Love, as all things do, starts with something small.

A rumor, in this case. A gaggle of court ladies, tittering and gossiping with each other. All cheerful, but none more so than Celestia and Luna. The ruling sisters were a century old, yet remained adolescents in form and spirit. They giggled and chattered as well, spreading gossip both cruel and kind.

There was no shortage of things to talk about. Equestria was much like its rulers: young, curious, and wholly untamed. A land of lone knights and explorers, with great deeds still before them. The map in their forest palace had its edges unfilled, and none were content to leave it so.

At the very least, one line had been drawn on it. The ladies’ conversation turned to the neighbors they found: the Crystal Empire, to the North. Its old queen had passed away, leaving her son to take the reins. The coming palace ball would be his first debut as king.

There were rumors about this new king. He was more a scientist than a statesman. He hated politics and loved magic experiments. The new king had a grumpy demeanor, so intense he was said to have never smiled.

Still, none of the rumors spoke ill of his character. None were even scandalous, so the gossipers soon lost interest.

Except for Celestia. She grew silent as the conversation moved, for once letting Luna lead the pack.

Her pink hair wavered, but almost blew straight down as she wondered. He never smiles?

Good nature and young impishness allied in her mind, and she grinned. That sounds like a challenge.

At the ball, they danced. The young king seemed so much older than she, with his stern, frowning demeanor. He was grey, save for his black mane and red eyes – a stark contrast to Celestia’s white and pink.

The rumor – the thread that brought them together – was not exaggerated. The king was brilliant, but blunt and rude. He was even so with Celestia, which… surprised her. Even the griffons spoke cautiously to the Great Sun Princess.

“Well,” he had grumbled as she approached. “If it isn’t the little queen. What do you want?”

But if that threw her off balance, it was nothing compared to the effect of her response: a curtsy, a brazen kiss on the cheek, and, “May I have this dance, King Sombra?”

After his rude greeting, it was clearly the last thing he expected from Celestia. The young king nearly choked on his wine, and then nearly spit it out before forcing it down. His frown turned to an unimpressed glower as he met her eyes, and noticed her unmistakable smirk.

Gotcha.

Apparently, Sombra was a pony who didn’t accept defeat. He arched his head regally and accepted, escorting her to the dance floor without a second look.

They talked as they danced, and they were nothing alike. Sombra was mature and impersonal, while Celestia was childish and bubbly. She was no more interested in his experiments than he was in her adventures with Luna.

Celestia was surprised when he asked for a second dance.

And she was floored when he said it with a smile. A nervous, blushing little grin that told his attraction more than anything else.

That smile. So rare, and all the more precious for it.

It is when Celestia fell in love with him.

Author's Notes:

Here goes.