[MOM] Big dumb Raven romance thing


                                            1.
                                            
                                                A little greentext thing I made in the momlestia thread.  The idea is that child-Anon gives Celestia's assistant, Raven, a Hearts and Hooves day card on (you guessed it) Hearts and Hooves day.  Someone then said "Raven romance when Anon gets older when?" and I tried to write something that would be good enough.  I may or may not have succeeded.  Christ, I'm rusty.

                                            2.

                                            3.
                                            
                                                >TEN YEARS LATER

                                            4.
                                            
                                                >"Prince Anonymous-"

                                            5.
                                            
                                                "Anon," you croak, squeezing Raven's hooves with your now-grownup hands, "It's 'Anon'."

                                            6.
                                            
                                                >Raven nods, too choked up to speak properly.

                                            7.
                                            
                                                >You can see drying (and fresh) tear tracks streaking down Raven's cheeks.

                                            8.
                                            
                                                >"A-Anon... I... We can't."

                                            9.
                                            
                                                "Say's who?"

                                            10.
                                            
                                                >"I'm old, now."

                                            11.
                                            
                                                >You let go of one of her hooves and stroke her cheek.

                                            12.
                                            
                                                >You can barely see the wrinkles beginning to form crows feet around her eyes, and laugh lines around her muzzle.

                                            13.
                                            
                                                >She nuzzles into it as you brush away some of her tears with your thumb.

                                            14.
                                            
                                                "Not a day over forty."

                                            15.
                                            
                                                >Raven lowers her eyes and smiles a self-deprecating smile.

                                            16.
                                            
                                                >"It may as well be fifty. Sixty, even. You need somepony - somepony young - who can give you foals."

                                            17.
                                            
                                                >You open your mouth to object, but she interrupts you with that stern, "I'm talking now"-look that you saw so many times when you were just a boy.

                                            18.
                                            
                                                >"You need to carry on the Royal bloodline."

                                            19.
                                            
                                                >You snort, releasing her other hoof and wrapping your arm around her back.

                                            20.
                                            
                                                >She doesn't object as you pull her against your chest.

                                            21.
                                            
                                                "Dash the bloodline," you whisper, "we can adopt if it comes to that."

                                            22.
                                            
                                                >Raven grimaces and closes her eyes.

                                            23.
                                            
                                                >"The nobles wouldn't like it."

                                            24.
                                            
                                                >She sounds like she's trying her best to convince herself not to believe your words.

                                            25.
                                            
                                                "The nobles don't like ANYthing," you snort, "And since when have I ever cared about what the nobles thought?"

                                            26.
                                            
                                                >"They own a lot of businesses in Canterlot."

                                            27.
                                            
                                                >You quirk an eyebrow.

                                            28.
                                            
                                                "And I have a lot of investments in other countries."

                                            29.
                                            
                                                >Raven leans forward and rests her head on your chest, burying her muzzle in your neck.

                                            30.
                                            
                                                >"I'm not even one of the brides Princess Celestia selected for you..."

                                            31.
                                            
                                                >You plant a kiss on top of her head.

                                            32.
                                            
                                                >You rest your cheek on top of her head so that your mouth is right next to her ear.

                                            33.
                                            
                                                >Close enough for you to whisper.

                                            34.
                                            
                                                "You didn't need to be."

                                            35.

                                            36.
                                            
                                                "Mom?"

                                            37.
                                            
                                                >Celestia puts down her book and pops the last little piece of cake into her mouth.

                                            38.
                                            
                                                >"Mnyess, 'ear?" mumbles Celestia around her mouthful of pastry, spraying you and Raven with crumbs

                                            39.
                                            
                                                >You sneak a peek at your bride-to-be and notice that she's stock-still with a look of shock on her face; assistant or not, she's probably never seen your mother like this.

                                            40.
                                            
                                                >With an audible gulp, Celestia swallows down her cake.

                                            41.
                                            
                                                >She blushes with her eyes land on Raven, having probably not seen her until just now.

                                            42.
                                            
                                                >"O-Oh, excuse me. What can I do for you, sweetheart?"

                                            43.
                                            
                                                "You wanted me to get back to you about selecting a bride, right?"

                                            44.
                                            
                                                >Your mother's face lights up and she clops her hooves together in delight.

                                            45.
                                            
                                                >"Oh, honey! You've finally chosen somepony?"

                                            46.
                                            
                                                "I have," you reply, gulping nervously.

                                            47.
                                            
                                                >Celestia looks around you and peers at her closed door.

                                            48.
                                            
                                                >"Well? Where IS she?"

                                            49.
                                            
                                                >You take a half-step towards Raven and rest your hand on her back.

                                            50.
                                            
                                                >You can feel her relax under your touch.

                                            51.
                                            
                                                >Celestia notices the subtle gesture right away - she raised you, after all - and smiles cheerfully (if innocently) at her assistant.

                                            52.
                                            
                                                >"Oh! Miss Raven, are you going to bring the lucky young mare in?"

                                            53.

                                            54.
                                            
                                                ------------------------------------------------------------

                                            55.

                                            56.
                                            
                                                >You are Raven, and you can't decide whether or not to feel terrified or furious.

                                            57.
                                            
                                                >After Princess Celestia pieced together that Anon intended to court you, she had sternly ordered her son out of the room.

                                            58.
                                            
                                                >After staring you down for a few minutes, the princess began grilling you on your motivations for marrying Pri-er, Anon.

                                            59.
                                            
                                                >"You're too old. A pregnancy might not take."

                                            60.
                                            
                                                >Celestia's tone was as chilly as her glare.

                                            61.
                                            
                                                >You clear your dry throat and try to find your voice.

                                            62.
                                            
                                                "Ah-Anon and I-"

                                            63.
                                            
                                                >"PRINCE Anonymous" corrects Princess Celestia cooly.

                                            64.
                                            
                                                >You instinctively open your mouth to correct yourself, but you stop at the last second.

                                            65.

                                            66.
                                            
                                                >No, Anon is more than just a prince to you.

                                            67.
                                            
                                                "ANON," you say forcefully, making Celestia's eyebrows raise in surprise, "and I can always adopt a foal who has lost his or her parents."

                                            68.
                                            
                                                >Celestia says nothing for a long time.

                                            69.
                                            
                                                >"You've helped raise him since he was young," she says accusingly, "Is that how you managed to ensnare his heart?"

                                            70.
                                            
                                                >You have to stop yourself from taking a step back in surprise.

                                            71.
                                            
                                                >How dare she!

                                            72.
                                            
                                                "Absolutely not! I've seen him grow up and I was proud to watch him turn into a passionate, respectful young man!"

                                            73.
                                            
                                                >You begin to pace back and forth in front of the princess, your anxiety forgotten and boldness gained as you work up a head of steam.

                                            74.
                                            
                                                "If anything, helping to raise Anon allowed HIM to ensnare MY heart."

                                            75.
                                            
                                                >You feel a weight lift off your shoulders as you finally admit that out loud.

                                            76.
                                            
                                                >The princess tilts her head and observes you, seemingly unaffected by your answer.

                                            77.
                                            
                                                >"You aren't even of noble blood. What could you possibly-"

                                            78.
                                            
                                                >You never found out what Celestia wanted to you what you could "possibly" do.

                                            79.
                                            
                                                >Before she could finish her sentence, you exploded at her.

                                            80.
                                            
                                                "It doesn't matter what blood I have! I know Anon better than almost any other pony in Equestria and I can genuinely say that I l-love him just as much as YOU do! And if you can't accept that, then you can go.... can go...!"

                                            81.
                                            
                                                >Your cheeks puff up as you struggle to think of what, exactly, Celestia can go do.

                                            82.
                                            
                                                >Just as you're about to say something very rude to her, Celestia suddenly grins happily at you.

                                            83.
                                            
                                                >Her glare drops and she rushes over to you, sweeping you up into a hug.

                                            84.
                                            
                                                >"I'm so sorry, my little pony," she coos into your ear, rocking you back and forth like you were a foal, "But I had to make sure you really felt this way about my little prince."

                                            85.
                                            
                                                >Celestia continues to apologize and mutter promises of making it up to you, and you just sit there in confusion.

                                            86.
                                            
                                                >What just happened?