Celestia led her sister and her niece out of the dining hall, keeping herself composed while Twilight was still in sight. The minute they were in the next room, Celestia rounded on the other two rulers, and all three of them spoke at once.

“What are you doing proposing to my Twilight?”

They all three stared in surprise at each other, not really believing what they had heard, then Cadance rounded on Celestia, looking stern.

“Your Twilight? What makes you think she is yours Celestia?”

“I could ask the same of you, you pink temptress,” said Luna, drawing her attention. “Weren’t just satisfied with her brother were you; no now you have to have his sister to complete the set.”

“What did you say?!”

“You heard me,” said the lunar monarch, and then she rounded on her sister. “And you, how could you stoop so low. You’re her teacher; you know such relationships are perverse.”

“I was her teacher Luna, but not any more, and unlike you I know I can make her happy.”

“And what makes you think that, what do you have that I do not?” shouted Luna, glaring at her sister.

“I have been by her side most of her life, so I know her far better than you could possibly…”

“Now hold on just one minute” interrupted Cadance, glaring at Celestia with equal ire as she stood at her full height. “I was her foal sitter longer then you were her teacher Celestia, and have known her longer then either one of you. Plus I know she loves me!”

“And what makes you think that?”

Cadance pointed smugly at her horn. “I am the goddess of love, so it kind of my job to know these things. And besides, I have caught her looking at my rump enough times so…”

“Oh if were going by that statistic then I have you beat by many years Cadenza” said Celestia with a grin, shaking her own rump to emphasize her point.

“She was probably just astonished at how oppressively large it was” said Luna, looking sour.

“And what are you implying dear sister?” said Celestia sarcastically.

“I am implying that thine rump carries about the same attractiveness as an aging hydra's backside.”

That got her blood boiling. Celestia growled, leaping at her sister and tackling her. Cadance laughed as they rolled around hitting each other, at least till she took a random hoof to the face, which made her angry as she dived into the maelstrom. After a few minutes of kicking, biting, mane pulling and a few errant spells, the doors slammed open and a booming voice filled the room.

“WHAT IN TARTARUS DO YOU THREE THINK YOU'RE DOING?!”

They were all flung against the adjacent wall by the force of Twilight’s Canterlot voice, each looking surprised as they slid rather comically down said wall and back to the floor. They all got up, Celestia spitting out a few teeth while Cadance massaged a nice shiner Luna had given her. Luna herself wincing due to the repeated blows the her body. They all turned toward Twilight, grinning nervously at her as her mane and tail billowed menacingly around her.

“Well I can finally see why the hay you needed me to become a fellow ruler, sure you're all level headed when the nation is in a crisis but the minute you all fall in love you turn into jealous school fillies!” she yelled, beginning to pace in front of the royal monarchs as she berated them. “And you’re in love with me for ponies sake, I mean not that I am not flattered, but didn’t any of you three think to at least let me know before deciding to propose to me out of the blue?”

She shook her head, rubbing her face with a hoof as she stared at each of them in turn. “I mean seriously, even Trixie had more tact than the three of you, at least she dated me for a year before asking my hoof in marriage.” She sighed, momentarily stung by the painful memories that simple comment brought up. She glared back at them, raising herself to her full height to better get their attention. “Ok I want answers, when and how the hay did you fall in love with me. One at a time please, and no interruptions, Celestia you go first.”

Celestia blushed, not really knowing where to begin. “Well…I guess deep down I have always loved you…in that way, but it was only in the last three hundred years that I recognized it for what it was.”

Twilight nodded, surprised but remaining calm, turning toward Luna after Celestia finished. “Ok Luna you next.”

“Um…I guess I would be about…two hundred years ago…after I gifted you the stars. I mean we have always been good friends…but after that night I…I saw something in you that made my heart beat in a way I had never felt before.”

Another surprise, but Twilight kept calm, turning last to Cadance. “Ok, Celestia and Luna I can get, but you Cadance…I just…how?”

“You remember when Shining Armor died?

Twilight nodded the painful memory never far from her mind even after so many years to recover from such a loss.

“Well…remember how you comforted me, telling me how he would have wanted me to live on and find love again…even though he would not be around anymore. That was the moment I fell in love with you Twilight Sparkle, because I saw in that moment the kind, strong, and loving mare that you truly were, and that love has continued to grow since that day.”

Twilight was, for lack of a better word, baffled. Why…why in the name of Faust’s holy quill did stuff like this always have to happen to her? She groaned, rubbing her face with her hoof as she looked at them.

“Ok, now another question, what the hay makes you all think I would accept such advances when you all know how much losing Trixie hurt me?”

The three alicorns looked rather hopeful, and Celestia spoke up, trying to hide the eagerness in her voice. “Well Twilight, the thing that makes us different from Trixie is that unlike her we're immortal, so you wouldn’t have to worry about suffering that kind of pain with us.”

Twilight had to admit to herself, they did have a point, and it made her remember something, something Trixie had made her promise long ago. It had been many years after they had married, years that had been filled with love and affection Twilight had thought she would never feel. Trixie had been on her deathbed, dying not from sickness or mortal wounds, but due to the never ending march of time, and had asked Twilight to her side to be with her in her last moments.

* * *

“Twilight my love, still as beautiful as the day we met, I am glad you came to see me.”

“Of course Trixie” said Twilight, grabbing her hoof in her own and pulling it against her cheek, smiling down at the beautiful mare before her. “And you are still as beautiful as ever, like you were frozen in time, just for me.”

Trixie smiled “Twilight, I do not have long for this world, which is why I now have to ask you something.” she grabbed both of Twilight's hooves then, looking pleadingly into her eyes as she did so. “Twilight, I need you to promise me that after I am gone, you will find somepony else that you can love as much as me.”

“Trixie I can’t just…”

“Please Twilight” she begged, her eyes even more pleading. “I don’t want my love to be the last that you feel, I want you to find that kind of love again, not seal your heart away after I am gone.”

“But what reason will I have to?” asked Twilight, tears streaming down her face. “Why would I keep looking for something like that when I know that I will forever outlive it?”

“Because love is eternal my love, just like you are. And love is also ever changing, and I want you to find and experience that change for all your long life. So please, will you promise me this?”

“….ok, I promise.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“…Trixie…I haven’t used a Pinkie Promise since…”

“I know my love, which is why I know you will hold to it, so please will you do this for me?”

“…Fine. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” said Twilight, going through the motions.

Trixie smiled, a tear falling down her cheek as she lifted herself up from the bed a little. “Good, now…kiss me one last time…before I sleep.”

Twilight leaned down and kissed the mare, savoring the feeling of Trixie’s lips one last time before reluctantly parting from them. Trixie laid her head down, closing her eyes with a smile on her face. She breathed out one last contented sigh as the sun began to crest the horizon, and then she breathed no more.”

* * *

She had tried after Trixie had passed to try and seek out another relationship, but it had never ended well, for the pain of Trixie’s death had shadowed her, making it impossible for her to make any sort of connection like Trixie had wanted. Twilight was brought out of her memory by a gentle hoof on her shoulder, and looked up to see the three mares were still in the room, Cadance standing next to her and looking concerned.

“Twilight, are you ok?”

Twilight took a moment to absorb the question, and then noted that tears were running down her face, which no doubt had caused them some slight panic. She nodded her head, wiping the tears away as she composed herself.

“I’m fine, it’s just this is a lot for me to take in…and its bringing up old memories which are...are painful to remember. I…I have to go think about this for a while, I’m sorry.” With that she left, leaving her three suitors looking both confused and hurt as she walked out of the door, all noticing the tears that followed in her wake.

Author's Note

The second chapter done and out. A little more info behind both the princess affections, and on Twilight herself. Also yes, Twilight married Trixie, so their was formally a little Twixie in the past, but Trixie, like Shining armor, could not escape her mortal coil. Any ways, hope you all enjoyed and stay tuned, for next chapter Twilight is going to figure out what to do, with the help of a certain family of spa ponies.