Amore had always loved the sunset.


She was currently enjoying it at a tea table set out in the heart of Everfree's Royal Gardens, cicadas buzzing melodically all around her. They were singing their ode to the fading sun, who in return set the gardens alight in a hundred rich colors. "It really is beautiful," she sighed. Beside her, Queen Celestia shifted uncomfortably, bringing Amore back from her calm contemplation. "Sundown, I mean. You paint the sky most beautifully, Celestia," Amore repeated, as if she needed to. The Solar Queen had been told the same thing a thousand times in a hundred different ways, no doubt, but she was in need of comfort, and the crystal princess was persistently trying to reach out to her. She figured it should be the other way around; the northern knight should be howling with rage, with indignation, demanding that she be allowed to publicly marry Luna without a care… But being strong for others came with being the Patron of Love, Amore guessed. She really didn't mind.


"It's just… You deserve this, so very badly. And Luna deserves it most of all," Celestia's throat was thick, and Amore soothingly rubbed a hoof over her friend's golden-clad one. "My Moon deserves the world. But I don't think… I don't think she can have this, and neither can I." Amore had requested for a private audience with her solar majesty, which really just meant having afternoon tea with her friend, in formal speak. The Princess needed to go over her monthly report with the Queen, and inform her of the newest thorn in their side: a small group of growingly bothersome rebels in the Crystal Empire, led by a scowling unicorn dark as coal. But more importantly, she'd wanted to talk to Celestia, mare to mare, after what she'd asked of her sister during their journey North. Celestia had been ecstatic, gushing with foal-like wonder for five beautiful minutes, before her face fell, and that was the moment Amore knew she'd come to realize the same thing she herself had a year ago, the reason why she'd wanted to propose to Luna so desperately.


Princess Amore was getting older.


Now now, she wasn't old, by any stretch of the mind. In fact, she had proven to be quite long-lived, as the Crystal Heart and its magic slowed down her aging to incredible, unbelievable degrees… But she did age. She had grown lean and strong, tall and proud, a beauty that would bring a tear to any warrior's eyes. But she was older, and her dear Luna looked not a day after twenty, not even after five centuries. And just like Celestia, Amore had realized this would catch up to her. The Crystal Heart might lend her a century, maybe even two, but what was a hundred years to her, when the Sisters commanded eternity? Amore had wanted to do something, well, something special, something to make the Goddess of the Moon remember her for millenia to come-


"You'll break her heart."


Amore gulped. Celestia was right, and that only made it worse. All memories they'd build, the portraits, the rings, the vows… These memories would become torture to Luna when the time of their parting came, and making it public now would make it worse later. Luna had never been good at navigating her emotions. Still, Amore remained ever stubborn. Celestia had spoken of their lifespans, of their royal duties, of saving face. "And besides," the daybringer had said lightly, "where would you even go? You are of the North, Amore, and Luna's home is in the Everfree."


"Luna's home is in my heart," The crystal princess replied reflexively, golden eyes burning into Celestia's with unwavering strength. That's what really broke her, Amore thought later, as she went over their meeting. That was the moment Celestia couldn't bear the weight of her own love any longer. Words spilled out of Celestia's mouth with worrying speed, growing more and more incoherent by the second, but Amore was the princess of love, and this was more than just a title. She could feel, with terrible closeness, everything her friend felt, and shared her burden willingly; the grief, the loss, the unfailing affection. Amore had always lamented the long distance that would separate her from her lover in between royal visits, but to love across dimensions? She had never known of such a thing, but now could see the pain it caused Celestia, the bleeding wound where her heart feebly beat. Luna and herself would always have each other, but for Celestia to love her king was to endanger her people in ways that a Goddess may not allow. It was maddening to think the Universe would be so cruel to the pony who'd set it to Harmony after Discord's fall.


Amore would be forever thankful to Celestia, for much and more of course, but especially for confiding in her with the secret of her lover through the mirror. "It is you I should be thanking, and apologizing to. Is it selfishness, to… not want Luna to have what I've been denied by fate? Oh, Amore, I just want her to be happy. I'll stay by her side until the sun burns out, but I'll never compare to you in her heart," Celestia smiled, sadly, sadly. Many ponies had come and gone from their side, but some departures hit harder than others. Starswirl's disappearance had put a strain in their relationship already, and to contemplate this… "What are we to do when… when… "


"Nonsense. I'm here now, and now is the time for Luna and I to do this," Amore replied, not unkindly. People might think the Equestrian Goddesses capable of anything, yet their duty to their people seemed greater than their personal desires, now and always… But Amore would have her way, eventually, even if Celestia couldn't fully agree with her now. "In any case, you shouldn't apologize. You want what's best for your sister, and so do I. As for this matter of the mirror… It puts things into perspective, for me," she'd smirked playful to soften the remark. "You're not perfect, Celestia, as much as your court might try and convince you. Neither is Luna, gods know! Under all that golden finery and flowing hair you're but a pony with a pony's desires, and it… pains me that you can't give in to them as others do. You deserve better, of all people. A pony in your position rarely ever gets the chance to seek advice on such personal matters, I Imagine. Perhaps… it's time to tell Luna. About you and…. him."


They stayed together until the water in the kettle ran cold, Amore holding Celestia's hoof all the while.
The Princess wondered when was the last time the Queen had the privilege of physical comfort, and ached for her even more. The silence was briefly broken as Celestia wordlessly lit up her slender horn with a golden glow, gently guiding the Sun in its lazy descent behind the horizon. Deeper in the Castle, Luna stood by a balcony, stars in her hair as she summoned the moon with a smooth motion of the head and a glimmer of silver-blue magic, blessing Equestria with yet again another evening. The buzzing in the garden swelled to a crescendo, wishing the Sisters goodnight… all three of them.


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back at the capital, celestia and amore have tea. i wanted to portray them as the close friends they are, even if they're disagreeing at the moment. celestia doesn't think the wedding is a great idea for many reasons, but mostly because of how her own relationship with sombra played out. if it supposed a danger to the dimensions, and it mirrors luna and amore's love in their equestria, celestia fears something wrong might come out of it, and hurt luna as celestia's own relationship hurt her. the two equestrias are reflections of each other, after all. amore, on her part, understands her concerns (and most importantly, helps celestia heal from her own heartbreak), but ultimately decides to push through and stand by luna, stubbornly. although they disagree on how to handle things, amore and tia are closer than ever after this conversation. hope u like it!!