Time to meet her fate. Well, she’d met it earlier, and nearly burst into flames with her rage at it. Rarity was still on her angry-list, that hadn’t changed. She had to admit, however, it was a nice dress. Just not what she had been expecting. Then again, she hadn’t been expecting Princess Celestia to be helping her into it, either, and that was currently a much more pressing issue. Twilight did her best to keep her tail low, covering herself- After an entire day of on-and-off teasing, assorted kisses, the incident in the baths... She was in a state that she really didn’t want Celestia to see right now... If only because taking care of it would make them late.

“Twilight...”

For a moment, she thought somepony else was in the room, because Celestia was speaking so softly. She did turn, and was surprised to see her mentor’s grim expression.

“What’s wrong? Did I... Did I do something?”

“Nothing of the sort. I simply want to have a serious discussion before we do anything else, and before the party.”

Relief flooded Twilight- It wasn’t a problem. Just a conversation.
A really, really serious conversation.
A conversation serious enough to bring pause to Celestia.
...OK, maybe it was a problem after all.
“Better to get it out of the way quickly, right? I’m all ears!”

Celestia had stopped fussing with the dress, instead moving to stand before Twilight. With a sigh, she lowered herself, knees bending to bring their faces level. The difference in size was still intimidating, but in a way Twilight honestly enjoyed. She felt... sheltered. Protected.
“I want to make sure that you understand: This relationship may not be easy. Few of them are, but this in particular... You may be thrust into the public eye, scrutinized by the media, lambasted by those who find it strange... Your own friends and fellow villagers may view you in a different light. There might even be danger. And so I have to be positive that you are willing to deal with all of that. I will support you in every way I can, but I cannot guarantee things will be perfect.”

It may have been the wrong time, but Twilight felt like the moment was ripe for a chance, ever-so-rare, to actually appear wise to her mentor. She always felt like a child walking in the hoofprints of giants, but she was growing, and getting better- And she had to improve in every walk of life, not just magic. She’d learned that, and so many other things.
“Could anypony, really? Nothing’s perfect, Princess. But we can try our hardest. And I know I will- And I understand there might be issues, but.. You said it yourself earlier. What we do is no business of theirs, and those who object will have to find their way through the tough and fearsome maze around me.”

Celestia, for her credit, smiled knowingly but kept up with the conceit. Sometimes you just had to let a really good speech get a head of steam.
“Maze?”

“My friends. My family. You, your sister, Pony Joe, the Cakes... Everypony I know is somepony I trust, so much. And they return that trust. If there’s any chance that trouble will start, then whatever starts that trouble... Well, it’s going to have a nasty time of it.”

Celestia rose, still smiling, looking in her eyes.
“So you’re saying you’re prepared.”

Twilight looked back, her own grin so wide it was trying to spill over into her mane.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

With a chuckle, her mentor walked back behind her, returning to work on the dress... Or so she thought, until she felt the gentle pressure of a hoof against the slick inside of her leg. She noticed.

“If I didn’t know you any better, I would have said that last line was an innuendo- You certainly are quite ‘ready’.”

“Princess I can explain, it’s just that-”

“I never said that was a bad thing, Twilight. Although you did just use my title again- I wonder if there should be some sort of punishment for that?”

She put the blame on the books she had been reading lately for where her mind went at the word “punishment”. That was absolutely the case, and she did not in any way find that subject innately interesting or captivating. Eenope. Of course, when she went to answer, all that came out was a whimper- These feelings were so new, and so intense, that even the slightest bit of pent-up agitation was making her shake like a nervous schoolfilly on stage. She was blushing to the tips of her ears, and her tail, the traitor, was reflexively trying to move away and uncover her.

“Mmmh. That can wait. In fact, speaking of waiting... I have an idea.”

The last time she had heard somepony say “idea” in that tone of voice, Pinkie Pie had been preparing a prank whose aftermath included at least seventeen feet of silly string, a house covered in streamers, and the Flower Sisters all fainting twice. Her original estimation of this being a “long night” suddenly ratcheted up to “endless delicious torture.”

--------

Later, Twilight was positive that Celestia said everything in the plan in one long, breathless moment, directly into her ear. It certainly felt that way. Dutifully, she did her best to remember as much of it as she could, despite the night as a whole being somewhat... fuzzy, starting around then.

“Although I have much more practice in hiding it, you can trust that I am precisely as ‘ready’, and just as anxious about it. My last dalliance was... some time ago. So with both of us in such an agitated state, and no time to solve the problem, I propose this: We do nothing. We attend the party as if nothing was wrong. And when one of us can no longer hold out, we simply tell the other “I’m going out for some fresh air.” We meet in the gardens, and we take care of the problem at our leisure- Once the event is in full swing, we won’t be missed if we disappear for an hour. Or two.”

Twilight answered in a daze, a grin already building.
“That sounds... really well-planned. Just, um, out of curiosity, have you...”

“Done this before? Twilight, I have spent thousands of years attending cabinet meetings and political summits. I have to handle my boredom somehow.”

“Mmh. Oh. Well then... I think you have yourself a deal, Celestia.”

It had been a risk to use such an informal statement, and such a confident tone, but it paid off- Her teacher responded with a laugh and a kiss, and they returned to the mundanities of preparing for what Twilight was now positive had the potential to be the Best Night... Nevermind. That phrase kinda lost meaning a while ago.

--------

Taking a second look at the dress in the mirror, it wasn’t nearly as bad as she had first thought. True, it was... risque. It clung tight to her, every inch soft black velvet chased with bars and piping of lavender silk. It rose to the sides of her neck, but plunged low to give the necklace a showplace: A gold choker studded in quartz and amethyst, the finished design a perfect mirror of her Cutie Mark. What bothered her, however, was how high the outfit rode on her flank, and how the curves and sweeps of the design went out of their way to accentuate... No, to display her Mark. Yes, it was visible all the time. But right now? It was having attention drawn to it, and somehow that was much, much worse. Or better. Her head was arguing with her v... Well, suffice to say, an argument was going on.
“Twilight?”

She spun around to face the Princess and gasped. Celestia had apparently lied to her about attending this event in her regalia alone- Either that, or decided to use it as a chance to counter Twilight’s surprise letter with a surprise of her own. Diaphanous white silk and lace covered Celestia’s back, a sheer and simple saddle that didn’t encumber her wings. It reached her tail and stopped dead, never once dropping down- It was ‘merely’ a plain saddle rather than a dress, but somehow, it just made her look even better on the whole. It had never occurred to her before that she might enjoy fashion, but if Celestia was modelling it...
“Twilight, are you alright?”

A blush rushed across her cheeks as she realized she was staring.
“Very good! I mean, yes. I mean, yeah... Guh. Yes, I am alright. Just a bit stunned. You look... Fantastic.”

“Why thank you. And I am not the only one, it seems.”

“Oh! Has somepony arrived already?”

Celestia gave her a deadpan stare.
“Twilight, I meant you.”

“...Oh.”

While she was hurrying to beat herself up for her mistake, Celestia stepped forward, suddenly looming terribly close, her face fixed in a grin. The white mare leaned down, very slowly, until she was looking Twilight level in the eyes. She gulped and didn’t even once consider backing away.
“Speaking of arrivals... We have a bit of time.”

Her legs shaking, she tried not to let her voice betray her thoughts.
“And, uhm... what will we do with that time?”

“Mmmh. I believe that’s up to you.”

Her mind went blank. Not blank with lack of ideas, mind you- the kind of blank you get when you’re too wrapped up in a moment. She had leaned forward and kissed Celestia without a word, and now they were pressed together tightly, lips barely moving. She whimpered at the heat of her teacher’s touch, and when Celestia pressed forward, she gladly fell back, sinking to her haunches as Celestia loomed over her once again. This time, she couldn’t imagine how they looked, and she couldn’t even try- Her thoughts were fuzzy, her clarity... No. Clarity was what she had far too much of. Her senses were utterly filled with the heat and pressure and the scent of it all, the brush of a foreleg against her neck. She went to reciprocate and fumbled, pushing a hoof too-hard into her love’s chest. A mumbled apology tried to make its way through the kiss, but Celestia just laughed and embraced her. Minutes might have passed like this, the kiss never deepening, but somehow the passion still managed to show through, fires stoked to a peak.

Finally, they pulled away from one another, Celestia’s cheeks just barely flushed, Twilight letting out a low whine. Her already-urgent need was now teasing at her more than ever, and if anypony were to see her stifles, they would likely find a slick mess. If she had no sense of decorum, she might have begged then. But as it was, her mentor leaned in again, put her mouth against her ear... And licked up the length, one long stroke of her tongue, impossibly hot. Twilight moaned and fell forward, shaking.
“Remember, all you need to do is say ‘I need some fresh air.’ and go to the gardens.”

An idea struck her then. Dangerous, maybe. Worth it?
“...But what if you say it first?”

The look on Celestia’s face showed that it had absolutely been worth it.
“Dear, I hope that is not a challenge... Possibly for both of our sakes.”

“Then let’s say that it is not, in fact, a challenge.”

“Which is a lie, mmyes?”

“Absolutely.”

They both laughed, rising to their hooves and unsteadily (to her shock, Twilight noticed that even Celestia faltered a bit as she stood) walking towards the door to the main hall. Her... date. Her date turned to her with a smile before opening the doors.
“I do imagine everypony is waiting.”

“What.”

“Oh, did I not tell you? This door leads out onto the ballroom stage. We’re going out so I can make my speech! In front of everypony.”

A picture of her face at that moment would have been the very definition of “dawning horror”.
“...This is payback for me making it a challenge, isn’t it?”

Celestia winked.
“Well, let’s not go that far... Even if it is.”

Twilight shook her head in amazement, braced herself, and opened the door. The moment her power faded from the knob, she saw Celestia’s magic burst into life, the gigantic set of curtains before them opened, and the couple stepped out.

--------

Tonight. A plan she had set in motion the day after her sister’s return, come to fruition. A completely unexpected confession from her most trusted of students had led to... She had originally planned for this event to almost be a monument to her singular nature, to her long-standing lack of any true relationship. As it now stood, it would be the debut of the first pony she had truly loved in a long, long time. And with any luck, the beginning of a new tradition or two... An audience of a hundred or more, the room full of couples (and scattered triads here and there), earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasii alike. Every one of them part of her System, her government, every one of them serving Equestria, directly or not. This room full of couples looked up with interest as they strode forward, as the curtains spread. And let it not be said that there was no surprise: She saw those who murmured and began to speak when she came out with somepony at her side. But explaining that would come later. First?

She must tell them all why they are here.

--------

The faint -pop- of a voice-amplifying spell as Celestia reached center-front on the stage. A pause as she looked across the audience, and it dawned on Twilight just how many ponies were watching. Many of their gazes were directed right at her. But she couldn’t focus on that: Celestia’s speech had begun.

“Welcome, one and all! I wish to greet you, my fellows, citizen and visitor alike... And I wish to tell you that I understand. I understand the difficulties of living a life as part of the government, what it takes to keep Equestria and her neighbors functioning. It often means long months, or years, away from your home. Months and years without sight of your loved ones, your children, your family and friends. And so, beginning this year- In fact, beginning tonight, I wish to hold celebrations meant not just for those who help this world so much, but those who help them. And given the season, I felt it appropriate that the first of these festivities be one of love, and lovers. One day, this practice may spread far and wide, join up with the holidays themselves to be true festivals. But for now, it is a private celebration, for those who are separated from their loves by their service. So welcome, one and all, to the first Coterie of Hearts!”

Applause rolled across the stage in massive booming waves, and Twilight felt her eyes tear up a bit as she looked at her teacher. Celestia looked down to her, smile bright. They shared the glance for but a moment before it turned into a quick glare- Their eyes narrowed. She could almost imagine she heard the Princess in her head:

“If it’s a challenge, there’s a wager.”

In and out of her head, Twilight grinned.
“We can figure that out after you say it.”

And maybe the Princess -did- speak to her inside her mind, or at least heard her reply-- The look of shock on her face was palpable, yet followed with a grin even bigger than Twilight’s. She gulped back fear.
“It. Is. On.”