Celestia watched as her student shuffled nervously in her seat beside her, occasionally glancing at the wide doors leading to the study and rereading the trade agreements.

They were waiting for the griffon delegate to arrive for their negotiations, a perfect time to introduce Equestria's fourth alicorn princess.

While Princess Celestia, having done this countless times before, sat in her seat sipping her tea and looking completely calm, Twilight was staring at the thick pile of documents she had been rereading for the past hour repeatedly, muttering to herself and her eyes darting across the page rapidly, stressed and anxious.

"A ten percent tariff... fifty hundred bits... north of Griffonstone... coal... valuable resources... Oh! This is bad! What if I can't memorize these in time! I'll just embarrass myself! What if I embarrass Princess Celestia? She'll hate me forever! What if I start a war? Oh gosh, nonono! It should be safe to stay silent right? Right, I'll just let the Princess do all the talking! But what if he asks me a question? Or worse, my opinion?"

Twilight buried her face in her forehooves, "This is going to be a disaster..."

Celestia frowned at the lavender alicorn's distressed state, she was no stranger to 'Twilighting', as Spike had called it, but her agitation did no favors for her nerves, if anything, it seemed to make her more frazzled.

She lent towards her, wrapping a wide wing around Twilight and stroked her side with a feather soothingly. The newest princess stiffened at first, but then she melted into the embrace, sighing, "Sorry Prin- Uh I mean Celestia, I just... don't want to disappoint you..."

The Regent of the Sun smiled, happy her student still remembered her request to use her name despite the tense circumstances, "Twilight, I'm so proud of you, you know that. Nothing as silly as this will change it." Twilight felt some of her tension ebb away as she relaxed in the wall of feathers, "You're going to do just fine, you'll see. I believe in you."

"Thank you Pr- Celestia, I really appreciate it." Twilight gave the alabaster pony her first smile since entering the room, and it was quickly returned.

“Of course Twilight." The two stayed in that position for a while, breaking apart only when a sharp knock resounded from the study doors, drawing them out of their thoughts and onto the negotiation at hoof.

"You may enter." Celestia called softly, parting from their hug regretfully, it wasn't often she was allowed to show her affection for Twilight, and she had hoped it would have lasted longer than it did, but alas, her duties of a ruler would always come first.

The door swung open to reveal a tall griffon, he had dark brown fur and piercing yellow eyes, sharp talons and a shiny beak. He bowed respectfully upon entering and received a polite nod from the Princess of the Sun.

"Your Highness," He greeted cordially, "An honor to make your acquaintance Princess Celestia, and your young apprentice as well, it has been a while since we have last met.

Celestia nudged the mare beside her discretely, inviting her to speak.

"It's a pleasure to see you again Sir Whitetail, how have you been?" Twilight welcomed him kindly, wearing a smile despite the subtle, nervous flicks of her tail, escaping the notice of all but Celestia.

"Very well thank you, the griffon economy is thri--" Whitetail started at a leisurely pace, before suddenly, his jaw dropped and he exclaimed, "--Heavens above! Are those wings?"

Twilight started at the abrupt increase of volume as Celestia stared at the delegate, clearly amused, before she confirmed with an air of practiced serenity, "You are correct, Princess Twilight Sparkle has ascended into the alicorn race, and as of her coronation tomorrow, a member of Equestrian royalty."

"I-- Oh--" The griffon was at a loss of words, "C-Congratulations, I can think of none more worthy than a multiple time savior of Equestria." He finished warmly, gaining more confidence as he spoke.

A light blush tinted Twilight's cheeks as she thanked Whitetail, “Th-Thank you!” before coughing into a hoof, clearly embarrassed, and turning to address Celestia, "So... Trade routes?"

Both griffon and white alicorn nodded, Whitetail bought out a thin map and laid it flat on the table.

The ambassador cleared his throat, pointing to a large cave within the griffon borders “Now, from here, we import coal to your...”

Twilight stretched her wings out and arched her back, finally collapsing into her chair as the door closed behind Sir Whitetail.

“That wasn’t as horrible as I thought it was going to be.”

Celestia just chuckled, “You did very well, my student.” After a few moments of calm silence, she glanced at the old grandfather clock, “Lunch?” and made for the exit with her companion’s nod of agreement, the lavender alicorn trailing dutifully behind her,

“Is there anything you would like to do Twilight?”

The smaller mare hummed, “We could always go on a walk like we used to! Uh- If you don’t have anything else more important to do, that is...”

’Who am I kidding, of course the Princess of Equestria has better things to do than to just hang out with me, besides, I’ve already taken a load of her time already...’

“I’m sorry, I should just leave you to your princessy duties, I know you have lots to do and I—”

The Solar Regent cut her off with a wing and an eye roll, “Oh hush, you know I would put everything on hold if it would mean more time with you.”

Twilight blushed, opening her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Raven Inkwell trotting up to the two alicorns while mumbling under her breath and wearing a frown.

“Your Highnesses,” The seneschal bowed at a respectable distance and rose upon seeing Celestia’s polite nod.

“Princess Celestia,” Raven addressed the taller of the two, “Prince Blueblood demands an audience with you immediately”

The alabaster mare arched a brow, “Did he specify what he wished to talk to me about?”

Raven Inkwell grimaced and shot a glance at Twilight, who was hanging on to every word she said, “He, uh— Prince Blueblood wishes to discuss the...” She coughed awkwardly behind a hoof and looked away, “The undeserving purple ruffian who stole his Aunty’s throne...”

The air in the general vicinity heated immediately as Princess Celestia clenched her jaw, Twilight leaning away from her mentor instinctively.

“May I see my dear nephew?”

The Princess’ seneschal, not used to seeing the calm and collected princess so enraged, trembled for a second before answering hastily, “O-Of course Princess, please follow me.”

Celestia took a step after her aide, only to stop abruptly and turn to her student. Twilight held a trace of fear in her eyes, although unlike Raven, she had full confidence that her Princess would never harm her or anypony else.

“I apologize Twilight, I must address this issue, how about I come find you after and we can spend some time together later?” The ivory mare’s features softened at Twilight’s nod, “Why don’t you go have some lunch, and maybe prepare yourself for tomorrow?”

With a last parting smile, Celestia turned tail and stormed after Raven Inkwell, leaving behind the newest princess, assessing her surroundings, and making her way over to the dining hall once more.

In the hallway leading up to her destination, Twilight swerved abruptly to avoid bumping into the Lunar Princess, instead knocking over a potted plant narrowly saved from its shattered fate by a desperate burst of magenta telekinesis.

The diarch was engrossed in a thick book with the grand title, 'The Complete Copy of Equestian Laws by Politics Pawn' First edition, Book I, emblazoned onto the front in an elaborate, golden script.

“Oh! I’m so sorry Princess! I should have looked at where I was going and I...”

Luna reluctantly took her eyes off the page and the familiar, rambling alicorn before her came into focus, “Be calm Twilight Sparkle, tis fine.” She waved a hoof dismissively.

The lavender mare slapped a hoof to her disobedient jaw. Twilight was about to excuse herself when her sharp gaze caught onto the title of the book still suspended in Luna’s aura.

“Is that ‘TCCEL’ Book I, Princess?”

“Hm?” The navy diarch fixed her friend with a confused expression, having dragged her eyes from her manual once more, “Thou art correct?”

Twilight bit her lip, “I don’t mean to question you Princess, but” she was met with a stern look at the way she addressed her, “—Uh, Luna, but are you aware that Book I —has been outdated by for more than three decades? I remember Princess Celestia—” again, Luna gave her an eyeroll, “—Ugh, C-Celestia read Book III a few years ago when I was a filly at the castle and said it was much more simplified and organised.”

“Really?” The Princess of the Night’s features brightened considerably, “Thankest our moon and stars! This book was much too complicated for our liking, we cannot even remember all this information, Tia hath made too many useless laws during the time of our exile!”

The younger alicorn smiled, “I would be more than happy to go to the library and find it for you Prin- Luna. If it hasn’t been cleaned out already, we could go to my personal room there too, I’m sure I can find some of my own notes for you!”

Princess Luna beamed and teleported her book away with a flash of magic as she wrapped a wing around her friend, who tensed up upon contact but then relaxed in the sidelong hug, “Thank thou so much my friend, t’would be greatly appreciated!”

“Anytime P- Luna!”

The two turned back, tracing a path to the Royal Library, Twilight’s lunch all but forgotten.

“So where is thy ro—” Luna's question was cut off by a gentle purple hoof to her muzzle.

“Shh! We’re in a library Princ— uh Luna!”

The Lunar Princess nodded apologetically as she followed her friend to the end of a bookshelf where they were met with a small oak door.

Twilight searched the books to the right of her door, and Luna gaped as she finally plucked out a blue leather bound novel, turning it over to uncover the key tucked securely underneath.

“Was this really necessary Twilight?”

“I was just a filly, and I thought it was entirely necessary at the time...” the smaller mare blushed as she swiftly slid the key into the tiny keyhole and turned, swinging it open to reveal a small, cozy room.

There was a basic bed beside a window and a sturdy desk with a thick pile of old research notes and a red quill on top. The walls all had bookshelves before them, filled with organised books, tomes, novels and scrolls covered with a thin layer of dust.

The door closed softly behind them and Twilight bought out two large velvet beanbags, setting them on a thick rug before them. She gestured to the room, “You’re free to explore my room Pr- Luna, you don’t have to put the books back when you’re done, I can do that later. I’m going to see if I have my politics notes for you, alright?”

Luna nodded gratefully, she noticed that, other than the dust, the room was incredibly well organised, the shelves were sorted by genre, alphabetical order, and subject matter, not a single quill was out of place and the scrolls were tightly rolled.

“Why do thine servents not clean thy room, Twilight?”

Twilight returned, accompanied by a heavy pile of paper with small, foalish, writing on each page.

“Well that’s actually sort of my fault,” The lavender alicorn placed the stack of notes on the ground beside her friend’s beanbag, “When I was small, I used to stay up all night to do my assignments— “ She gestured offhandedly to the bed, “Hence my bed. In the morning, I wanted my notes and books to be out for a final check over instead of tucked away by maids so I asked for nopony to clean my room, I did it myself.

The Lunar Diarch smiled appreciatively, reaching for Twilight’s scrolls, “Thine room is very neat, especially for a filly.”

Twilight rubbed the base of her neck, “Hehe, thank you Prin- Luna, but it really isn't that organised...” She made for the door, and at her friend’s questioning gaze, she explained, “I’ll get you ‘TCCEL III’ from the library, I don’t think I have a copy of it here.”

Luna nodded and as the door slammed shut, she realized she forgot to ask for parchment or quills.

She turned to the desk and grabbed a quill before looking into the inkwell. As she suspected, it was dry from under use. ‘Where would ink be?’ Luna turned to the bureau's drawers, pulling open the top one in her search.

Instead of what she was looking for, Luna was met with several rolled posters with a small heart emblazoned on each one. Her curiosity piqued, she reached for the one closest to her. ’I’m sure Twilight won’t mind...’

The Princess of the Night gaped as she rolled it open, she was met with vibrant pictures and paragraphs describing events and scenes with her and a familiar stallion. “My BBBFF, Shiny and I” Luna echoed the large words at the top, ‘Captain Shining Armor? Oh! Her brother!’

Luna giggled at the picture of Shining face first in a pond with his sister rolling around on the ground, bursting with laughter at his unamused expression. Each photograph had the two siblings in an activity together, both happy and affectionate.”

She rolled the scroll up and replaced it with the next. Unrolling the new poster, Luna gasped. She saw dozens of pictures surrounding a filly Twilight and her mentor, Princess Celestia. She was shocked, her sister looked nothing like the regal, serious diarch nowadays, the Celestia in the pictures looked silly, free, unburdened.

The top left photo depicted the Princess lying on her back, mane dirtying, spread out around her and laughing as she held a giggling Twilight up in the air, arms frailing and tail thrashing.

Another showed the two with ice cream matting both of their muzzles and Twilight perched on her teachers back, a cone held in her telekinesis with Celestia stuffing her strawberry scoop into her mouth.

The next shot was situated in the very room where Luna was. Celestia’s crown was sitting lopsided on Twilight’s head, who was sprawled out across tomes with her newest book fort towering over her, the mare herself was lying down with her hooves bent under her, she pursed her lips in a desperate attempt to put an end to her laughter to no avail.

Princess Luna scanned over the texts and images rapidly, trying to make sense of her discovery. Finally, her gaze landed on the emboldened quill work at the top of the poster, “My sort of Second Mommy, Tia and me”

Her jaw dropped.

‘So it was true then! She used to call her Tia! ‘Second Mommy?’ They were that close? They did look very affectionate from the photos... What happened then? Though close, they are hardly the same now! Sister said something about nobles! Maybe a fight? A disag—’

Thump.

Luna spun around hastily and came face to face with a gaping Twilight, 'The Complete Copy of Equestian Laws by Politics Pawn' First edition, Book III lying forgotten on the floor where her magic had spluttered out.

The lavender alicorn’s pupils were the size of pinpricks, her mouth working uselessly and trying to form words.

She was trembling from horn to hoof, pale all over as her body emanated a familiar emotion, one that had been directed at her often but one that Luna couldn’t pinpoint exactly. Was it resentment? Did she hate the princess for intruding on her privacy? No. Was it anger? Was Luna about to face the brunt of fury from the Element of Magic? No, not that either.

Fear.

Fear, but it wasn’t directed at Luna, at least not fully. Her gaze was locked onto the floating poster, still unraveled and its memories free for the world to see.

“Twilight Sparkle!” The Lunar Diarch stuttered, “W-We are s—”

An uncontrolled magenta aura wrestled for control over the poster violently, Luna releasing it from her grip instinctively.

It flew over to Twilight, who snatched it up with a hoof and bought it to her chest, the pressure crinkling the scroll in the middle.

“I-I—“ The smaller alicorn’s voice faltered, dying out as she backed away, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, “I-I’ll be back!” She rushed out, leaving nothing but a few shimmering tears falling under the weight of gravity in her absence.

“Wait Twilight!” Luna exclaimed, hurriedly drawing her body out of her shell shocked state, “We art sorry!”

But the mare in question had already barricaded herself in a spare study room, sobbing and letting her tears dampen the poster from her fillyhood.

Author's Note

20/07/2020:
This story is going on a Hiatus while I get my bearings back and hopefully write up a new plan for this story, possibly even a) change it completely or b) twist these chapters into a new story plot.

a) By this, I mean the story may undergo an entire rewrite, I feel as if it stretches itself thin over too many plot lines, and thus creating plot holes, instead of focusing on a single problem.

b) I’m not sure if many of you caught onto the implications, but this story was supposed to be about Celestia being Twilight’s biological mother, but from there, new ideas just developed and bought the focus away from there. If I can’t create a suitable rewrite, I may consider using parts of existing chapters to write a story of them rekindling their bond as close friends or even as surrogate mother and daughter, with all of the little details which are unneeded in the present storyline, such as the nobles and Blueblood, included as well.

I’m sorry for disappointing eager readers, I know many of you were waiting for the next chapter to come out and I received several PMs asking me for teasers and such.

Again, I apologise for the inconvenience.
-Meowofy