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Blessed Are They That Mourn
For They Shall Be Comforted

Celestia stood tall on her balcony, looking over the land below her bathed in the dying light of day. She was The Eternal Sun, The Mare of Fire, The Cold Sun. Distant, calculating, and, unfeeling. She ruled with logic and intelligence, moving all the pieces to create her empire. She was the greatest strategic mind to ever grace Equestria, overcoming impossible odds at every turn to succeed. There was not a single creature alive who knew more than one iota of what she had done to get where she stood. Her image, high above the streets of Canterlot brought a sense of safety to her subjects as they returned to their homes, unable to perceive her tense neck and clenched jaw, nor the wavering of her legs or the distant look in her eye.

The Eternal Sun shuddered. Quickly she turned, retreating out from under her sun and her chambers. Another shudder racked through her frame. For the first time in longer than she wanted to admit, tears spilled down Celestia's face.She watched as they fell into the carpet, leaving ugly blemishes on the otherwise pristine surface. She bit her tongue, trying her damnedest to stop the emotion in it's tracks. She tore her eyes away from the fallen tears, searching for something else to focus on. Her eyes scanned her room, flitting back and forth for some reprieve from her thoughts, but failing to find any.

The lunar solstice was always a tough day.

Celestia let out a trembling sigh, her gaze finally overpowering her will and falling upon the rising moon through the balcony doors. It took every ounce of her strength to keep her jaw shut, keep the admittances of failure and pleas for forgiveness from spilling forth. They were useless to her now, they would only be swept away by the winds. No, she would save her words. Someday her sister would return, and if the elements were to banish her again, rather than cleanse her, then Celestia would wait. She would wait as long as she had to.

That was her punishment.

"P-princess?"

Celestia started, the voice which issued forth from the shadows inside her room genuinely surprising her. She cursed herself mentally for getting so distracted by simple emotion as she regained her composure. Before she could muster a response the voice came again, this time accompanied by the sight of it's owner.

"Princess Celestia?" Twilight Sparkle stepped hesitantly closer. "A-are you alright? I was hoping to speak with you, but there weren't any guards at your door. I knocked but I-I guess you didn't hear and your door was unlocked so I thought—" She broke off, chewing her lip. Her mouth opened several times as she watched Celestia hoping the alicorn would interject. When Celestia remained silent, she continued meekly. "I-I know it's not really my place to ask, as I'm just your student, b-but are you ... crying?"

Celestia regarded the filly before her. Twilight had been under her tutelage for nearly two years now. She finally had a good grip on her magical wellspring and, barring some unforeseen catastrophe. she wouldn't have to worry about losing control again. She was rapidly approaching the age where all Celestia's students had graduated and moved on, safely able to control their abilities and rejoin the rest of Equestria. The little unicorn had come a long way from the filly Celestia had met at her entrance exam.

The alicorn turned about without speaking and returned to the balcony and the newly born night. The young unicorn hesitated a moment before following.

"Tell me, Twilight," Celestia began, having finally gathered her thoughts. She sat down and patted a spot next to her on the marble. "What do you see when you look at the stars?"

Cautiously, the filly closed the gap between them, carefully sitting down a few hooves away from the Princess as was proper. Celestia's brow creased imperceptibly as Twilight considered her question. It was a few more moments before Twilight had an answer she felt was worth sharing.

"Well, I guess I see the by-product of chemical and thaumic reactions in a large body of gas and magic light-years away, which travels at approximately three times ten to the power of eight meters per second through a vacuum towards us."

Celestia blinked once before raising an eyebrow. Twilight smiled, unable to prevent a blush from spreading across her face. Celestia shook her head and chuckled.

"While scientifically accurate, not quite what I was looking for." The alicorn's laugh tapered off, and she turned her gaze to the tapestry of stars before her.

"I've lived for a long time, Twilight. Whenever I look at the stars... I see the witnesses to every mistake I've ever made. They've been there through it all, as if they were only a stone's throw away. Each star is something I've done wrong. I come out here every night to try to remember but sometimes... I- I can't even remember all of their faces..." Her words filled the air, taking whatever peace there had been and replacing it bitterness.

Twilight opened her mouth but hesitated, not sure if it was her place to speak. She turned her gaze away from the alicorn and instead looked out towards the stars. The distance between the unicorn and the alicorn seemed suddenly enormous. More than ever, Twilight could feel the centuries, the millennia, between them. It was almost insurmountable. And so the silence grew.

After what felt like forever, Celestia spoke. "I'm sorry, Twilight Sparkle. It isn't your place to hear the pains of an alicorn, nor was it appropriate for me to place them upon you. I'm sor—"

"When I see the stars, I see... I see a world of endless opportunity." Twilight blurted out, bringing Celestia's words to a grinding halt. "There's so much we don't know, so much mystery in the world and the night embodies that. It's beautiful and it makes me so excited to be alive, and be here... with you." Twilight blushed. "I-I mean here as your student, learning under you! Not with you, with you. N-not that that would be bad or anything, just—" She broke off and took a breath. "When I look at the stars, I see all the good things you do, and all the ponies you've helped, including me, and I hope that I can do even one tenth of the good you've done."

Twilight's brow furrowed as she continued, not allowing the alicorn a word in edgewise. "Sure you might've made mistakes, but doesn't everyone? Isn't that just part of life? And haven't you always told me that mistakes are okay to make?"

Twilight snorted. "I'm the pony who nearly destroyed a wing of your school, turned her parents into potted plants and nearly killed everyone in the area. You're the who stepped in and stopped it, Celes— "

Twilight cut off, covering her mouth with her hooves. Princess Celestia had frozen at her unfinished word, an inscrutable expression fixed upon her face.

"P-Princess, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to forget your title! Please forgive me! I-I don't know what came over me I just—"

Whatever Twilight was going to say was silenced by Celestia's crushing hug. Her world became warmth, white fur and feathers, and the tears dripping onto her back. From her position, she could her her mentor's heartbeat and ragged breathing. Princess Celestia, embodiment of the sun, was crying.

Twilight did the only thing she could think to; hug her back.

"P-please, Twilight," Celestia managed after a moment. "Never apologize for using my name. I-I don't think I hear it nearly enough."

"I'll try, C-Celestia."

They didn't break their embrace until the sun rise, and it was the best lunar solstice Celestia had had in centuries.

They Who Sow In Tears
Shall Reap In Joy

Author's Note:

Thanks to Knight of Cerebus for prereading

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Skywriter

Skywriter #1 · Oct 16th, 2016 · 4 · ·

Good fanon-standard Twilestia stuff. Nothing earthbreaking yet, and it covers familiar ground, but it is well-put-together and nicely executed. Interested to see where you take this!

Subsolar Drift