They Say 'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost
My Faithful Stude
Celestia sighed, putting down her quill and using a simple cantrip to draw the ink back out of the parchment before her. The ink floated back into a nearby inkwell, which quickly found itself pierced once again by a phoenix-feather quill. Celestia raised the quill again, staring down at the paper. "No," she muttered, "it can't start that way. Not this letter." She sighed as she set the quill down, staring forlornly out the window at the grounds of Canterlot Castle. It was a beautiful, sunny day, the Dragon Migration having recently passed through, and the ponies of Canterlot were out and about. A few couples could be seen walking the palace gardens, snuggled together under the sun's warmth. Celestia sighed enviously, turning back to stare at the paper again as she lit her horn. A series of scanning spells swept over the parchment for a fifth time, and they once again revealed not a thing. No mind-affecting enchantments. No charms to induce fear. No spells whatsoever.
And somehow, it still managed to fill her heart with dread.
Celestia looked behind her, eyeing the door warily. She supposed she could try to make a run for it, put off this letter for another month or two. Or two dozen. Or hundred. But no, her sister, Luna, would be standing just outside that door, waiting patiently for Celestia to write and send her letter. There was no way Celestia could lie and tell her the deed was done, either; Luna could always tell when her sister was bluffing. With a resigned sigh, Celestia turned once again to the parchment and lit her horn, dipping her quill into the ink once again before placing it to the paper.
My dear Twilight, Celestia wrote, nodding to herself. "Yes, that's safe enough. Nice and neutral. Lets her know this is nothing of national importance for her to get too stressed out about." She took a deep breath as the quill touched the parchment again. "The stress comes later."
My dear Twilight,
I write to you on this day on a matter of personal importance, if not of particular urgency. I ask that you carefully consider the contents of this missive before you
Celestia groaned, vanishing the ink from the page once more as she rested her chin on the desk. Why was this so hard? She had written hundreds of letters before on various topics. Advice to allies urging them to either action or caution in their dealings with hostile neighbors. Warnings to enemies of the futility of conflict against her little ponies. Notes to children thanking them for lovingly, if crudely, drawn pictures of her. Even the official announcement of her sister's return and cleansing had taken only two drafts, the second one only carrying minor differences from the first. Writing this letter shouldn't be so hard.
Then again, Celestia had never written a letter quite like this before.
My dear Twilight,
I hope this day finds you well. I heard that you and your friends were planning to observe the Great Dragon Migration. No doubt it was an enlightening experience for Spike. If he would like, I can have the few tomes on dragons that we posses in the archives sent down for him to study. Spike, if you're reading this aloud to Twilight, I ask now that you give this letter to her. The rest of this is of a more Celestia hesitated, personal nature. Celestia took another deep breath before continuing.
Twilight, there is no easy way for me to say this, so I will be frank with you. I love you. Celestia shuddered. There it was. On paper. That terrifying confession. All at once, the floodgates opened. Words that she had been holding back for two years came flowing out. I love you. I love you like the sun loves the sky, like the clouds love the earth, reaching down with its rain to kiss the ground as I long to press my lips to thine. Celestia quickly wiped a few tears from her eyes before they could fall and mar the page. Long have I waited to make these feelings known. Many are the nights which have passed with me wishing that thou wert by my side.
Years ago, when thou wert but a filly, I saw, in vision, a mare of such beauty and power. It took my breath away simply to behold her. I awoke that morning and soon found that something had gone wrong with the entrance exams for my school.
I arrived in the testing chamber to find thee, a filly of great power though little control. I knew at that moment who thou wert, who thou art destined still to become. And so, I made thee my student.
For many years, I watched thee grow. I watched thee as a filly, curious and thirsty for knowledge. I watched thee as a teenager, awkward but no less insatiable. And I watched thee grow into a beautiful young mare, and this is when my motherly and mentorly love began to shift into something more.
I began to notice more about thee. Thine eyes, always alight and focused, brimming with intelligence, but also with kindness. Thy smile, bashful or confident it drew me in and made me desire to see it again. Even thy lips, nervously or studiously chewed, drew me in. I began to imagine how they feel pressed against mine own.
Twilight, my star, my light, my love. For two years I have suppressed these feelings of love, fearing lest thou shouldst reject me. But I can no longer go on in uncertainty and fear. Thou art beautiful, in body and mind and soul, and I fear lest some other shall draw thine eye before I have mustered the courage to tell thee of my love.
I will wait for thee tonight, on the borders of the Whitetail Woods. If my words cause thee concern or fear or discomfort, worry not. I shall take thy absence as answer enough, and speak no more of this matter. We shall return to our relationship,
and things shall be as they have always been. But, Celestia bit her lip nervously, if thou feelest something else, if thou feelest the same as I, if my words have caused even the slightest of stirrings in thine heart, please, I pray, meet me by the Woods, that we may begin a new life of love.
Yours forever, however it may be, Celestia.
Celestia sighed, putting down her quill and using a quick spell to dry the ink. She rolled up thee scroll and bound it, placing it on her desk. This was it. This was the point of no return. If she sent this letter, it would change everything. She could still stop this. She could burn this letter to ashes, forget her feelings, and go about her business as usual. She could avoid the Whitetail Woods tonight and simply go to bed.
Alone.
In a flash of light, the letter disappeared, sent off to Spike and to Celestia's beloved. With another shiver of mixed fear and delight, Celestia stood and walked over to the door, knocking on it three times.
The door opened, Luna poking her head into the room. "It is done?"
Celestia nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment and nervousness both. "Would you... wait up for me tomorrow?"
Luna stepped into the room, embracing her sister. "Of course. Worry not, Sister. I shall handle thy duties tomorrow, whatever the outcome."
***
Celestia touched down outside of Ponyville just as the sun was beginning its decent. She ushered it down the rest of the way, sighing as her last duty for the day was done. She walked along the outskirts of the town, making her way to the forest to the south. She soon reached a well-trod path that led into the woods, and there she sat, staring out at the town as it fell to sleep. She lay herself down, making herself comfortable as she watched. And waited. And prayed.
***A few hours earlier***
"Hey guys! Check it out! Spike's pen-pals with a namby-pamby pony princess!"