There were three tribes in Equestria. Each tribe had its own culture though the lines had blended over the centuries. To each tribe, Celestia had a different relationship. To the Unicorn Kingdoms, she was high queen. Among the Unicorns, she projected an air of regality, an aura of majesty without distance. Her every movement was filled with grace and her serene smile was never lost no matter the situation. The seat of her power was in the Kingdom of Canterlot so it was the role of high queen that she was most comfortable with.

To the Pegasus city-states she was Supreme Commander. Among the Pegasii she projected an air of strength and power. When she visited one of the city-states, she came decorated in her full battle armor. She carried a spear and shot whiskey while accepting the occasional challenge to a race or a fight (always winning, of course.) After being defeated by the Changeling Queen it had taken several months before she had regained the trust of the Pegasii tribe, who had seriously considered secession from Equestria. A Supreme Commander who could not protect them was of no use. She had had to challenge the Chief of the Pegasii to single combat and defeat him before they had re-accepted her.

Celestia tried not to pick favorites, but she did spend a lot of time near Earth Pony settlements. They were a hearty, no-nonsense folk. To them, she was a chieftain like any other, though a first among equals. Earth Ponies had never lost their democratic roots. They revered her, to be sure, but they treated her with the same reverence they treated any other Clan Matriarch. Among the Earth Ponies, she was leader of the Clans and expected to project an air of wisdom and to partake of banquets with the rest of the tribe. So many banquets, all in her honor. How could she possibly be expected to keep to a diet when her Earth Pony subjects kept making such scrumptious banquets for her? Luna pointed out that she could simply stop visiting so much, but that could be interpreted as a deliberate slight.

High Queen. Supreme Commander. Chieftain of the Clans. Each mask was a part of who she was. There was no deception involved. She was a warrior, a leader, an occasional prankster. Still, there were other aspects to her. There were parts of her that no one knew about. There was a very short list of those she could drop her guard around. At the top of that list was her sister and fellow alicorn, Princess Luna. So, when Princess Luna had come into her chambers at eight o'clock and demanded that they go out together, Celestia said yes. On the other hoof, Luna had nearly dragged her by the ear, so she wasn't sure if she had a choice in the matter.

The two sisters had traveled in disguise through the streets of Canterlot till they came to an out-of-the-way tavern. It was run down, paint peeling away from the walls. It smelled of beer and piss. Lively folk music emanated from inside. Luna nearly shoved Celestia through the door. Moonlight filtered through red-glass windows and illuminated brown, mahogany tables. Despite the outward run down appearance, the tavern felt cozy and inviting. A few mares playing pool raised their glasses to Luna. Luna smiled at them and trotted up to the bar. Celestia followed. Her sister had been uncharacteristically quiet on their walk. Luna ordered a cup of mead and Celestia ordered a glass of red wine. A brown unicorn stallion sang and strummed on his lute. The music added to the cozy feeling. They sat down and Luna sipped her mead.

Celestia sipped the wine, enjoying the rich flavor. "What's this all about, Lulu?"

Luna took a swig from her mead. It was rare she was in a position to lecture her elder sister. She was going to savor this moment. "Are you happy, Tia?"

Celestia relaxed in her chair. "Happy? Yes, I suppose so. Why do you ask?"

"Because, I don't think you are."

Celestia snorted. "Of course I am. This is good wine, I like the music, I'm speaking with my dear sister, I couldn't be happier."

"I've seen you happier." Luna stuck a hoof at Celestia. "When Twilight Sparkle's letters come. Your eyes twinkle, I've seen it."

Celestia sighed and took a long, slow sip of wine. "This again. Of course, Twilight's letters make me happy. It is deeply gratifying to watch a pupil grow. She always has such wonderful insights. Her intellect, her thirst for knowledge, it is so incredible to see it in action."

"It is painfully obvious you are in love with her."

Celestia took one long, slow, shuddering breath. She took some more breaths and a swig of wine. "Let's lay this matter to rest and speak no more of it. Is this why you drug me out tonight? So you could interrogate me?"

Luna drummed her hoof on the table. "I just want you to be happy and I know Twilight makes you happy."

"By the Sun and Moon, I am happy!" She slammed her cup on the table, causing the red liquid to splatter. Luna drew back. "I am happy with things as they are! I am happy with Twilight as my friend! I am happy with you being back at my side! Damn it Luna I have never been this Stars damned happy!" She screamed.

Luna held back a whimper. "You, um, don't look very happy to me."

Celestia settled back in her chair. Throughout the outburst, her mane had gone wild, thrashing through the air like a whip. Celestia smoothed it down and laid a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "I'm very sorry, Luna. That was deeply inappropriate of me."

Luna grasped the hoof. "I heard you say you had closed your heart. Sometimes, your smile looks fake. I remember that you used to laugh more."

"I've changed, Luna."

Luna nuzzled her. "Because of me. Because of what I did, you stopped being able to love."

Celestia bit her lip and returned the nuzzle. "That isn't true."

Luna shook her head. "I know it is. There is no need to lie to me. You can not add to the guilt I feel from becoming Nightmare Moon by telling me what I already know."

Celestia drew back. "Is that what this is about? You feel if you get me and Twilight together, then it'll...atone for your misdeeds?"

"Misdeeds. There's the understatement of the millennium. Yes, Tia, that is how I feel."

"Let's say I do begin a relationship with Twilight. She is mortal. I am not. One day..." Celestia choked up. "One day, I will have to say good-bye to her."

"All the more reason to seize the moment! You will have a few decades of happiness together." Luna swept her foreleg out. "Seize happiness Tia!"

A wicked grin spread across Celestia's muzzle. "You know, you are one to talk."

Luna lowered her cup just as she raised it to her lips. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I do not see you with a consort."

Luna blushed. "This is about you, not me."

"Um-hmm. If I begin a relationship with Twilight, I'll have to find a consort for you. Perhaps your night guard would be interested in the task-"

"You wouldn't dare."

The grin spread. "I'm just being a good sister."

"Ugh. If I told you not to, I'd be being a hypocrite. Very well, if you start a relationship with Twilight, I'll let you set me up with a night guard. Or find one myself. Silver Lightning is single..."

Celestia sipped more of the wine and started humming along as the singer began to strum a few chords of an epic song about Princess Platinum.

...
Twilight put up the book she had been reading before bed and lay on the mattress in a meditation pose. She breathed deeply, feeling the energy of her magic flowing through her body. She harmlessly channeled the excess energy into the earth just as she did every night. it had been a long, wonderful, exhausting day. She wasn't sure if she was any closer to winning Celestia's heart, but part of her had stopped caring. She still wanted to do more deeds of love for her Princess.

'Whether she ever loves me like I love her...I'll still love her.' She opened her eyes once she felt her magic was properly grounded. She had a great deal of magic and what she didn't use throughout the day was channeled into the earth as a safety precaution in case she lost control of it while sleeping. She nestled into her blanket, rested her head on her pillow and was soon off to dream land.

...
A rolling meadow spread below Twilight's hooves. The grasses seemed to stretch endlessly. The vibrant, green mountains rose up to scrape the Heavens. Twilight was running for the pure joy of running, her hooves pounding against the earth, sweat falling on her brow. The Sun was at her zenith in the sky. Twilight kept running, running, chasing the sun. She lept upon the mountains and crawled on the rocks. The sun seemed to move. She could feel its life-giving warmth and climbed still higher. At last, she stood atop the mountain. Its warm light shone down upon her. Twilight looked down. The meadows stretched, endless, infinite. She could not make out the horizon. The Sun embraced Her in its warmth. She lifted up her hooves, striving to reach it. It was so high, beyond her reach, but she longed to feel Her warmth against her fur.

She stood there, soaking up the rays. The warmth caressed her fur, soaked into her skin. The rays of light filled her, eased her soul. Each ray was like the feathers of a wing wrapping around her, soothing her. She sighed in pleasure as the light fell onto the sensitive parts of her neck, lightly tickling her nape. She curled up on the mountaintop, longing to eternally rest in the sun's embrace.

That's when the world shifted. Twilight spun around as the land shifted all around. The sky opened and a dark blue alicorn appeared. Twilight bowed low as the Princess of the Night came to stand before her.

"Good evening, Twilight Sparkle." Luna said, nodding her head.

"Princess Luna, what are you doing here?" Twilight asked in surprise. Then realizing that that sounded rude she hastily added, "Not that I don't like seeing you, but you've never appeared in my dreams before."

"It's about my sister and your attempts to court her."

Twilight's ears drooped. "You don't think I'm worthy of her do you?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Lady Twilight Sparkle. You are the personal student of the Sun Princess, Bearer of the Element of Magic, recognized as a Master Mage in good standing with the Mage's Guild, noted scholar, Champion of the Crystal Empire, twice Savior of Equestria and, by marriage, related to the Princess of the Crystal Empire whom you are personal friends with. How are you not worthy of my sister?"

Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it as she realized how much she had accomplished in her young life. "I guess I feel like if I was worthy of her, she'd have said so already."

Luna shook her head. "Tis not your worth, but my sister's heart that stops her. She is afraid Twilight. Afraid to open herself to love because she has been hurt before."

"Hurt? By who?" Twilight asked, unconsciously moving closer to the night princess.

"By me. I betrayed her, there is no other word for it. By lovers that have died and left her alone. Immortality is a double-edged sword."

Twilight shuffled a hoof. "I don't know what more to do. I want her to love me like I love her. Is that selfish? I mean, I don't want to force her to love me, but maybe I can do something to win her heart."

Luna pressed a hoof to her lips. "I understand, Twilight Sparkle. And I believe there is a way."

Twilight's eyes widened. "You would help me?"

"Indeed. I wish to see my sister happy. You can do it. Did you know that the last thing our mother gave Celestia before her death was her necklace? A beautiful amethyst cut into her cutie mark on a golden chain. Celestia treasured it. Unfortunately, she had to give it up."

"Why?"

"Because a terrible dragon came to take it. The dragon lord of the east rained down fire and death upon Equestria during the Dragon Wars. We retaliated in an...overzealous fashion. War crime would be the current parlance, but such was war in those days." Luna closed her eyes, shuddering as old memories came to her. "In order to restore peace, both sides made an exchange. They ceded to us the East. Celestia ceded the necklace, which the Dragon Lord demanded. She was devastated, but did it for the sake of peace. I heard her crying in her chambers afterward."

Twilight's ears perked up as she understood Luna's suggestion. "If I could get it back..."

Luna smiled. "Right. Surely, such a deed would win Celestia's heart. The Lord of the East gave it to the Lord of the North to settle an ancient dispute among them, wherein it remains unguarded in his old palace. You will find a map to it in an old book I will be sending you if you choose to accept this quest." She laid a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Dost thou...do you accept?"

Twilight knelt and bowed her head. "I accept this quest."

"Rise, Lady Twilight. Morning breaks and you have need to leave my domain."

...
The morning light tickled Twilight's face and she opened her eyes. The scratch of a dragon's claws going against the floor came to her ears.

She yawned and stretched. "Spike?"

He stopped. "Yes, Twilight?"

She rubbed at her eyes. "Clear my schedule for the day."

"Huh? What's going on?"

"I'll explain over breakfast." She rose from the bed and went to get a shower. As the warm water fell over her she debated if she should take Spike or leave him. He would probably be okay at the library by himself and she wasn't sure how long she would be gone. She also decided to buy some fire-proof armor just in case another dragon had taken up residence in the palace. She could get that at Canterlot. Rarity had made her a jacket that she would need in the North.

After drying off, she went down to breakfast. Spike had prepared pancakes for her, which were sitting on the table. He was munching on a sapphire and greeted her as she sat down.

"So, what's going on?" He asked.

She swallowed a bite of pancake. "I've decided to go north."

Spike crossed his arms. "Again? Let me guess. Another gift for the Princess."

Twilight nodded. "A necklace from a dragon's palace."

Spike gaped. "Um, don't know if you've noticed, but we dragons can get a little possessive."

"It's unguarded and the palace is abandoned I assume. I'm going to get some fireproof armor. Actually, could you prepare me a checklist?"

"Um, no. Not until you give me an explanation."

It was Twilight's turn to gape. Spike had always been faithful to her every command, never questioning them.

"I'm sorry," He continued, "But this sounds dangerous and I need an explanation before I can go along with it. I know dragons. I AM a dragon. If that palace isn't unguarded...at the very least take the other girls."

Twilight put a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Spike, the truth is I'm in love with Princess Celestia. I want to win her heart. What I'm going to get is a special necklace she lost long ago."

Spike nodded. "I knew you were in love with the Princess-"

"Wait, what?"

"You didn't hide it very well, sorry. You say her name at night. I know what being in love is like, I'll get you that checklist." He finished up the sapphire and jumped from his chair. He returned a few moments later, quill and scroll in claw.

"The first thing I'm going to need is fireproof armor. I can get that from Chain Mail's Imperorium. Then I'll bring along a jacket. And Princess Luna should be sending me the book with the map I need."

Spike wrote down the items. After breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Twilight went to answer it and was greeted by a batpony dressed in violet armor. He was carrying an ancient book which he handed to her. She took it and thanked him. He left and she went and got her travelling bag. She packed the book and a black jacket into the bag.

Spike hopped on Twilight's back as they headed out the door. "Shouldn't you tell the girls where you're going? They'll be worried."

"That's what I was about to do." Twilight answered, heading towards Sugarcube Corner. She knew Applejack and Rarity went there every morning. Walking into the crowded shop which smelled strongly of sugar, she searched for them. They were seated in a back corner, talking over two cups. As Twilight got closer, she detected the hint of mint and chamomile. She smiled. Rarity had finally gotten Applejack to try some tea. She greeted them.

"Good morning, Twi, Spike." Applejack tipped her hat to them.

"Is that a travelling bag, Darling?" Rarity gestured to the pack she was carrying. "Are you going somewhere again?"

"I am. I have something to tell you. I'm courting Princess Celestia and I'm going to retrieve a necklace that she lost." The only way she could think to say it was to just come out with it.

Rarity gasped. "That is so romantic!"

"Where is this necklace? Can we help?" Applejack asked.

Twilight shuffled a hoof. "I'd prefer doing it alone."

"Don't be silly." Applejack raised her cup and blew away some steam rising from it. "We're your friends. Now, where is it?"

Twilight hesitated. "An abandoned dragon's palace."

Applejack nearly choked. "Okay, romantic or not, we're goin' with you."

"But-"

"No buts. We're goin' with you."

"Quite so." Rarity added.

Twilight smiled and shook her head, accepting that there would be no talking them out of this. "Okay, okay. But I want to be the only one to touch the necklace."

"Sure thing."

"Very well." Rarity giggled. "Oh, this is so romantic! For your first date I'm making you a white dress! With purple highlights! No wait, maybe various shades of purple...hmm, I'll have to think about this..."

Twilight scratched the back of her head. "Um, we sort of already went on our first date. Sort of."

Rarity nearly choked this time. "Well, for your second date then!"

Applejack sipped her tea. "This will be a right fun adventure, I reckon. Been a while since we had an adventure together."

That's when Pinkie bounced over. "Did I hear something about an adventure?"

A yawning Dash appeared at the bottom of the stairs and trotted over, placing a hoof around Pinkie's shoulder. "Why'd you let me sleep in for?"

Pinkie booped her nose. "Cause you're cute when you're asleep. And when you're awake. And all the time."

Dash yawned again. "Well, luckily, I don't have work today. Oh, hey Twilight."

"Twilight's going on an adventure." Pinkie chirped up.

"An adventure? Whatever it is, count me in."

Twilight pulled up a chair and sat down. "Might as well bring Fluttershy along too at this point. If there are any new dragons that have moved in her talent with animals should help."

Dash sat down. "Whoa, what? Dragons?"

Twilight explained her courtship of the princess and her quest to retrieve the necklace. Dash had to convince Pinkie not to throw a "Twilight is Courting the Princess Party." Dash went to go find Fluttershy and returned with the timid, yellow pegasus several minutes later.

"Dash said you're going on a quest for Princess Celestia?" Fluttershy asked, joining the others at the table.

"That's right." Twilight answered. She gave Fluttershy a reassuring nuzzle. "I'm going to get a necklace that once belonged to Celestia from a dragon's cave. You don't have to go if you don't want to, but since everypony else was going we thought we'd include you to. And your skills with animals should help."

"I'll go. I've been feeling very confident since we helped out at the Crystal Empire."

"Alright, if we're all going, we're going to need to prepare." Twilight took the book from her saddlebag and opened it to a map of the North. They gathered around it. "The necklace is in the former palace of the Dragon Lord, about seven miles north of the Crystal Empire's capital city. Everypony have jackets?"

They nodded.

"We also might want to invest in fireproof armor. I know a place in Canterlot." She looked up from the book. "And girls? Thanks for the support."

They all shared a group nuzzle before heading home to retrieve jackets. Ten minutes later they met again at the train station and boarded the train to Canterlot.

Author's Notes:

Yes, Dash was over at Pinkie's. They were having sleepover party