Quiet Sunsets 3 (AiE, Celestia)

>Before you went to bed
>You found the note from two days ago
>You read it again, now knowing who's quill composed it
>The calligraphy was perfect, the lines evenly spaced and the font was ideally sized to utilize the entire sheet of paper
>Not a single mistake in grammar or spelling, the page clean from any marks of erasure or mistake
>Even where the words darkened from a fresh dip in the well, there wasn't a drop of misplaced ink
>Yet the content itself was still what you'd expect from an Hearts and Hooves day note.
>Elegant words and sentences to say something so simple
>Either Celestia's millennia of letter writing has made her next to perfect at composition or...
>You can't help but chuckle as you picture a frustrated Celestia at her desk
>Crumbled parchment surrounding her hooves
>Nightstand candle burnt down to the bottom
>While she crumpled another piece of paper and tossed it away, due to a mistake or a misuse of a prose
>How long did she work on this, you wonder?
>How many times did she almost change her mind before sending Stonehoof out to you?
>Did she watch you read it from her private terrace?
>Could you even imagine her nervous? Or blushing like a schoolgirl?
>She's always so composed and maybe even slightly aloof
>It hurt your head to picture her any other way
>Not to mention made you sleepier
>You fold the letter and return it to your nightstand
>Before you know it, you're asleep
>The next day, you go about your morning routines
>Just like every other day
>Though Stonehoof was sporting a nice shiny medal of achievement
>He looked so pleased with himself as he stood sentry, occasionally adjusting it so it reflected the most sunlight
>Celestia must have pinned it on him herself
>You knew it was partially a guilty conscience that lead to that medal, but you're sure he earned whatever he was told it was for
>He seemed to think so and you saw no reason to tell him otherwise
>Besides, like he would believe Princess Celestia felt guilty about using him to deliver a love note
>Heck, you could hardly believe it
>The rest of the day was spent thinking about this meeting of yours
>It would be the third time you and her shared a quiet evening
>But the first time you really knew the motivation behind it
>What do you say? How do you act?
>Do you talk to her like you would talk to a woman now?
>Like a triggered explosive, your mind rapidly reminded you of every lame, creepy, and otherwise poor experience you've ever had with the women back home
>Except with Celestia in the place of all of them
>You get a chill at the thought
>No, no, don't complicate this
>That's why she was so...skittish
>How many clueless ponies...or other species, must have thrown themselves at her during her thousands of years of...
>Jesus, she's over a thousand years old!
>And yet she said some things that...
>And what if you don't...what if you misread a signal and...
>You wipe some sweat from your brow and grip the wood of your spear a little tighter
>You don't know how you were so sure of yourself last night but now you're a little frightened
>You barely at when lunchtime came
>And by the time the evening bells began to chime
>You were seriously considering running to Twilight and asking her to send you home
>Not that she knew how
>But even a botched spell may be better than--
>Wait, what are you honestly afraid of?
>Get a grip, Anon!
>You're just sitting down with her on a balcony, talking
>It's not the end of the world
>"Daydreaming again?"
>Stonehoof is there to relieve you
>Still displaying his shiny medal
>"You're never going to get one of these if you're half asleep at post, Anon."
>You nod in agreement, not wanting to argue with him
>If only he knew the story behind that
>That's for another day
>You hurry to the west balcony
>Stopping only at a restroom to wash your face and fix your uniform up
>You took a little longer than you would have liked, by the time you got there the sun was well below the horizon
>There were a few ponies there this time
>Celestia hadn't closed it off to the public like she had last night
>Your favorite bench is still free, so you take a seat
>The sunset is pretty normal looking
>Compared to the last two days
>Which looked like masterpiece paintings by comparison
>Today it looked manufactured, as if no real thought went into it
>You look back to the entrance
>Then back to the sky as it darkened more
>No sign of the princess
>You relax slightly, using the extra time to collect your thoughts
>You get a little more time than you bargained for
>You look back to the entrance when the sky is nothing but deep purples
>And again when those colors faded to Luna's night
>And one more time when her moon began to shine and the stars appeared brighter and brighter
>It was not till the bells began to chime again, signaling an hour since your shift ended, that you realize
>She's not coming
>You sigh quietly, leaning back in your seat, looking from the city below to the marble below your feet
>A small part of you is relieved
>But those feelings are quickly overridden by disappointment and even a little sadness
>It could have been one of a million things
>Changelings, dragons, an angry griffon diplomat, parasprites, her sister scared of the vacuum again
>The world doesn't stop for the Princess of the Sun
>At least, that's what you hope went wrong
>Something urgent and this rendezvous slipped her mind
>That's all
>Even if she did feel different she was far too courteous to stand you up
>Right?
>Your only answer is a gust of wind from the west
>You rub your arms and suppress a shiver
>It feels a lot colder than usual
>Sighing again, you decide you've waited long enough and head back inside, your head hung a little low
>Maybe you'll head to the pub and have a few
>You push the doors open then shove your hands in your pockets to warm them up
>Pony cider is pretty weak but you'll find a way to--
>"Mr Anonymous?"
>You look up
>A pegasus guard is standing before you
>He has a letter pinned to his helmet
>"Message for you, sir"
>He stands at attention, making no effrot to give you the letter
>You eye him for a moment, then take the letter from his helmet
>"Princess Celestia instructed me to deliver this to you here, sir"
>You recognize the voice, even if he looks identical to every other guard
"Thanks, Storm Dancer...how long have you been there?"
>"Close to an hour, sir. Princess Celestia said to wait for you by the West Balcony Gate and deliver this letter to you. I was instructed not to read the message"
>Yea, he was one of those kinds of guardponies
>Celestia never told him to go onto the balcony and look for you
>Just to wait by the door
>So he did exactly that
>While you sulked and froze outside
>You had half a mind to go upside his head
>But you were too busy reading the note
>And feeling the color drain from your face

>"Dearest Anon, I must respectfully request we forgo our usual meeting spot for a more formal venue. A meeting with the Griffon Kingdom took the entirety of the day and we were forced to skip lunch. I believe you also deserve a break from the questionable cuisine of your barracks as well. Dinner will be served in my private dining room at 7 o'clock. That should allow you enough time to change from your uniform to something a little more agreeable for dinner."

>You don't finish the rest
>7 o'clock
>That was right now
>Her dining room was about 10 flights of stairs an entire castle's length of space between right here and--
>"Is everything alright, sir? You look absolutely--"
>You stuff the letter in your pocket and bolt toward the stairs
>Your legs couldn't move you fast enough
>You were already late
>How long would she sit there and wait for you?
>As far as she's concerned you got the note an hour ago!
>If this goes wrong for you, Storm Dancer is going to wake up with no feathers tomorrow
>Your lungs were on fire
>Your legs felt like lead
>But you made it to the door of her dining room
>The guards stood aside, expecting you
>You hit the doors, shoving them open
>You nearly fall headfirst into the chamber
>But you keep your balance long enough to simply burst into the room
>Only to bend over at the waist, panting
>Holding your knees
>Trying very hard to explain what happened
"Didn't....note......guard....ran...sorry...late..."
>You steady your breath enough to look up
>There is a small table with two seats, candles, wine, and various plated vegetables and what smells like fried eggplant
>One chair is empty
>Celestia is in the other
>She's wide eyed
>A fork with a bit of salad floating near her mouth
>Speechless
>You're still panting too hard for complete sentences
>You try again to explain between gasps that you didn't know she was waiting for you till right now
>And that you didn't mean to be late
>And no matter how much you insisted it wasn't your fault, that you were sorry
>And hope she wasn't angry with you
>She continued to look surprised but she placed her fork down at least and walked over
>When she reaches you, she rubs your back with her hoof, to help your breathing
>Then leans forward and says
>"Anon, you could have told Storm Dancer and had him fly ahead of you. He can fly faster than you can run"
>She begins to chuckle, trying her best not to burst into laughter
>You do the same
>Before you know it, you and Celestia are both laughing pretty hard
>It hurt your chest but you didn't care
>It was hard to say if you two were laughing at how ridiculously you entered the room
>Or from a collective relief that one hadn't stood the other up
>Either way, it felt really nice
>When her laughter subsided
>She looked guiltily to the table of food while you finished catching your breath
>"I must apologize, Anon.  I...well had I known you would be late I wouldn't have began without you"
>You shake your head, assuring her its ok and you understood, offering your own apology
>"And you're still in your uniform!  If you'd like I could call my chamber mare and have her find a robe that may fit you"
"I thought you liked me in my uniform?"
>It had to be done
>You felt a little bad but you weren't going to spend who knows how long dancing around the subject
>Besides, no matter what happens from here on
>It was worth catching her off guard
>If only to see the slight blush creep on her surprised face
>"Oh...well, yes I do prefer you that way.  Cross Stich did some magnificent work, especially with the embroidery when you completed your training"
>Right, of course, that's what you meant
>You had to admire how quickly she compsed herself again
>You begin to smooth and tuck in the parts that were discheveled from your little run here
"It fits me perfectly, best pieve of clothing I ever wore"
>No lies there
>But the Princess was definately interested in more than the materials as her eyes followed your movements
>"He was...looking for a challenge, you provided him much more than he bargained for.  I'm sure you're hungry lets see what you like!"
>She had already trotted back to the table
>No matter, you can prod her about her note after a little food
>She didn't think of an excuse to bail on dinner so, its a good start if there ever was
>And the smells of sautede vegetables, fried eggplant, and some kind of tomato sauce were calling you over
>"If this isn't to your liking, the chef assured me he would cook anything you asked for.  Please don't feel shy about requesting something else"
>You assure her the food looks delicious
>She looked pleased and returned to her seat
>You took your seat on the other side of the table and began to make yourself a plate
>The food tasted as good as it looked, maybe even moreso
>Food fit for a Princess, afterall
>Along with the veggies you found freshly baked rolls, butter, some sort of queeche, and a pie that would put the marketplace to shame
>You tried your best not to load your plate up more than she was, but the more you tasted the more you wanted
>Her smile encouraged you to enjoy the meal anyhow
>But after a few moments of silence, she began to talk to you again
>"In retrospect, I should have picked a more creative messenger to deliver that note.  Some of the newer guardponies can be a little bit too literal."
>You shake your head
"Don't worry about it, your majest--"
>"Celestia.  Please, no titles when those doors are closed. You're my guest, not my guardsman"
>Your turn to be taken slightly by surprise
>But you nod and continue
"OK...Celestia, I've been in their shoes too..and I've seen a lot worse"
>She chuckles and encourages you to elaborate
>You tell some stories, leaving out names just in case she finds any of them a little too ridiculous
>One incident involving a unicorn who spent an entire day searching for a phoenix down pillow
>Another of two cadets trying very hard to guard the great clock's pendulum
>Choice incidents involving  one of her guest's cat
>And finally one with you
>Celestia leaned forward for this, likely surprised you'd tell one where you were the victim
>Your Sergeant had done a very good job convincing you Luna only ate Dodo eggs, and brought it up just enough for you to believe it
>Being from a foreign world you assumed they might have still existed here
>Celestia laughed particularly hard when she learned Luna was not only in on it, but took great delight screaming at you when you couldn't find any, and had the gall to try and serve her chicken eggs instead
>Dinner with Celestia continued like this, you mostly talking, her listening and laughing occasionally
>Followed by a few moments of eating, but it never lasted long
>She wanted you to keep talking to her
>And when you told a particularly long story or simply carried on
>She had the same warm, beautiful smile you've come to enjoy every evening
>As if you were an old friend from her past
>And this was a chance to catch up with lost time
>But you were running out of things to say and desperately wanted to get back to eating
"So...what happened with the griffons today? They must have been upset about something."
>She chuckled, shaking her head and rubbing her forehead with a hoof
>You only realize then she wasn't wearing her crown
>"You know how they can get. Some piece of land a hundred years ago belonged to one of their great grandfathers and.."
>She sighs, memories of the day's nonsense coming back to her
>"None of them cared about it till a few frontier ponies settled there. Then all of a sudden its 'claim' this and 'birthright' that. They're like a child who sees his younger sibling playing with a forgotten toy."
>You nod, finishing off another helping of food
>"We reached an agreement about a hour before sunset. The entire day was lost over who had the right to pick apples from one particular tree in an orchard of hundreds."
>She sighed and used her magic to begin cutting a slice of pie for herself
>You've heard rumors of her love of cake and pie
>Don't laugh if she proves them, Anon
>Not like she'd shovel the thing down
>But that was an awfully big slice considering how small the rest of her portions had been
"At least they got to stay in their homes. I'm sure the ponies are very happy about that"
>She nods as the slice lands in a serving dish and floats over to her
>"Oh, where are my manners, would you like a piece? It's cherry"
>You nod and her good spirits return as she cuts a piece and serves you
>You would have found it amazing that the Princess of Equestria was serving you pie
>And looking absolutely delighted to do so
>But you didn't have time to think about that because the rumors were true
>Now to be fair, the pie was delicious
>Like, exactly the right amount of sugar and somehow still warm from the oven delicious
>And the cherries might as well have fallen from the branch to the crust
>But you weren't halfway done with your first slice
>And she had stealthily cut and finished a second
>Somehow managing to remain graceful the entire time
>She offered you a second piece but you declined
>This made her slightly disappointed
>You having seconds must have been excuse to have a third piece
>You failed your mission, Anon, and now pie will go uneaten
>How could someone this regal and mystical be so cute in regard to a pastry?
>You really were stuffed though, and you clean your mouth with a napkin and tell her so
>Adding that you never thought in a million years you'd enjoy a dinner like this
>She smiled brightly and took a napkin for herself, standing from her seat
>"I'd like to go for a walk after a meal like that.  Care to join me, Anon?"
"Of course, Celestia."
>She opens the doors to the dining room with her magic, a different set behind her
>They lead down a hall to a pair of glass double doors
>A balcony
>Her private balcony
>You felt a little more special at that moment
>And somehow, she could tell
>And the room seemed to warm with her quiet grin
>She motions with her head for you to follow
>You do her one better and walk right beside her
"Have I been a good date, so far?"
>You smirk when she looks away for a second
>Hiding another blush, you could only assume
>"You've been wonderful, Anon. It has been far too long since I've had a dinner that wasn't formal or interrupted or..."
>She trails off at the last word but you made it out
>Truthfully, even with the company of your colleagues in the barracks
>You know what it was like to eat alone night after night
>"I could become accustomed to more meals like this. I must confess, I haven't laughed like that in quite some time"
>You nod and look forward when her balcony doors open
>The cold wind of the night hits you and even Celestia's radiant warmth wasn't enough of a shield
>You wrap your arms around yourself and try not to shiver
>But when you see the view, you shiver alright, but not because of the cold
>The view is breathtaking
>The entire palace of Canterlot below you, lit up by lights and magic
>With the city stretched below that
>You walk a little further but notice there is no railing or glass
>This was a balcony made for someone who could fly
>You took a step back but still kept your eyes glued to the sky
>The moon was a silver sliver in a sea of stars
>They somehow were more brilliant here than even in the countryside
>"There are a magical wards that keep the lights of the city from obstructing the stars"
>She seemed to know what you were thinking
>Or it must have been a common question for the lucky few who've been allowed here
"Do you come here a lot? After a long day?"
>You turn back to her
>She's sitting, her wings slightly open
>Her mane blowing softly
>Her eyes on only you, as if the entirety of the world behind and above you was insignificant to you being here
>"I do. Not nearly as much as I'd like. It can be a bit cold and.."
>Again, she trails off when she gets to a word she doesn't like
"Lonely?"
>She nods quietly, looking away
>You walk back over to her
>She looks back to you
>Despite the shift of the conversation, she still smiles, still keeps a sunny demeanor
>You take a seat next to her
>The floor is surprisingly warm, despite being exposed to the high altitude and the night
>"This platform was a gift to me from a gifted unicorn from long ago. He said I should have a place where I could take refuge from 'the terrors of high society and free loading nobles'"
>She chuckled at the memory
>One of someone who must have been gone for centuries
>"At the time I was grateful, the world was a very different place. The country was not as peaceful and serene as you have come to know it"
>You nod, slipping a little closer to enjoy more of her warmth
>"But times change. The country began to run itself, ponies naturally desire harmony so the squabbles lessened. Before long, the world was at peace. Even the dragons found our presence tolerable, more so when we found them more gems than they could ever eat"
>"And like some sort of magic spell was cast, the world became quiet. My life became..very quiet"
>She closes her eyes and it was her turn to slip a little closer
>"For a time I rested. I enjoyed the quiet. Welcomed it. Told myself that it was my reward for centuries of hard work and painful sacrifices. And for a time I believed that. But...lately I had become more and more aware of how much I had forgotten how to live. Twilight Sparkle helped me realize just how much I missed company. But she grew up, as young fillies do, and I had to let her go. Then...."
>She turned back to you
>Her eyes were moist with what could only be tears
>But they remained at bay, held in check by centuries of dignity and etiquette
>Through all her soul searching, she was still the glowing vision of a benevolent ruler of a perfect kingdom
>You began to wonder if she even remembered how to cry
>"Then you appeared, Anon"
"Me?"
>You had a feeling you tied in here somewhere
>But you were sure if anything was going to make her feel like she needed another in her life it would be Princess Cadence's wedding
>Not the day you showed up...in fact--
>"Anon, refresh my memory. When you arrived in Canterlot, what did you say to me when I asked you to calm down?"
"Princess, I was scared you can't possibly--"
>"Please, for old times sake. It amused me then, and the mood is somber, we could use a little enjoyment."
>She smiled and nudged your back with one of her wings
"I....told you...."
>You clear your throat
"That I wasn't going to listen to a....*ahem* giant talking horse"
>She chuckled and gave you another prod with her wing
>"I believe there were a few more colorful words in that sentence, but yes, Commander Highwind nearly fainted"
>You fidget and look around nervously, the memory a bit too fresh considering where you were now
>She keeps her wing on your back, giving it a reassuring rub
>That does the trick and your nerves fade away
>She's so warm and soft you can't help but lean a little closer to her body
>She doesn't protest, if anything her wing pulls you into her
>A sigh escapes her, a much happier one than the last few
>How long has she wanted to do this, you wonder
>"Nobody has spoken to me like that in....I cannot even remember. Even Discord at his absolute worst was never that...direct. You had no idea who I was and to you I was just another strange creature. When you finally calmed down, we talked till for the entire day and into the night. About your life, my life, about the worlds we lived on and the lives we lived. At first I thought that was to help you come to terms with what happened but...deep down somewhere it was for me too"
>Her wing tightened its caress around your body
>You lean forward and wrap your arms around her body
>Pulling her into a tender hug
>You can feel her heart racing beneath her soft fur
>"It had been so long since I've had someone who spoke to me as an equal. A true equal, not a rival or an enemy. You spoke to me as if I was a common mare asking how your day had been."
>You nod against her fur, not wanting to interrupt her
>She returns the affection with a light nuzzle of your head
>"I love listening to you. You're not afraid. Even Twilight, as smart as she is, still had an air of reverence about her I could never get past. But you, you met me as an equal first. We spoke, we laughed, we even bickered as the night dragged on. And you never once skipped a chance to tell me how absurd this all was to you."
>The last bit was followed by a weak giggle as her wing gave you another squeeze
>"As time flowed on, you began to realize who I really was. What I meant to all these ponies. When you asked to join the guard I was heartbroken, I worried you saw me as they did. But as time went on, when I passed you in the halls or asked you how your training was progressing, you spoke to me the same as you always have."
>It was your turn to chuckle
>Your lax attitude when it came to talking to Princess Celestia earned you more than one run around the barracks
>You didn't want to make her feel guilty so you kept that to yourself
>"So I watched, and waited....till lonely night after lonely night passed and I couldn't wait any longer. I had to know if you were ready to invite another into your heart. So I sent you that note. I'm ashamed of myself for being so timid...but I couldn't think of a better way."
"You could have asked me..."
>She shook her head
>"I wouldn't know if it was your heart or your uniform saying yes. I had to know your heart was open for something more than devotion to the Princess you took an oath to serve. That it was just as I felt, just a desire not to be lonely anymore.."
>You see her napkin from early levitate above you, followed by a very quiet sniffle
>Despite her best efforts, a tear or two falls to the marble below
>But, as always, her emotion passes as quickly as it arrived
>"Thank you for listening tonight...it means far more than I could ever express with words or even actions."
>She gives you another squeeze with her wing and you look up
>She's smiling, her eyes moist but bright as always
>Though you can see a little speck of hope glinting against the light of the stars
"Your welcome, Celestia. I enjoy spending time with you. You make me feel like this place can actually be home. Even now, even after I've been here as long as I have. When I'm with you, that's the only time I really I don't want to leave."
>Her smile brightens and her wing rubs your back some more
>You give her another squeeze
>There was more you wanted to say and you could tell she felt the same
>But there would be time for that another day
>Right now, there was the entire night ahead of you.
>"I...may have taken the liberty of having your duty assignments for tomorrow cancelled. It would be unfair of me to invite you to a private audience...only to expect you at your post at sunrise."
>You nod and laugh a little
>She thinks of everything
>"Luna can handle my duties in the morning...call it punishment for her little stunt with the eggs"
>She really thinks of everything
"So...what would you like to do then?"
>She looks back to the doors
>"Tell you what, I'll go fetch that cherry pie while you think of something fun to talk about. Anything you'd like, so long as you do one thing"
>You tilt your head, wondering what it was.
>"Please, don't let it get too quiet"