Snow coated Canterlot.

The gleaming city had been turned into a glimmering, near-blinding, mass of white caked buildings, between which danced thousands of ponies. Snowball fights, forts, laughing foals, parents making last-minute preparations, and the smoke rising from ninety-thousand chimneys.

Celestia had seen the day come a thousand times from her cushion atop her balcony, and watched it pass from the same spot. Cadance had celebrated with her a few times hundreds of years ago, but she was too often out of Canterlot for the last few centuries. Luna... Luna was not in a position, if she even knew what time of year it was. Sometimes a few Royal Guards would get her small, well-meaning gifts. She had kept most of them. One of them had, in perhaps a fit of irony, led to the birth of Twilight Velvet's ancestor.

She closed her eyes to the familiar sight of her city, and let herself bathe in its sounds and smells. Laughter, joyous singing, the stamp of hooves through snow, light flurries. Hickory smoke, bakeries baking, the faint aroma of a thousand different meals. All familiar.

If she focused, eyes closed, senses immersed, she could pretend that next to her was a warm, familiar presence. That she was under the peach tree by the little river. That she was with Lu -

The door to her office creaked open and shattered the illusion.

Celestia's growing smile waned slightly, then she heard the familiar pattern of Twilight's hooves against the floor. Firm, light, but not hesitant after so long in the castle. Celestia could hear her steady, if nervous, breathing, and smell her familiar lavender and dust scent. There was another that clung lightly to her; Cadance. Had the two been plotting something?

"Celestia?" Twilight asked, voice a little quieter than normal, her hooves stopping a few feet next to her.

"You wish to visit your parents, Twilight?" She asked, bittersweet melancholy rising in her own heart. Twilight had asked last year as well. She had, admittedly, glanced in on their quiet, joyous celebration.

"W-well, yes..."

"Of course, Twilight, I would not stop you from celebrating with your family. If you'd like, I can have a few guards -"

In a pattern becoming quite familiar to her, Celestia cut herself off when Twilight spoke up, "P-princess, will you c-come too? To H-hearthswarming, I mean."

Celestia felt a little thrill run through her. She heard Twilight's hooves lightly scuff on the floor, the filly nervous. Her smile began to return, and she opened her eyes, looking to her little student. The filly had little purple boots on her hooves, and a red and green scarf wrapped about her neck. Her big, gleaming eyes were looking up at Celestia, hope in them.

"You do not have to feel an obligation to invite me, Twilight," Celestia reassured, "I am sure your family doesn't want their Princess overlooking everything they're doing tonight."

"Y-you're part of my f-family, Celestia," Twilight said, earnestness and warmth filling her voice. The not-so-little filly moved closer and nuzzled Celestia's chest, who was too surprised to respond. "I-i want you to c-come. I already a-asked my p-parents... Cadance will be there too."

Celestia listened in silence, surprised, affection bubbling in her own chest. When was the last time someone had asked to spend Hearthswarming with her?

She swallowed, and smiled to Twilight, "I would love to. Are we leaving now? I see you're all ready."

Twilight offered a few happy nods, a smile splitting her face, "Y-yeah! If you're not b-busy! Mom will s-start cooking soon, and w-we need to start t-trotting over!"

"Trotting over?" Celestia mused, another little thrill shooting through her heart. When was the last time she had 'trotted over' to somewhere?

"W-well," Twilight seemed to realize, "We c-can just t-take a carriage if -"

"No," Celestia cut in this time, rising to her hooves, "No, I think a... trot would do me some good."

She took a step closer to the now ecstatic Twilight, the little filly looking like she was holding back the urge to dance. A familiar clack under Celestia made her pause, and look down to regard her regalia. Gold and steel-shod hooves, golden peytral, and atop her head the familiar weight of her crown.

Well, she thought, a new smile overcoming her - she is technically under a regency now, isn't she?

Celestia took a moment, grasping her hoof shoes and stepping out of them. The cool ground was unfamiliar without them, but it surprised her to try and think of how long it had been since she walked bare-hooved outside of the castle. Certainly not since before Luna's banishment. Next came the peytral, the several hundred pounds of metal lifting from her barrel and shoulders, joining her hoof shoes on her desk with a heavy thud. Finally... She grasped her crown. It always felt heavier than the peytral. Celestia sat it lightly down on the desk and took a breath. It came easy.

She looked over and saw Twilight's wide, happy eyes. Celestia offered her own smile, and moved over, enjoying the little clacks her own hooves made on the floor, "Let's get trotting, shall we?"

Twilight beamed, and they made into the castle. The long-familiar halls passed easily, although some of the halls had been damaged in the fighting. Specialists were being called in to fix up most of it, some were unrecoverable. A few stray spells had caught the ceiling, to Celestia's displeasure - she would need to go and repair the woodwork herself, lest the recounting of years made by her own hooves be damaged.

The halls were quieter than normal, even after the failed coup. The entire castle was on a skeleton crew for Hearthswarming, Celestia preferring to let her staff and guards have their run of the city that day. Only volunteers for the holiday remained.

They arrived at the ground floor and began making for the gate. Twilight came to a stop next to a familiar mosaic, the First Sunrise - it had a great gouge straight through the middle that completely ruined the piece. Twilight eyed it, confused, "I-i, well t-thats sad. I didn't t-think fighting m-made it this far."

Celestia smiled at the destroyed mosaic, "Unfortunate, isn't it? I'll have to have Cadance choose something new to put there while it's repaired."

They pressed on, exiting the Castle's main gate and walking out onto the drive. A servant bustled up next to her, "Princess! I'm so sorry, word hadn't -" She seemed to notice Celestia's lack of adornments, making her stumble a little on her words, "C-come down about your trip. I'll have a wagon readied!"

"No need," She cut in, putting an edge of firmness in her voice, "Twilight is taking me on a trot. In fact..." Celestia looked back at her two personal guards, Corporals Red Coat and Snow Drift. They seemed a little uneasy with this sudden trip, "Corporal Red Coat... Your family lives a few streets away, don't they? Corporal Snow Drift, your brother is in the barracks. I command you to go spend time with family this holiday. I will be quite fine without an escort today."

The guards looked hesitant, but Celestia turned and pressed on, knowing she would be obeyed. Twilight hurried after her, "N-no guards? Are you s-sure?"

Celestia was sure that if the coup had not occurred, her personal guards might be more insistent. Now, though? It was a little refreshing for ponies to remember she could defend herself. "We'll be fine, Twilight," She reassured as they passed under the inner gate. The Guards on watch looked with a little surprise but made no move to stop them.

They passed under the outer gates and across the drawbridge, and she felt like Celestia for the first time in many, many years.

Each step on the icy, snow-covered cobbles cracked and sunk. Snow melted off her legs and body and leaving them a little wet. Here, the familiar smells of her city were much more intense, their sounds all around her. She would have closed her eyes, but then she might miss a moment of this.

When was the last time she had walked through Canterlot?

Twilight was eagerly keeping pace with her, even if she hid next to Celestia somewhat. After all, they were getting many, many stares. Ponies from all walks of life would double-take and fall into bows, or just stare, a few stuttered out reverences or prostrated themselves. What surprised Celestia the most, though... Were the ponies that didn't even notice her walk by. They passed right by a pony hanging up wreaths in front of his little shop, and he didn't even turn around to look at them, far too absorbed in deciding on his simple decorating. Later, there was a whole group of carollers who walked right past them, too absorbed in their little notebooks to even look up - or notice Celestia step out of the way for them.

They began to encounter houses. Each was large compared to most in Equestria, constructed carefully to the city code. Here, the snow didn't so much coat as dust the houses. Many had hung up magilights, others had snow sculptures in the front lawns, or they were in the process of being made.

By now, Celestia would have had a very hard time smothering her smile. She laughed when she saw a stallion accidentally walk into his snow fort's wall when seeing her, his colt dashing out of the collapsing fort with a shout of dismay.

Then, a pony walked straight into her. Celestia barely noticed, but the aquamarine mare almost fell over - a lyre tumbling from her back. Celestia caught it in an instant, ensuring the instrument wouldn't get damaged. She took in the mare a little more, not really a mare, an older filly - in her early twenties. The mare's concern was also the lyre, her horn glowing and grasping at it with Celestia. The poor mare visibly recoiled, her horn dying out, and her golden eyes shot to meet Celestia's own.

"Are you alright, little pony?" Celestia asked, offering a reassuring smile as the mare started to shake lightly, her eyes widening with horror.

"I - yes! Princess, thank you - sorry! I didn't mean to run into you! I wasn't paying attention, I just need -" The filly looked like she was going to break down, and now that Celestia paid more attention, she could see that the filly hadn't been sleeping, bags under he eyes. Her mane looked like it had been hastily brushed, and her coat was still wet after a shower, and was beginning to chill.

"In a rush?" Celestia cut in, "It's alright. Are you a lyrist? It's been some years since I heard one play, and yours is fine indeed."

"L-l Yes, Princess," The filly managed, now shuffling on her hooves. She still looked like she might cry, despite the reassurance.

"Is something wrong, little pony?" Celestia asked, moving a little closer, the big golden eyes looking up at her grew a little wet.

The filly sniffled a little, and wiped at her face with a hoof, sitting, her lyre mark now half-obscured by snow. Celestia spoke again, "It's alright, you can tell me, if you want. Maybe I can help?"

"I-I'm gonna g-get fired," She managed, sniffling again. "I-i keep oversleeping, and t-this is the s-sixth time! And its H-hearthswarming! I'm a-already behind on rent, and - and..." Tears began to streak down her face now. "I'm s-sorry, Princess. I shouldn't b-bother you, I'm sure you have -"

"Better things to do?" Celestia finished for her, smiling. She glanced at Twilight to be sure, then moved closer to the mare, taking a seat in front of her on the sidewalk. When was the last time she sat on the bare ground? Let alone snow? Celestia focused on her little pony, "I have time. Why don't you tell me about it? And what was your name?"

"L-lyra," She managed, "Lyra Heartstrings. A-are you sure, Princess?"

Celestia nodded encouragingly, "Of course."

Lyra began to tell her. She started off slow, but after a few minutes she was telling Celestia all about her life. Apparently, lyrists weren't in very high demand, she had taken a generous private loan for her beloved instrument after getting out of the orphanage system. Her best friend, Bon Bon, hadn't stopped by in weeks after moving to Ponyville suddenly. Her landlord was getting angrier with her because she couldn't get enough hours or performances. Her boss, one of two, was furious with her every day because Lyra had problems with sleeping, and often came in either exhausted or late. Her other boss rarely contacted her because he ran a musician agency, and no one was calling for lyrists.

The worst for the mare seemed to be the sudden move of this Bon Bon - a name quite familiar to Celestia - so as her tearful talking died down, Celestia gently inquired, "This Bon Bon seems important to you, Lyra. You say she moved very suddenly? Did she tell you why?"

"N-no, she said it was for a job, but she was gone so quick. I thought - Well, I thought we -"

Ah. Celestia understood quite suddenly, more sympathy filling her. She glanced over at Twilight, to see if she had caught on, before leaning in closer to the mare. "Lyra," She said, voice gentle, "I'm sure Bon Bon wouldn't leave you if she didn't have a good reason. She sounds special to you."

Lyra gave a few short nods, nervous and afraid. To Celestia's shame, her ponies were not all-accepting. The mare could have personal trouble if this got out, and she hardly needed more, it seemed. "I can't make your bosses less angry, or save your job," Celestia said, "But I might be able to help you another way." She lit her horn, and summoned a paper and quill from her office, both appearing in a small flash that startled the young mare.

Celestia wrote a quick note, and sent the paper off again in a flash of flame. She refocused on the confused and worried mare, "I find that the bedrock of happiness, Lyra, is often the ponies we spend our time with, and the friends or otherwise we gain over the years. Bon Bon sounds like a brilliant mare, and you are both lucky to have found each other."

There was another flash of flame, and a small bag appeared next to Celestia. She caught it in her magic, and opened it. "So... Take this, as well, and go visit Bon Bon," She levitated a train ticket. "No one should be alone on Hearthswarming, Lyra." She offered an encouraging smile to her.

Tears were starting to streak down Lyra's cheeks, and she took the two papers, "I - Thank you, Princess. Thank you so much..." She sniffled, and to Celestia's surprise, moved up and hugged her.

Celestia was still a moment, but then wrapped a foreleg around the smaller mare. "It's alright, Lyra," she said, voice quiet. "Give my wishes to Bon Bon, and don't tarry too long - a ticket you have, but the train leaves in an hour."

Lyra nodded slightly against her, and suddenly seemed to realize what she had done - backing up quickly. "Thank you, Princess," She managed again, "Thank you." Celestia nodded to her, and the mare quickly gathered her things, and the ticket, and dashed back up the street without looking back.

By now, there were ponies watching from a distance. Many from their house windows, and more from their yards, eyes wide and curious.

Celestia rose from the snow, giving a shake to get the water off her, looking over to Twilight.

The little filly was looking up at her, something like awe glowing in her eyes, "T-that was... N-nice, Celestia."

Celestia inclined her head, "Thank you, Twilight. Why don't you take the lead? I think we're almost at your home."

Twilight rose and shook herself free of snow, starting to stomp ahead through the snow. Celestia followed after her.

It wasn't long before they arrived at Twilight's family home. It was old, from centuries ago, but small compared to any old family manor. More like the house of any normal family, well-off family. Two stories, five bedrooms, a well-sized lawn. No decorations had been put up, except for a big horn of snow in the front lawn. The path to the front door had been cleared of snow some time ago, and now had a dusting. Lights on the ground floor were lit up.

Twilight dashed up the path now, Celestia speeding up to not fall too far behind as the filly opened the door and rushed inside, "M-mom! Dad! I-i'm here!"

Celestia followed her inside, shutting the door.

The front room was immaculate and much more decorated than the outside. Light wood and rich rugs, bookshelves packed full with tomes and knick-knacks. A large tree had been set up in the corner of the room, enchanted with magilights and practically glowing. The fireplace was crackling, flame dancing in its depths. The smell of cooking berries and soup rose from the kitchen, mixing with the smell of the fire.

Twilight was embracing Night Light, her Head Astronomer lowering himself and scooping her up in his forelegs, "Sirius! There you are, look at you - you're getting huge! You'll be as big as the Princess soon!"

"Is that my little star?" Came Twilight Velvet's voice from the kitchen, the mare quickly trotting out and embracing her daughter as well.

Celestia stood by, watching, feeling like some sort of intruder, even as Twilight broke the embrace and backed up a little, "C-celestia came! We w-walked over, too!"

Night Light stood first, seeming a little unsure of how to approach this, but more confident than his wife. "Well, um, Princess, welcome to our home."

"Call me Celestia," She offered, moving forward as Velvet rose to her hooves, "I'm your guest today. Thank you for allowing me to come."

"Well," Night chuckled a little, relaxing slightly, "Sirius was so excited at the idea of having you and... Uh... Cadance over. We could hardly say no, we have the room for the day. She did warn us you eat alot, though."

Twilight's cheeks go crimson, and she protests, "D-dad!"

Celestia laughed, "Yes, I can eat quite a bit, if I wish."

Velvet seemed to be relaxing more now, the light grey mare seeming a bit more at ease, "Well, I'll get back to the food, I think your father wanted to show you his new train model, little star."

"I'll help you," Celestia volunteered as Twilight gasped and dashed after her laughing father.

That seemed to make the Head Artificer hesitate a moment, but she nodded, clearly somewhat more uncomfortable than her husband. "Thank you, Pri - Celestia."

Celestia followed her into the kitchen, taking in the sleek and modern appliances, the granite countertops and tile flooring, the dark cabinets and steel fridge. Velvet had something in the oven, the light on through the glass front, and several pots on the stove. Celestia immedaitely felt a little lost, gazing into this modern place, and knowing she had volunteered to help.

Velvet moved forward, seizing a knife in her magic and resuming her carrot slicing. "Uh... Well, Celestia, do you... Want to stir a pot?" She offered, looking back. Golden eyes met Celestia's, and then Velvet's head tilted a little. "Are you alright, Princess?"

"Celestia," Celestia corrected, moving forward toward the stove now. "I apologize. It has just been some years since I used anything in a kitchen. I don't think I've ever used a modern stove. Do those dials change the temperature?"

Velvet seemed shocked, her carrot-slicing stopping entirely. Wide, surprised eyes regard Celestia again, "You don't know how to cook?"

"I can cook," Celestia said, "But the last time I made my own meals... Well, over campfires and in wood stoves. This has been the domain of the castle staff for some time." She smiled slightly, and added, "The cooks were quite insistent that I let them look after me."

"Well," the grey mare seemed to grow a bit more confident now, "That's something we can't let continue on. I'm the cook here, and I say you help. Here, we can do the fruit salad together, then I'll show you the stove."

Celestia watched the mare set down her carrots, and began to follow her instructions. Fruit salad? It sounded delicious.

She wasn't sure what to think of the whole thing, being directed around by Velvet, working on the Hearthswarming meal. She laughed and spoke with the mare, enjoying the company of one of her descendants. Celestia had thought for some time that Night Light and Twilight Velvet would have some resentment for her, but she could sense none right now. Just... welcome.

The meal was as delicious as it looked. Cadance arrived by teleport right before they finished cooking, and made a few quips and jokes about Celestia getting off her flank, which Velvet laughed at. When was the last time a normal pony had laughed with Celestia?

After the rich, filling meal - which Cadance and Celestia got the lion's share of - they went to the living room to open presents.

To Celestia's surprise, Twilight grabbed up a small box and offered it to her. "Twilight," She protested, "You didn't have to - I didn't get anyone anything."

"T-thats alright, Princess! But p-please? I made it j-just for you!" Twilight looked up at Celestia with those glimmering purple eyes, and her heart melted.

Celestia accepted the package, and Twilight climbed onto the couch next to her. Celestia carefully undid the tape and took the snowflake wrapping paper off, enjoying Twilight's anticipatory squirming and nervous glances.

She opened the box, and levitated out her gift.

They were two small hoof-carved figures of wood on the same base, both of alicorns. They were rough, made by a well-intentioned beginner. Slightly out of proportion, but in loving detail. One was Celestia, one was Luna. They were sitting, wings brushing, heads leaning together, horns crossed over eachother. Celestia thinks their eyes were closed, and could see the carefully carved smiles awkwardly placed on their wooden faces. Their wings had uneven feathers and were flat and awkward. Their legs were too thick, or too thin, and uneven. Their horns weren't perfectly straight. Their muzzles were too short.

"D-do you like it?" The little filly asked, nervous, rubbing her hooves together. "I know i-it's not as good as L-luna's..."

Celestia felt tears prick at her eyes as she took in the little wooden figures, and she rested a wing over Twilight. "Thank you," She said, feeling the warmth and happiness of the day come together at last, as she stared at the work of love before her.

"It's perfect."

Author's Note

Happy Hearthswarming to all of you! I hope you liked it. I've been mulling over this little special as I worked on the next chapter, and decided I'd actually write it up rather than let the day pass. The next chapter should be up tomorrow or the day after. Tonight if I don't go into a coma after Christmas Dinner.

I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and holidays!