“What was that?” The teacup levitated back onto the white ceramic saucer on a nearby table. “I'm sorry Twilight, would you repeat that?” The white alicorn turned her gaze directly at the increasingly nervous looking little unicorn sitting on a nearby red plush pillow.
The extra attention served to cause more distress than Twilight would have liked. “But Princess, I didn't say anything.”
“No, not yet. But you will. I can read your intent, and I recognize its direction. You were going over something in your head. Feel free to ask at your leisure, but please keep in mind that we can't be here all day.”
Twilight felt her heart skip a beat, and wondered exactly how deep the Princess was able to delve into her thoughts. She mentally checked over the spell barriers around her mind to find them still intact. She glanced over to the Princess again to find her looking back with an amused look on her face.
“You've known me for long enough that I hope you would know I would never violate the privacy of my student's inner mind in that way. What I see now is only a vague impression of your direction of thought. I know you want to ask me something deeply personal, and I know you're worried about it. Here. I will make things easier for you.” She arose from the large lavender pillow and stepped towards the thick wooden doors of her sitting room. “Guards. You may leave us now. There are private matters to discuss. I will send for your return.”
The two large grey pegasi nodded curtly as they answered in unison, “Yes your Majesty.” Their golden armor shined as they promptly exited the room, closing and locking the door behind them.
“There we are. Now we have all the time in the world, although I do hope we won't need it.” Princess Celestia moved back out onto the sunlit balcony and resumed her seat, once again lifting her teacup to her lips.
Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes momentarily. There was no going back now. In her mind she recited the small cantrip that dispelled apprehension. Her shoulders rolled down slightly, and she opened her eyes as she felt her nervousness evaporate.
“No, Twilight Sparkle. That would be cheating.” The Princess had but to narrow her eyes, and the calm that had previously washed over Twilight's mind fell away. “If you wish to ask me a question like this, then you will do so without the aid of magic. Trust me when I say you will be stronger for it. Continue, please.”
Twilight was suddenly very aware of the size difference between herself and the sun goddess. She opened her mouth to speak, and her throat clinched up. After a few seconds of straining she was able to force out the first of the syllables. “ Th ... Have ...?”
“That's a good start. Go ahead, continue.” The towering white goddess stared down at her with a neutral expression that nearly made Twilight's mind go blank for a moment. “Well, I'm going to finish my tea and perhaps send for some scones as well. After that I can get a few documents signed, some disputes on construction rights settled, and maybe take care of that business with the emissary from the Hydraxian Waterlords. We can have dinner, and perhaps afterwords, you'll be able to spit it out? Maybe?”
The flustered unicorn looked up into her mentor's face to see the curve of a slight grin move up half the side of her mouth. She stared for a moment before the same expression grew onto her own face. She chuckled a little before answering. “Sorry, Princess. It's just that this subject is one that's, well, a bit embarrassing.”
“Oh, I'm fully aware of that. Go ahead. I know you can do it.” The Princess levitated over a large blue pillow, setting it down in front of her. She gracefully leaned forward into a frontwards reclining position, putting her forelegs down on the soft surface and crossing them, allowing her head to rest in the nook they created. “I believe in you. Go. Go. Go,” she cheered the word in a rasp of a whisper, attempting to emulate the din of a large crowd.
Twilight found herself unable to keep a straight face. She let out another chuckle, while at the back of her mind realizing that Celestia already knew what she would say. There was no reason for her to worry over this. “Ok then. You see there's this pony ...”
“Yes?” The Princess's eyes grew a little wider as Twilight paused in her confession.
“... and well I … sort of, kind of really admire this pony.” She tried to keep eye contact with her mentor only to find that, for some reason, there was a particular spot on the floor that seemed to hold her eyes to it. “... and, um ...”
“Eyes front Twilight. You can do this. You must address this directly. I know it's hard. You've never done this sort of thing before, but you can.” With the gentle touch of her hoof she reached out and tipped the unicorn's chin upwards to meet her own eyes. She paused for just a second before addressing Twilight again. “You admire this pony. Continue.” She flashed her student another gentle smile.
“Oh, yes. I admire her a lot- OOPS!” Twilight's hooves shot to cover her mouth as her face flushed a bright red.
“Oooh? You admire 'her' a lot? Why Twilight ...” Princess Celestia sat up on her haunches as her grin once again spread across her face. “... could it possibly be that you … you enjoy the company of mares?” The inflection of her voice curved upward far more than a normal question would have required. “Dear me. I never would have suspected.” Her smile only broadened as her eyes narrowed. “But go on now, my dear faithful student. You were telling me how deeply you admire this particular pony?”
"But, but ... it's alright then? … with you, I mean? If I like ... " Twilight fidgeted suddenly as her eyes began to shine with the threat of tears.
"Oh my, Twilight. You've worked yourself into a terrible state, worrying over this, and without any reason. You are who you are." The Princess's eyes dropped into a half lidded gaze that peered deep into her student's troubled expression. She lowered her voice an octave. "And you feel ... how you feel. That's nothing at all to be ashamed of." Her smile continued as her expression returned to normal. "Now please, go on."
“Uh, heh, um, ok. Well, yes. Yes, I admire … her. And very much so.” Twilight shifted uncomfortably on the pillow as she strained to keep eye contact with the Princess, who had now lowered herself back onto the pillow. “But it's more than just admiring. You see, I think that I really … well, I ...”
“Yeeess?” The white alicorn leaned forward propping herself up a little on her front legs.
“Seeing as how it's going to be Hearts and Hooves Day tomorrow, I just thought that, you know. I thought, that maybe I should spend some time with her, maybe even get her a gift, and … and maybe tell her how I feel?”
“Why Twilight Sparkle! That sounds like a wonderful idea. You know, in preparation of your big day tomorrow, I think you should stay in a room here at the castle! I mean, since you're already here.”
“Oh, thank you, your majesty! It's an honor, but I really couldn't impose.”
“Now now, my student.” The Princess stood and walked over to the unicorn. “Nothing is too good for my little Twilight. But, let us be honest now. I suspect the holiday get away was the reason you came here in the first place. It wasn't only to get advice on what you should do or say.” For a moment she looked down at Twilight, as she stared up with large lavender eyes. “Oh, come here. Give us a hug.” She stooped down on her haunches and wrapped her forelegs around her student in a large heavy embrace, lifting her off the ground.
Twilight sighed as she hugged back the best she could over the massive white shoulders. “I guess I should have expected you'd see through me. Yes, I was hoping I could keep a room here in the castle, just for tomorrow night. I'm sorry for beating around the bush, but you know how bad I am with this sort of thing.”
“There's no need at all to apologize. You can stay here any time you like, and for as long as you like. Now I'll be as honest with you as you've been with me. I confess: I've been waiting for this moment myself ... for so long.” With that she held Twilight tighter and leaned in low to press her muzzle to the purple unicorn's lips. Her long thick tongue crept it's way past Twilight's teeth and down into her throat to attempt to wrap itself around her pupil's own soft pink organ. She felt Twilight gasp in surprise and immediately exhaled softly to push the flavor of her own warm breath into the unicorn's mouth.
After about half a minute the Princess realized that her make out session was strictly one sided. She broke the kiss and reared back to stare into her student's mortified face, mouth still gaping open with a thin strand of drool running down her chin.
They both stared, unblinking, for a moment longer before Celestia broke the silence. “It wasn't me, was it?”
“... Applejack … “ The answer came small and quiet, with almost an echoing quality to it.
As Twilight hung, suspended by the arms of her tutor, she was vaguely aware that the mid-afternoon sun beaming onto the balcony had begun to dim. Her eyes remained wide and locked with the large, and now, slightly threatening figure who's grasp was becoming just slightly tighter.
“You came here to ask me for advice on wooing your friend, and then afterwords you planned to stay the night together in one of the royal rooms?” She lowered Twilight to the marble floor and stood up straight and tall in all her regal grandeur.
“Well, for tea too ...” The little unicorn sheepishly answered trying to smile. The stare she received made her immediately regretted her answer.
“Twilight?”
“Y … yes, your majesty?”
“Do you like … bananas?”
* * * * *
Later that year, Sweet Apple Acres experience the worst drought of any farm on record in the history of Equestria, one that no pegasus could cure no matter how often the clouds were moved around. Sadly the family had to declare bankruptcy near the end of the year. The estate was foreclosed, and the Apple family was forced to moved into a one bedroom cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest. One by one, they all died off from a combination of malnutrition and disease acquired from vitamin D deficiency.
