At the edge of the Empire the Crystal Express came to rest at the train station and let loose its passengers, including Princess Twilight. Mere minutes later she arrived at the palace where I was ready to greet her.

“Twilight!” I yelled, and leapt off my throne to embrace her. She ran up to meet me, her eyes lighting up at the sight of me.

In the past few months we had taken to spending more time together. I'd invite her to spend some time in the Crystal Empire here and there; we'd eat together and talk about recent events in our lives. We'd reminisce about old times, and laugh... and then the mood would turn somber as, one way or another, Shining would intrude in our memories.

We'd talk about how we were both holding on and taking each day at a time. She'd share some memories about her brother from when she was just a little filly, of his dreams and ambitions, of how he'd gained them all so very quickly, and how he'd lost it all too soon. She'd work through her grief and then, because she is full of love and self-sacrifice, she'd apologize and say that it must be so much worse for me, who'd lost a life-partner who stood every day by my side. As though being my husband made him any less her brother.

I would thank her for that, but tell her never to feel that way. I know how much she loved him, and if my pride ever tells me it wasn't as much as I did then you can take my crown and my horn away.

After a while we would leave the palace and go to the Crystal Chapel park, and visit Shining where he lay buried beside the greatest rulers from before the fall. We'd buy a bouquet of crystal flowers from a merchant on the way, and place them on his grave, knowing as we did that the flowers would have meant nothing to him, but that he would smile to know his two favorite mares were placing them together.

Then we'd return to the palace, trotting so closely that our wings would brush against each other. The first few times, Twilight shifted uncertainly at the touch and had closed them tightly around her barrel. Later, she let it happen, even smiling softly when it did.

That was always the first day. Then, we'd spend the next few days enjoying each other's company, playing games, seeing sights, flying. But at some point, Celestia's words would always force their way into my mind.

“Tell Twilight. Bring it out in the open.”

Tell Twilight? I thought to myself. What exactly does Auntie want me to tell her? That I'm her grandmother more than twenty generations distant? That I have kept her family alive with my constant care and devotion for seven hundred years?

That I want her to take her brother's place in my life?

Author's Note

Next time: Strings.