She was waiting for me in the main hall of Canterlot Palace. I had received a summons saying that Princess Twilight — my little pony princess — had prepared a feast for us. At the time, I was staying in the guest tower as a friend of the princesses. That I could have more time with her was a great boon, which I treasured.
After my beloved had left my home, Aldandor, I had yearned for her each day, and now, I treasured every moment with her. As a deer, Canterlot was a place of wonder, a marvellous city filled with creatures I'd only heard of in stories. Dragons, griffons, and even zebras walked among the ponies without turning any heads. A phoenix even lived in the palace!
But my princess still shone brighter than all these wonders.
Today, we had shared breakfast together, but otherwise hadn't seen each other as we had our work to attend to as Princess and Lady of Jewels. The nobles of Canterlot wanted exotic designs for their dresses, and a deer's knowledge was in high demand. My own skills were, of course, excellent, and so they came to me and I created beauty for them.
But now, it was time for us to rest together, and I was eager to share my day with her.
A large table lay in the middle of the room. Next to it, Twilight stood up and stared at me, her brilliant purple eyes sparkling joyously in the candlelight. Oh, how I wished to gaze into them forever!
"Rarity!" she said, and the love in her words filled my heart with light. "Today felt like forever without you. I wanted to run out of my meeting, go to you, and lose myself in your kisses."
I laughed softly. How could I not? "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would not have liked that, my princess."
"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna do not own my heart, my treasure." She trotted forward and hugged me. Her scent filled my nose, paper and ink and light and her. "I love you, Rarity."
"I love you too, Twilight." I sighed dreamily as I released her mournfully. "Oh, how sweet those words are on my tongue! I could say them a thousand times!"
"Don't, please." Twilight sat, and I did as well. "I want to hear about your day, though. How did your meeting with Prince Blueblood go?"
I stuck my tongue out. Not a ladylike action, but right now, I wasn't Mírëheri, the Lady of Jewels. I was Rarity, Twilight's lover, and she was Twilight, Rarity's lover. Only this, and nothing more. "Blueblood is proof that nobility comes from the heart and not the bloodline."
Darkness sparkled in Twilight's eyes. "Was he unkind to you?" Oh, I loved the promise of vengeance in her words! My princess is gentle, but not weak, and she would make war for me if there was need!
"No," I replied. "But he wasn't kind, either. Unless your kind is prone to pride and narcissism. He would not cease singing his own praises even if the Creator himself brought about the end of the world."
"I'm sorry. I hope Celestia will be able to teach him grace one day."
"I suppose everything is possible with her." I smiled. "But that's enough lamenting about that fool. I want to know what my beloved did while I toiled away."
She sighed and grabbed her cup. "Politics," she said, drinking her wine. "My brain is good at laws and rules, but people are more Cadance's thing."
"You are friendly, yet firm when it is time to do what is necessary. I'm sure there are some who admire that. Earth-lady Applejack, for example." I tasted my food. The bakers had done an excellent job, but the lembas bread was not like what I had eaten at home.
Twilight smiled back. "Thank you, Rarity. I'm lucky to have you to comfort me when I'm down."
"Always," I promised. "Honestly, you need someone to speak frankly to you."
"I have Rainbow!"
I shook my head. "You do have her," I said, deadpan. My voice softened. "Captain Dash speaks too frankly sometimes, but I am glad that you have such a loyal friend. If only more ponies were like her or Beast-lady Fluttershy."
"I'm tired of having to search for people like that." One could hear the sadness in her words. "A lot of times I miss the old day, simpler times when I was just a scholar."
My eyes sparkled with mischief. "Ah, but I wasn't with you in the past. I was far away, in a distant forest, weaving beautiful dresses of finest mist-thread among the deers of Aldandor."
Twilight's expression grew serious. "Do you miss Aldandor? You've stayed here for two months now, away from your own people."
My heart grew heavy. "Yes," I said. "But do not trouble your heart with my sorrow. There is much beauty here waiting for me to find it." I reached out my hoof to touch hers. "Like you, princess of my heart."
She pulled hers back. "I wish that we could be together without you leaving your home. Unfortunately, I cannot travel to Aldandor that often."
"Everything that we want in life has a price," I replied without hesitation. "For you, I would pay anything." I tasted my food again. The bread still was not lembas, but the wine was better than any vintage one could find in Aldandor. "And we knew that a love between a pony and a deer would pose many challenges, but Equestria is a welcoming place, and I have found good friends here."
"Still, I hate asking you to make sacrifices for me." The tension lingered in the air between us.
"My sparkling gem." My eyes captured hers while I spoke. "This is my choice. You do not control me, princess. Tell me, why this sudden heartache about my situation?"
"I talked with the princesses today." Twilight seemed nervous. "The Royal Seamstress is retiring soon. I can give you the job if you want it."
"That is a great honour." Giving this position to a foreigner was unheard of, and a dangerous political move for her. My smile grew wider than Rainbow Falls. My lover had done all this for me, and she believed that she demanded too much in return! I wanted to laugh! "Do not trouble yourself, Twilight. While you desire me, I will stay with you."
The tension faded. "Your words ease my soul." She stood and walked towards me. "I-I have another question to ask of you."
My breath froze in my throat when I saw her get down on one knee. "T-Twilight?" I whispered.
"I love you, Rarity. Every morning, I give thanks that you came into my life. When first I saw you, I was driven to my knees by your beauty. Later, I learned that your true beauty was to be found within, and surpassed that of the stars. Your generosity makes me want to be a better person, and I would give my library to you if you wanted it. I want our souls to dance together eternally."
Her horn glowed, and she summoned a small box. She opened it with her magic to reveal a ring. "Rarity, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"
I stared at the diamond on the ring, drowning in emotion. After a minute, when I could speak again, I gave the only answer I could. "Oh, Twilight." Tears fell freely from my eyes, but I spoke through them. "Your love sings to me in all tongues. Each day with you is a blessing. I want to feel you by my side reading while I sew. I want to seek out the secrets of love with you. I would give you my world and I would ask you to give me your heart in return. I am yours, now and forever."
I bowed my head towards her. "Let us seal the promise of our wedding with a kiss."
My lips touched hers, and everything was wonderful.
"Yesterday is too late for us to become one soul," I said after we separated ourselves. "I love you, Twilight Sparkle."
"I love you too, Rarity," she replied. "When I first met you, I never could have imagined that I would find love with my teacher."
"We have come far since then." Pride filled my voice. "You have become skilled in Deertongue."
"I had a beautiful teacher with a very skilled tongue." She winked at me.
"We still have so much to learn from each other." My words burned with lust as I softly stroked her face with my hoof. "And we have our whole lives to learn them."
"That thought fills me with joy." We kissed again, deeper this time. "Shall we return to our bedroom?"
"Yes, my princess. Lead the way." And so, under the light of Luna's moon, I took another step forward on my life's journey in my new home, side-by-side with the princess who possessed my heart.