“Rise and shine, little sunbeam!”
>Celestia's signature golden glow enveloped the curtains of her own bedroom as she drew them open.
>Only a little light streamed in, for the sky was covered in thick, gray clouds.
>Raindrops spattered on the stone of the balcony outside the window.
>”Mmmh. 'sit mrgnon lrdy?”
>Her little sunbeam pulled his tiny hands from beneath the covers and rubbed his sleepy little eyes.
“I already let you sleep in since it's raining, so don't ask for five more minutes!”
>Clip. Clop. Clip. Clop.
>She made sure to thump her hooves as loud as she could.
>She wouldn't want to risk scaring her dearest with unexpected contact, after all.
“Now pull those covers off and get dressed! We have a busy day ahead of us.”
>Celestia lifted her forehooves onto the bed she shared with her little bundle of joy.
>She planted a quick peck of a kiss on his cheek.
>A swat aimed at where her head was was his response.
>But she was faster than him, and had already pressed her lips on the side of his neck.
>”No fair!”
>He squirmed and wriggled and swatted.
>Yet despite his best efforts, Celestia and her merciless kisses were always one step ahead.
>His other cheek wasn't spared, nor was his forehead, nor his temples.
“I'm going to keep going until you get up.”
>She was quite sure he couldn't pick up how soft and giggly her voice was.
>She simply couldn't use her harsh and commanding tone on him, no matter how hard she tried.

***

>”What's that?”
>Anon waddled back from his trip to the bathroom and stopped in his tracks as he saw the odd cloth and metal contraption Celestia had strapped to herself.
“It's just a little something Twilight thought of. Here, let me show you what it's for.”
>Her horn lit up in gold and a giggling Anon floated off the floor.
>”Hee! Fly-hee-hee-ing!”
>A wide smile found its way to Celestia's face she plopped her little sunbeam onto the saddle on her back.
“How does it feel? Are you comfortable?”
>She felt him shift his weight backwards and forwards and from side to side.
>Though she couldn't see what was going on, the saddle was a vast improvement to at least her.
>It spread his weight over a larger area.
>And was soft and padded.
>”Yes!”
>A tiny hand ruffled the mane on the back of her neck.
“How about we go show it to everpony else?”
>She craned her head as far to the side as she could, and was just barely able to see Anon's beaming face.
>”Let's show it to Luna first! She'll like it!”
“I'm sure she will. She should be in the dining hall.”

>Celestia moved a single hoof forward.
>The weight on her back shifted a little.
“Just grab on to me if you feel unsteady.”
>She took another step, this time a little faster.
>A single hand touched the side of her neck.
“I'm going to walk now. Hold on!”
>The weight of her dearest bobbed and swayed on her back in rhythm with her hoofsteps as she headed down the corridor that led from her room to the dining hall.
>The touch on her neck remained light.
>”It's a lot easier to stay on with this.”
“I'll go a little faster now.”
>She took to a light canter.
>Sway-sway, from side to side and back and forth.
>Another hand landed on her neck, but its touch was as light as that of the others.
>”Heee! I'm so high! And so fast!”
>His voice was light and full of wonder.
“That's enough for now. We'll test it in a gallop and in flight outside tomorrow, when it isn't raining.”
>The thuds of her hooves slowed in pace until she was back to a steady walk.
>”Aww.”

***

>”What is this?”
>Luna's tone was dead serious, but her lips had curled to a smile as soon as she saw Celestia and Anon come in.
>”My dear sister, being ridden by none other than her own son!”
“Oh, hush!”
>Celestia swatted at air with a hoof.
>The dual meaning of Luna's words was not lost on her.
>”Lookie, Luna! I'm up here!”
>Anon shifted very slightly in the saddle as he waved at his aunt.
“Twilight thought it'd be a good idea for him to see my everyday duties so she came up with this.”
>Celestia came to a halt in front of her sister.
>She pressed her cheek onto Luna's dark and silky smooth one for a short second, then turned sideways.
>”My, aren't you tall!”
>The light of Celestia's day reached out to pet his aunt's head.
>”I'm gonna do this every day when I grow up!”
>”Hehe. You already do it every day, don't you?”
>Luna's horn lit up with magic, and the weight on Celestia's back disappeared for a second.
>”Mwah!”
>Little sunbeam rubbed his cheek to get rid of what his aunt's sloppy kiss left behind.
>”But then I can do it when I want to instead of just when you let me.”

***

>”...and I'm sure we can reach an agreement on how to split the advertising income from the Equestrian Games this and-”
>A hand patted Celestia's mane.
>”Mom, what does 'magnanimous' mean? It says here...”
>Promptly ignoring the ponies walking with her, she craned her neck and looked at the book her little sunbeam presented.
>”...that Rarity is the most 'magnanimous' of them all.”
“In that context, it means that Rarity is the most generous of them all. It also means that she is unselfish and noble, and helps others out of the joy of helping.”
>She used her magic to give him a light push so he leaned towards her head, and nuzzled his cheek.
“You are also a most magnanimous little thing, and some would do well to learn of your example.”
>Two little arms wrapped around her neck after she let go of her magic.
>”Hee!”
>She felt something soft and warm rub itself on the back of her neck.
>He didn't have a muzzle, but the gesture warmed her heart nevertheless.

>Celestia's heart jumped to her throat as she felt a sudden shift on her back and something slumped against her neck.
>”Mom, I'm tired. Is it naptime yet?”
>Hearing the words her little sunbeam mumbled made her let out a sigh of relief.
“Yes. I'll take you to bed.”
>She offered an apologetic smile to the nobles around her, then turned around in place.
>Little hands reached around her neck and something soft pressed itself into her mane.
>”Mmh. 's wrm.”
>She'd barely had time to take a single step when her little sunbeam's breathing slowed down and became deeper.
>His hands relaxed their grip.
>But he stayed upright.
“Oh my.”
>She hadn't guessed it would be so taxing on him.