree he is planning with his friends from college. After that is of course your usual court. Court will focus on non noble pony problems, primarily the land disputes from Manehatten and the surrounding countryside. Lunch will be served as per usual in the garden and then we have the paperwork from court to deal with.” Twilight took a bite of her eggs and penned a few things into her book. “And then I reserved some seats at the italian place you like in lower Canterlot for dinner.”
Celestia poured the little cup of syrup over her pancakes with a sigh. “You think they would just send up the bottle of syrup, these little cups are just never enough.” She cut out a triangular piece and took a bite. Her eyes fluttered closed and she let out a small moan of pleasure. “I guess I can forgive the chef, he makes such divine pancakes.”
“Her name is Pinkie, I believe her assistant is responsible for the pancakes though. His name is Spike.” Twilight tapped the quill to her chin. “I think at least.” She passed some of her bacon to Celestia and looked down at the planner again as she took a bite of her eggs. “I think I can actually squeeze some more time in for dinner if we can get Rarity to help out with the paperwork. It’s not her specialty but she is quite business savvy.”
Celestia hummed a bit as she chewed on the hay bacon. “Spike you say, and Pinkie. What happened to Chef Whitehat?”
“He retired last week.”
“I see, I see. Well I must commend Pinkie and Spike, this breakfast is wonderful.” The ancient mare smiled as she watched Twilight. “So those reservations, are they for two?”
Twilight’s quill skipped across the page she was on leaving a dark line across it and she sputtered as a bright blush flared across her cheeks. “Princess.” She cleared her throat and tore the page out. She mumbled under her breath, “Yes, of course.” and went to work rewriting her page. It drove her nuts how she did that. IT was this special tone she used just for her and it hinted at some very not foal friendly ideas.
A chime like twittering filled the room as Celestia watched her seneschal’s reaction. “We have been dating for over a month now, it’s adorable how that still makes you stutter.” Celestia sipped her tea and nodded to the chef who stepped in through the door between the shrubs.
“Will you be requiring anything else for breakfast.” The pink mare's poofy mane bobbed from side to side as the mare bounced over to Twilight. “Hey there Twi, how’s things in the castle. You should come visit us in Ponyville again.”
“What, but you work here. How could I visit you somewhere you aren’t?” Twilight’s brow furrowed as she stared at the crazy chef.
Pinkie giggled and passed them both a cupcake. “My bad. Have a cupcake on the house as an apology.”
Twilight looked at the cupcake, something about it made her head hurt. A tiny little gyroscope was perched on top of it and the cupcake itself looked almost like a box. Shrugging she unwrapped it and took a huge bite out of it. “I must say, she makes a wonderful cake.”
Celestia snickered and pointed to hers. “I think she knows.” A purple six pointed star was painted with frosting on top of the lavender colored cupcake wrapped in a magenta wrapper. “I wonder if it tastes like the real thing.” A coy smiled wrapped around her lips as she gently licked the cupcake while eyeing Twilight with lust filled eyes. “It’s not quite as sweet sadly, but it is still quite...delicious.”
Twilight could have sworn she was on fire. Seeing Celestia’s face like that and the way she was looking at her, slowly Twilight slid under the table with a glass of water that she poured over her burning face. Today was going to be a long day if Celestia was in that kind of mood.
~ ~ ~
Twilight rolled over, trapping one edge of the covers under her side and causing them to tighten around her. She didn’t move to loosen them instead she sighed happily and smiled. The warm blankets made her think of Celestia’s wings wrapped around her as the snuggled in the park to watch the fireworks. The restaurant had been wonderful just like last time, though the server had been new and made a few mistakes.
Twilight giggled to herself and snuggled deeper into the covers, she needed to get some sleep so maybe just maybe she could be up before Celestia tomorrow. Her eyes drifted closed and a dream began to form. It didn’t really take shape it was just a rainbow of swirling colors. Voices, she heard voices, familiar ones. The colors bled together like a kaleidoscope and she caught a glimpse of a dark blue something.
A hoof, it must be a pony, reached for her but the colors shifted suddenly and the shape vanished in a small explosion of blues, silvers and blacks. A pair of aquamarine eyes drifted through the swirling mass of colors as they formed strange undulating lines of colors that mixed and split, dancing to the beat of an unheard drum. More shapes came and went as the colors danced through her mind without a single sound she could hear but knew was there.
The blue pony popped up more than once but was always quickly banished with a sharp shifting of colors. Suddenly the colors began to jump up and down in time with some strange sound that seemed to beat heavily against her ears. Louder and louder it got and then just as it had come it was gone and the colors began a sedate seep through her sleeping mind. Suddenly the colors spiked and she jolted awake.
Pain, unimaginable pain. Beyond anything she could have ever imagined coursed through her like a river fire setting her nerves a light. She groaned and curled up in on herself, slipping from the side of the bed though she barely noticed until the cold seeped up into her burning skin and soothed the ache like gentle caress. From her fevered mind she heard the strangest of of sounds, a gentle motherly cooing, no not cooing murmurs, promises of comfort. Gently she was wrapped in a strong and gentle warmth and though the pain continued she felt slightly better.
Time passed her by in unknown lengths as the pain wracked through her body like electricity. Every nerve, every fiber of her being burned with agony and her only comfort was the gentle song that enveloped her mind and the warm embrace that cocooned her body. At long last the pain began to fade and her eyes fluttered open to a field of white fur. Twilight nuzzled deeper into the fur and with a whimper and wrapped her forelegs and the barrel of her savior.
“Feeling better yet Seneschal?” Celestia warm motherly voice caressed her ears and the memory of the pain faded even more.
With the utmost care Twilight managed to nod, rubbing against the soft heavenly fur of Celestia’s chest. “Yes, thank you.” She wriggled deeper into her embrace. “I’m sorry to have woken you.”
Twilight felt Celestia smile, so bright and loving, it was so much more than she ever deserved. Celestia soft titter was like a wind chime on a gorgeous afternoon as she gently nuzzled the top of Twilight’s head. “You never need to be sorry for such things. I thought I told you when this all began that I would be there for you no matter how bad it got.”
“I know, I know but it’s just...” Twilight pulled away slightly and looked up into Celestia’s lavender eyes. Those eyes full of endless love and patience, possibly the prettiest part of the mare who ruled this small nation. “I’m not sure I’m worth it. I’m only going to bring you pain when I someday leave you.”
A gentle peck on her forehead. “That is not something to worry about. I will always have the memory of our time together, and those will hold me up while I mourn your loss.” Celestia pulled Twilight into a tighter more loving embrace. “No matter how bad your last days are I will never forget the strong mare who swayed my heart. The mare who saw not Princess Celestia but Celestia when no other would.” Another gentle peck just below Twilight's horn. “The mare who has never feared my sister or who she was and accepted her like she did me. You have been the highlight of my life since I hired you and you will continue to be until you leave this world.” Carefully Celestia rose to her hooves while holding Twilight close using one hoof and her magic. “Now let us retire together.”
With the care of a museum curator handling a priceless work of art Celestia lay Twilight on her bed and crawled in beside her. Twilight’s face lit up with a bright blush as she was pulled close to the white alicorn but she gave no fight. Instead she rolled over and pressed herself into Celestia’s chest with a content sigh. “You are to good to me Celestia. What have I ever done to deserve a mare as wonderful as you.” Celestia just smiled warmly and gave her another gentle kiss on the forehead and turned the lights out.
Entwined like lovers the two gentle drifted off and this time Twilight did not dream. She did not dream of being a princess, of friends that she held closer than her family or unrequited love. Her sleep was undisturbed by colors swirling together or faceless blue ponies reaching out to her. She was safe and warm in the embrace of Celestia.