Half-Hour Horses

by HoofAndQuill

A Favored Genre [General]

(The Prompt: My fondest memory.)

Princess Celestia joined Princess Twilight Sparkle in lighthearted laughter as they idly spoke together over tea. These pleasant nights spent chatting in Princess Celestia's private study were becoming a common occurrence between the two, since Princess Twilight's coronation several years ago. Still though, Twilight had recently realized that she knew fairly little about Celestia beyond the generally light conversations they shared. Bringing this up to the princess had been easier for her than Twilight had expected, and spoke volumes about how equal the mare felt now to her mentor.

After the gentle laughter subsided, Celestia spoke quietly and evenly. "I'm sorry that you feel you don't know me as well as you'd hoped. I do try to stay distant from many of my subjects, Princess Twilight, but not from you. Prying too much into the past can be unpleasant, but I will answer any single question, this once."

One question? But there were so many! Twilight considered her options for a few moments, various historical discrepancies and personal questions about Celestia's history with this pony or that. She didn't want to pry too deeply and offend the princess, or even just a bit too much and ruin the light and pleasant mood of the evening. But Celestia offering to answer any question she asked was an opportunity that couldn't be ignored, either.

In the end she chose something simple. "Well... what would you say is your favorite memory? Of all your time in Equestria."

Celestia smiled that gentle, knowing, almost motherly smile that never failed to make Twilight blush as though she'd done something silly. There was a moment of silence between the two while Princess Celestia considered her words. After a short while, she spoke again. "First, dear Twilight, tell me... of the books you've read, which is your favorite? The list must be in the hundreds."

Twilight thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I understand. You're saying you have too many memories that mean something to you to be able to choose."

Princess Celestia nodded, but then smiled again. "However, you did ask, and I will answer. Princess Twilight, do you still enjoy Daring Do novels? Or the many books on folklore and legends that you used to pore over for hours?"

"Of course, Princess." Twilight blushed a little at still adoring the somewhat foalish adventure genre.

Celestia nodded slowly. "You have your preferred genres of books, Princess Twilight, and I have my preferred 'genre' of memory. Do you know what it is?"

Twilight shuffled her hooves self-consciously a moment. Princess Celestia had done so much in her lifetime, it was hard to pinpoint any one type of thing that the Princess must be proudest of, or would remember the most fondly. Twilight took a shot in the dark. "Helping your subjects? You know, just... defeating Discord, or forming Equestria?"

The Princess shook her head gently. "No, those are things I had to do. Work I am proud of, but not my favorite sort of time."

"I know it's not the paperwork and laws you pass."

They shared a moment of amusement born of shared tedium holding royal court. Twilight paused in thought after that. "I... I don't know, Princess. You've done so many important things, I can't even start to choose one."

Princess Celestia closed her eyes, and then spoke after another moment. "This is my favorite type of memory, Princess Twilight. Tonight, with you."

Twilight blinked her eyes, and looked around the quiet personal study. "But we aren't doing anything."

That smile again. Twilight lowered her head a little. Princess Celestia spoke with quiet amusement. "Exactly, Twilight. These are the moments I remember the most, long after I forget the battles and the important documents and proclamations. Quiet moments with a pony I am close to, where we speak together, and come to know one another better."

Just quiet moments like this? Twilight felt herself blushing. This sort of talk, the evenings they spent together, this was more important to Celestia than the forging of Equestria, or defeating her enemies, or any other sort of grandiose achievement?

Twilight wanted to do something before she lost the nerve, and so she leaned gently against Celestia's side. After a moment, she felt Princess Celestia's wing fold softly over her back.

The two mares spoke long into the night, and it was another quiet, unimportant memory that they both would cherish for all their years.

Comments

[PresentPerfect]

Very nice. :)