Not just another Hearth's Warming
The greatest time of year, filled with cheer and joy on Hearth’s Warming day, where you are surrounded by affection and cared for by the most wonderful ponies around. A time when all your loved ones come together bearing gifts to show their appreciation and affection. A time where no single pony was unhappy, where nopony was alone, where nopony was without a smile.
Nopony except for one.
In the depths of Canterlot Castle, where everything was still and silent, devoid of the usual rattle from patrolling guards, gone were the busy shuffling of maids rushing from one room to another, the whole castle was dark, save for a single room.
It was a cozy room, nothing like what you'd expect from a pony of her stature. The cracking fire by the side burnt, enveloping the chamber with a toasty warmth and shrouding the surroundings with a dim, orange glow. In the center was a pony. All alone.
She lay on her velvet bed with a scroll in front of her and a red quill held in her aura. Just like every year, the mare held no celebrations. She sent all the servants and soldiers back to their own households for the holiday on Hearth's Warming Eve, she had a palace guard escort her beloved student to her family the day before with a small present, and while others shared stories and laughter, the mare signed new laws, propositions and proposals.
The ivory pony sighed, dropping her writing instrument and turning her head to the balcony. The ledge had a beautiful view of Equestria, showing illuminated cities and crowded train stations. Beyond that, a pale disk hung in the air, surrounded by a sea of stars and scarred by the image of a mare.
Hearth's Warming used to be her favorite holiday, a long, long time ago, when they would have decorations all around the palace and two fillies, one alabaster and the other navy blue, would be snuggled against one another, seeking refuge in eachothers warmth and singing holiday carols, spreading holiday cheer.
Alas, memories were just that. Memories.
She knew this year would pass just like the last, the one before that, and the next. Alone, with nopony to shield with her wing, nopony to tell her how much she means to them, nopony to talk to. All alone.
"Oh Luna, how I wish you were here..."
The pony was drawn out of her melancholy by a hurried 'clop, clop, clop' of hoofsteps, increasing in volume with every passing moment. Who could be here? She had sent all workers, inhabitants and visitors away, she had made sure that everypony had a place to stay, a place where they could invite friends and family, a place to call their own. So who was in the castle? A robber? An intruder?
Her relaxed appendages stiffened, locking to the sides of her elegant body, she readied her horn for defense and pricked her ears as the pony neared her chambers, the steps becoming quicker until they stopped. Right in front of the arched, towering doors, her sun cutiemark emblazoned onto the handles.
The white alicorn heard a soft, nervous knock on the heavy marble, accompanied by shuffling and a shy voice cutting through the tense silence, "Princess Celestia?"
Her spells sizzled out as Celestia straightened up, eyes wide and confused, gaze locked onto the entrance to her chambers. That oh-so-familiar voice, often met with a loving smile and a praise, one that could memorize textbook descriptions word for word, there could only be one pony standing behind those doors. But what was she doing here? Had she not sent her protégé back to her family to spend the holiday surrounded by her loved ones?
"Twilight?" The princess questioned cautiously, possible reasons as to why she was here echoed in her mind, yet none fit the missing puzzle piece.
The door swung open to reveal a lavender unicorn filly with a dark, navy mane split by twin streaks of pink and purple, shining amethyst eyes which dazzled in the moonlight, and a small, timid smile.
"Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, Princess!" She chirped tentatively, her eyes unsure as to whether her mentor wanted her here. Twilight bought out a neatly wrapped present tied with a magenta bow, "I got something for you!"
Celestia eyed the parcel curiously, 'Is this the reason why she came all the way to the castle instead of relishing in a home cooked feast? To give me a gift? she floated it over and carefully unraveled the packaging to reveal a beautiful snow globe, pieces of white sparkles swirling around the sphere, enchanting the monarch.
It depicted Twilight and herself on her balcony, admiring the stunning night sky and searching for constellations. What amazed the princess was that the scene seemed to play out, the two ponies sometimes shuffled closer together and she could see Twilight pointing out to various sections in the sky with Celestia consulting the star charts for cross referencing.
"I-I made it myself, I used Sir Mirror Scry's illusion spell for memories and copied our stargazing sessions into the globe!" Twilight gave a proud grin, only for it to change into a worried expression, "U-Uh... D-Do you like it?" She asked hopefully, hooves shuffling nervously as she waited for a response.
Princess Celestia put the snow globe on the fireplace mantle; right in the very center, and turned back to Twilight with a tender smile, "I love it Twilight, thank you." Her student beamed before Celestia noticed her shivering. She drew Twilight close with a wing and let out a small gasp when they made contact, "Oh! Goodness, Twilight, you're freezing! Did you walk here though all the snow just to give me this?"
Twilight leaned in close and let out a relieved sigh, "You're so warm, Princess!" She received a small chuckle, "And well, it wasn't the only reason I had for coming here..."
Celestia arched a brow, "Is something the matter? Do you need an escort home?... Come to think about it, what are you doing out of your house?" She frowned upon seeing her protege's sheepish grin.
"Actually..." Twilight drawled, "I- uh, I jumped out of the window...?" She hurried to apologize when her teacher let out a yelp and began checking her body over, "No, no, no, don't worry Princess, I-I didn't get hurt and I left a note in my room!"
"Twilight Sparkle! What were you thinking?"
The lavender unicorn winced, her ears wilting, "W-Well my parents wouldn't let me an-and I- They kept saying I had to be with them for Hearth's Warming because of tradition a-and-" Twilight babbled out explanations, tears gathering under the Princess' stern gaze before she relented "I-I mean... I just wanted to spend Hearth's Warming Eve w-with you..."
Celestia softened her expression and gave the filly a little squeeze, "Twilight..." She trailed off, thinking of what to say.
'She wants to spend the holiday with me?' The monarch’s thoughts drifted to all her other students, advisors, dukes and duchesses. 'Starswirl insisted on spending Hearth's Warming studying... even Sunset Shimmer went out to party the night away, and she didn't even have any blood relatives...'
"Twilight dear," Princess Celestia used her wingtip to gently wipe some of the tears at the corner of Twilight's eyes, "I appreciate the sentiment, but don't you think you should go home and celebrate with your relatives? That's what this day is all about, is it not? I recall you said the other day your aunts and uncles were visiting. Today is a holiday you should spend with your family."
Celestia was confident her student would heed her advice and return to her household, after all, she had never refused her instructions before, but to her surprise, Twilight made no move to leave, instead looking up at her with a firm gaze, "But what about you, Princess!? You never have anypony to spend Hearth's Warming with! Your nephew, umm... Prince Blueblood! He never comes over unless he wants to complain!"
The Princess felt her breath hitch in her throat, 'She had... noticed?' She kept her mask on, betraying no inner emotion, "Oh Twilight, I'll be just fine, After all, I'll see you the day after tomorrow for your lessons, right? I do this every year, no need to worry about me."
The little lavender filly frowned, "But you're not alright! You were sad yesterday when we said goodbye, I could see it!"
Princess Celestia wanted to cry. She knows. No matter what I do. She just knows. 'Ha! Over a millennium’s experience in peace treaties, negotiations and meetings only for my feelings to be laid out on the table for a small filly to see. I wonder if my heart just weakens around her or if she's just that perceptive?'
Then she dropped the anvil, "Princess... I-I... Are you... I’m guessing...” Twilight bit her lip before blurting out, “Are you lonely?"
She had to deny it. She had to remain strong for her student. She cannot show any sign of weakness.... So why doesn't she?
Celestia reached under her wing and bought the small filly to her chest with a foreleg, allowing her to nestle into her soft fur so that she wouldn't see her mentor's eyes growing misty.
The silence was answer enough, and that conclusion gave the lavender pony a burst of confidence, "You're the only pony in Equestria who doesn't have somepony, b-because nobles will call you a bad princess if you can't do things yourself! You like to avoid garden parties because you don't like how they get all weird and serious when you go, you go back to your room and are all sad every Summer Sun Celebration for some reason, and you almost never smile!"
The monarch was about to retort, but it died on her tongue with Twilight's next words as she continued her rant, "A-And I mean really smile, not just the one you use for all your boring court proceedings! Like the ones you show me when I... When I make you proud!"
Princess Celestia choked back a sob, her student had hit the nail on the head. She had seen all her weaknesses, deciphered them and presented them in her thesis statement, just like she had taught her to do while presenting an effective argument.
"Do you... W-Well you sort of look like Moondancer when..." Twilight wet her lips and swallowed, “Do you need a friend?” Four words. Four simple words spoken so earnestly by her student yet carried so much weight.
Celestia tried to rebutt one last time, "Twilight, I-"
“Can... I be your friend?" Twilight asked in a small voice, most of the confidence she had gleaned all but dissipating with her being so forward, but then again, hadn’t she been forward calling the monarch out of her emotions anyways? The thought refortified her conviction.
Princess Celestia quickly shut her eyes, taking a moment to compose herself, holding back the tears, "T-Twilight my dear, of course you can be my friend, but-"
The lavender filly squirmed until she was lying on her back, her head poking out of her mentor's wide, alabaster wing and head tilted slightly to the right, attention focused on the alicorn she cared for the most. "Weeell," She started matter-of-factly, "Friends don't leave their friends alone, friends make each other happy when they're sad, and Hearth's Warming is all about celebrating with family and friends!"
Princess Celestia looked unsure, Twilight would be missed and the last thing she wanted was for her student's parents to worry, "I don't know Twilight, your par--"
Twilight just waved a hoof dismissively, "I explained everything in my letter," Her face lit up and a metaphorical lightbulb popped up next to her head as she squealed, "We have lots to do! We can read Hearth's Warming stories and sing carols! Ooh! We can decorate your room!"
She babbled on about all the exciting things they could do together, and the smile that adorned Celestia's face was perhaps her most genuine one of the year.
For hours on end, the resounding silence was swept away with laughter and giggles, tales and songs. Their chatter bounced off walls in the empty palace and for the first time in a millennium, Celestia felt truly happy.
The Princess gently stroked Twilight's mane, parting the strands of silky navy hair as her student unconsciously nuzzled against her barrel under her mentor's wing, serving as her blanket.
Celestia let her pent-up tears flow, but instead of sorrow, they sang of joy. She had somepony who cared, who really cared. Twilight had seen past the Princess' façade and pushed her mask away, finding her way to the true Celestia with no titles and no reservations. She had found a friend in an old mare yearning for companionship and answered her call.
She had known Twilight was special from the very moment she had met her, but while she'd seen her capacity for magic first-hoof, she never expected the capacity of this little filly's heart. With such a combination, she knew this was a pony destined for greatness.
Princess Celestia bent down, planting a soft kiss onto her student-- no, her friend's forehead, and she curled her body around Twilight, 'seeking refuge in each other's warmth.'
As she drifted off to sleep, dreaming about their carols and decorations, one lone thought echoed through her mind...
'This was not just another Hearth's Warming.'
