Teatime - A Novel Of Twilight & Celestia

by bigbear

Chapter 2 - Teatime

Twilight made her way through the castle to the west door that led into the garden. The butterflies in the pit of her stomach were unusually active.

Before she opened the door, she thought, "It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be more than fine. It's going to be good." She took a deep calming breath and blew it out. The butterflies quieted, for the moment.

Twilight opened the door to the garden. It was as lovely as she remembered it. Sculpted trees stood watch over perfectly pruned flowering bushes from around the world. The finest landscape architects and botanists in Equestria maintained the health, location, and form of the immaculate plants.

Down a short path, next to the willow tree, was a sun-dappled sitting area with a low marble table and a pair of broad sitting cushions. One of the fine royal tea sets was arranged on the table.

But Twilight’s brain registered all of that later. The first thing she noticed, the only thing she noticed, was Celestia. Her pearlescent coat, ever flowing mane, and golden adornments, all shimmered in the dappled sunshine under the willow tree. She rose from her cushion next to the table with boneless royal grace.

But the thing that vanished all the butterflies was her smile. Broad and genuine, it was the smile that Twilight secretly thought, or hoped, or dreamed, was one that Celestia saved just for her.

"Twilight, it's so good to see you," Celestia said.

Twilight advanced up the path to Celestia, a little faster than propriety would dictate, dimly aware of her own broad grin. When she reached Celestia, Twilight instinctively reached up and presented her neck. It was only at the last moment that the butterflies in her stomach fluttered, and she feared Celestia might not return the gesture.

Her fear was quickly silenced, as Celestia reached down and nuzzled Twilight, neck-to-neck, and cheek-to-cheek.

Twilight closed her eyes, leaned in, and bathed in blissful happiness. Celestia's coat was unbelievably supple, her cheek smooth and warm. Even the cool touch of her golden torc brought back waves of pleasant memories. Celestia seemed willing to hold the nuzzle as long as Twilight wished, and it was with reluctance that Twilight finally leaned away.

"It's good to see you too, Celestia," Twilight replied.

Celestia gestured toward a purple cushion, trimmed in gold and scaled for Twilight, on one side of the stone table. Twilight sat down and gazed at her mentor. Celestia settled on her own, much larger, maroon cushion with the same grace with which she’d risen.

"And how are things in Ponyville?" Celestia asked.

"Do I answer like a princess, or answer like a friend?" Twilight thought. But before her brain could come up with an answer, her traitorous mouth had started giving a princessly progress report without her consent.

"We wrapped up winter on time for the sixth year in a row." Once Twilight had started the report, she seemed to have nowhere to go but forward. "We've added 342 new books to the library. And with Starlight Glimmer's help, we've extended the library hours.

"And speaking of Starlight, she’s completed 126% of her magical studies! But, only 74% of her friendship lessons. We're still working on that part."

While Twilight talked, Celestia performed an ancient conjurer's trick. She could maintain full attention on her conversation partner, while at the same time, using only her hooves, making the finest pot of tea known to ponydom. Twilight thought it was more than just brewing a beverage; it was a delicate and exacting act of creation by a master.

Celestia started with cold water in a tall glass carafe. Twilight knew the water was drawn from a spring near the base of the Canterlot Falls, and that the water had begun as snowmelt at the top of the mountain. It had percolated through the mountain’s crystal caves, gaining unique mineral deposits and being infused with magic along the way.

She poured the water into her kettle and then used her hoof to open up the vents in the firebox, so the small flame beneath the kettle could rise. Celestia could have heated the kettle with her magic, but she never did.

When a steady stream of bubbles rose to the surface and the water was at a gentle boil, Celestia removed it from the heat. She poured the hot water into a ceramic teapot and the two teacups. The interior of the teapot was unglazed and stained from previous brews. She poured the water in the teapot and cups into a broad porcelain bowl. Twilight knew the initial pour was just to heat the pot and the cups, so they would maintain an even temperature during brewing and drinking.

By hoof, Celestia scooped seven teaspoons of green tea leaves into the bottom of the pot: six for the cups of tea and one for the pot. The water in the kettle had cooled just enough so it was no longer quite boiling. She poured the hot water from the kettle over the leaves and put the top on the pot.

While the tea was brewing, she poured the last of the hot water into a second teapot to warm it and then emptied it too into the porcelain bowl. She placed a fine mesh strainer atop the second teapot.

By some invisible timer, or more likely eons of experience, Celestia determined that the tea had brewed long enough. She poured it from the first teapot, though the strainer, into the warm second teapot. When the pour was done, she removed the strainer and the leaves it held and placed them on a china plate.

“Tea?” Celestia asked. Twilight nodded.

Celestia poured from the second teapot into Twilight’s cup, and then into her own. Twilight picked up the teacup in her magenta magic.

Only now did Celestia light her horn, to lift her teacup in a golden glow. Celestia closed her eyes and took a hearty whiff of the vapor rising from her cup. Her face lit into a wide smile; what Twilight called her ‘tea smile’. Then Celestia took a dainty sip and produced a contented sigh.

Twilight took her own sip of the tea and smiled as well. It was darned good tea.

"Why do you think Starlight is behind in her friendship lessons?" Celestia asked.

"I think reading ponies is hard for Starlight," Twilight replied. "She sometimes doesn't know when they're unhappy or annoyed. It took her the longest time to realize that she shouldn't cast magic on others without their consent. And I'm still not sure if it's a lesson she truly understands or is just a rule she follows."

“It’s an important lesson for a powerful unicorn like Starlight to internalize,” Celestia said. “It was an old donkey philosopher who said legitimate power must derive from consent. She was talking about governments, but...”

“It works with friends too!” Twilight replied. “To act without consent is to abuse a pony’s trust and potentially lose their friendship. It’s why earth ponies elect their leaders, like Mayor Mare. They want to trust the ponies in power.”

And with that, their discussion was off and galloping. Magic. History. Philosophy. Relationships. Their discussion ranged across the canon of pony thought. Time past without either being cognizant of the duration. The teapot was empty, and the shadows were getting long, as the sun fell toward the horizon. Celestia was the first to notice.

"Twilight, this has been delightful. But the time is fast approaching when I must set the sun." Celestia rose from her cushion.

"I didn't realize it was so late!" Twilight stood and pranced nervously. "I didn't mean to take so much of your afternoon."

"Nonsense, I’ve had a wonderful time." Celestia looked at Twilight with a contented smile. "Truth be told, I've missed our discussions."

Twilight's mind raced. It was now, or maybe never.

"This doesn't have to be the last one.” She couldn’t look Celestia in the eye. It would be too hard if she got turned down. “I could come back again, maybe next week?"

"That would be lovely, Twilight," Celestia said.

It took every ounce of control that Twilight possessed not to break into her happy "Yes! Yes! Yes!" dance. And not even all that control could stop her from sporting a huge and happy grin.

They moved together to repeat the nuzzle that began the afternoon. They both leaned in, and truth be told, held it even longer than they had the first time.

When they finally broke apart, Twilight looked with alarm at the lengthening shadows. "I've got to go! Spike is expecting me, and I'm not very good flying at night."

"Can I call you a chariot?" Celestia asked.

Twilight felt the direction of the wind and ran the math, her flight speed vs. the sunlight remaining and the distance to Ponyville. She shook her head. "No need, I can make it back to Ponyville before it gets dark."

"Then I wish you fair winds and good flying,” Celestia said. "And I’ll see you next week at this same time."

"Goodbye Celestia, have a great evening," Twilight replied. "I'll see you next week. And say hi to Luna for me!"

With her final farewell, Twilight bounded into the sky and pumped her wings hard to gain altitude. She gave a salute to the pegasi guards who escorted her from Canterlot Castle airspace, then set her sights on Ponyville. Her own crystal castle was glowing in the most beautiful sunset she could remember.

The butterflies in Twilight’s stomach had long been banished and replaced by a warm glow. And unlike the aftereffects of nuzzles in the past, this glow did not fade quite so fast.

Comments

[latte89]

Twilight's dismay at what they've lost, her trepidation flying to Canterlot, the whole thing really hit me where it hurts. I'm excited to see where this goes.

[Ajisai]

This was really sweet! I like reading about Celestia's tea making, and Twilight's self doubts rang very true. Eager to see where you go with this. :)

[Cross Lament]

Careful, Twilight; those nuzzles can be addictive!

[Miss Appolonia]

So calm, so quaint, so fulfilling. I'm excited to see where it goes next.

Then I wish you fair winds and good flying

Those are really nice pegasus/alicorn parting words.

[HoneyBadgerr]

That was adorable. I loved it.

[Commander Darklight]

god damit so much efort for a cup of tea and here i thought sticking the bag in the cup and dipping was hard freaking work

[bigbear]

8088183 When you have all the time in the world, you figure out how to make tea right.

Thank you to everyone for the kind words. Chapter 3 should be up tomorrow.