"See, it's still here."
The Gardener marvelled at her garden upon their return. "They've grown," she whispered in wonder as she beheld the new flowers that had blossomed in her absence. "That's never happened before when I wasn't there to will it so."
The Princess Triumphant grinned. "I told you, Gardener. You have cultivated a place where all manner of things can grow, and that is exactly what they have done."
"You're not just speaking of plants, are you?" The rose bushes had never looked healthier, and the Gardener felt both pride and shame at the sight of what they were capable of when she wasn't carefully guiding every moment of their lives.
"Of course not," the Princess Triumphant replied with a grin. "The peace I found in this place of contemplation allowed me to flourish into the princess I now am, just as it allowed the Mighty Helm and the Legionnaire to confess their love. You create beauty here, Gardener, but the true breadth of your creation lies beyond these walls."
"I see that now." The Gardener couldn't keep her eyes off the tapestry of colours that had grown in patterns she hadn't dictated. It was mesmerising.
"There is much I had hoped you would see." There was something odd in the Princess Triumphant's voice, some mix of emotion that was powerful enough to draw the Gardener's attention away from her garden and towards her friend. "In time, as I have changed, so have you, in ways I did not notice until now. Look at me, Gardener, and see my soul bared to you."
The Gardener looked, and her breath caught in her throat at what she saw.
The Princess Triumphant shone with love, radiating it from every fibre of her being. The Gardener was transfixed by her beauty, so enraptured by the purity of her heart that she almost missed the subtle currents of affection swirling through her soul. The same currents that she had seen before, in the Mighty Helm and the Legionnaire.
With a startled gasp, the Gardener whispered, "Princess Triumphant, do you...?"
"I have always held a strong affection for you," her companion said warmly, reaching out a hoof to stroke her cheek. "You who have given me the tools to become the Princess Triumphant, and have supported me at my highest and lowest. Your beauty is an inspiration, and when we returned from our travels, I knew I wanted to give my heart to you, and I sense within your soul the budding desire to do the same."
"I..." The Gardener trailed off, unable to answer at first. And then, finally, she smiled. "You are the only soul who has ever been able to pull me out of my garden, and have shown me the true breadth of my achievements. You are a light that shines even in the darkest hour, and I..."
She felt it, in her heart, and from the way the Princess Triumphant smirked, she knew the change was obvious to her second sight. What once had been friendship had slowly transformed into something more, and faced with the touch of one so lovely, the Gardener felt the final shift in her soul as desire filled her. Without another thought, she acted on that desire.
Their lips met, a conflagration of passion erupting between them.
"I love you," the Princess Triumphant said when they finally parted, though they both still felt the new tether that joined their hearts.
"I love you too," the Gardener said in wonder, this new revelation shocking her to her core.
All around them, the budding flowers burst into bloom, and cherry blossom leaves rained down on the couple, as if the garden itself was celebrating their confession. By her hoof, a single rose grew from the ground next to the Gardener.
She plucked it and offered the gift to the Princess Triumphant. "A token of my affection."
The Princess Triumphant giggled. "Thank you, Gardener. I will treasure it forever." And then, there were no more words that needed to be said, as they stared into each other's eyes and basked in their shared love.
Eternity passed, a lovely Eternity, and then the Gardener spoke once more. "So, what happens now?" She asked. "You have your duties, and I have my garden."
"It's certainly more complicated now, but I think that's for the best," the Princess Triumphant replied. "I will tend to my people as you tend to your garden, but I think we've both learned that there is time aplenty for adventures and contemplation with one another, and now we can explore our love in that time."
"That sounds wonderful." The Gardener laughed. "When I first arrived here, I lamented that I would be trapped forever, but now that I am with you, I think perhaps this might be the greatest blessing I've ever received."
The Princess Triumphant reached out to hug her tightly. "I was thinking the exact same thing."