distance makes the heart grow fonder

When the castle appeared in the horizon, Twilight Sparkle felt she could cry. 

The training program had taken an entire year. An entire year, three hundred sixty-five days plus twenty more if she accounted for travel time to the Arimaspi kingdom and back, and every single one of those days, she thought of home. 

She still thought it was stupid, even if it was only stupid because of personal reasons, and even if she’d learned immensely and was ten times the soldier she was before. But it was still stupid. The proud Arimaspi race was a fighting tribe, and their idea of an allegiance was a temporary exchange of soldiers. We send you our strongest fighters, and you send us yours, and our strongest grow stronger learning from another. 

She thought it interesting at first, when the king spoke to the guards, having summoned his daughter and her guard presumably as a formality. She’d found it much less interesting when the king revealed the Arimaspi king had asked for Twilight personally, having heard stories of the multiple assassination plots she’d singlehoofedly stopped. 

“Multiple assassinations I won’t be able to stop anymore if I am not here, Your Highness!” she’d protested, which was out of turn, just as Princess Rarity had been when she’d immediately told her father he was insane for thinking Twilight was going anywhere. 

“We cannot deny a personal selection from the Arimaspi King. It would be a scandal, and we cannot afford to lose this new alliance,” had said the King, sympathetic but harsh. “Twilight will be leaving with the others in two weeks, and you will receive a new guard for the rest of the year.” 

And that had been that. 

“Goddesses,” said a soldier, walking alongside her. “I miss my bed. Tonight’ll be the first time I sleep since we left.” 

“I miss my husband’s cooking,” said another one, hungrily licking her lips. “I hope he has something for me when I get home.” 

“What about you, Twilight?” the first asked her. 

The answer was obvious to her. She missed her princess. Had missed her horribly for an entire year, the only news she’d had being the letters the king sent for them all every month, relaying important news and personal matters if a particular soldier needed to know of it. It had always been agony, honestly, when the letters arrived, Twilight dreading it would bring news akin to:

“My dear soldiers, the guard I replaced Twilight with was incompetent, and Princess Rarity was murdered” or “My dear soldiers, Princess Rarity, devoid of all her impulse control, in other words Twilight Sparkle, enacted what she thought would be a brilliant idea and got herself killed”, or, the absolute worst of them all, “My dear soldiers, while you were away, Princess Rarity got married to some other Princess, and now she’s living with them hundreds of miles away! Hurrah!”

Thankfully, none of those came to pass, and instead, the only thing keeping her sane was the ending dedication he’d add to every letter, doubtlessly for Twilight’s benefit exclusively. 

‘P.S.’ he’d write, ‘Princess Rarity sends her warmest regards and prayers for you all’.

Anyway, she couldn’t exactly say she missed the princess. It would be inappropriate, and it reminded her of the teensy fear she’d developed of their relationship having changed while she was away. 

“I missed home,” she said eventually, which wasn’t a lie. Home just happened to be a pony. 

It took them about another hour to reach the castle, the entire place abuzz with excitement at their return. Spouses and children were waiting by the gates, Twilight watching the dozens of tearful reunions with envy and affection in equal measure. 

She hadn’t expected Rarity to be there—it would not be proper, after all—but still, Twilight felt a longing pang, the ache in her heart growing stronger still. 

“Come on!” the captain barked, a little impatient towards the families and distracted soldiers. “You can save this for after we’ve spoken to the king!” 

Quietly grateful for his intervention, Twilight followed orders and she and the rest of the soldiers fell into line, marching past the open gates, into the castle, and finally into the throne room where the king awaited them. 

His first action was to greet them all, but truth be told, and she would be ashamed to admit this, Twilight hardly remembered what he said. She remembered him saying some manner of royal greeting, and then Twilight noticed the crown princess on her throne, and the first sight of Rarity’s giddy smile completely threw Twilight’s focus flying out the window. 

Oh my gosh, she didn’t get killed, thank the goddesses, was Twilight’s first relieved thought, quickly giving the princess a cursory inspection. No limbs seemed to be missing, no scars seemed to mar her body, she still looked as hale and hearty and beautiful as ever, the only difference being her mane seemed to have grown longer. 

The king suddenly stood up, Twilight’s attention snapping to him. 

“Now, I imagine you’re all very tired, and you’ve had a long year,” he said, “so you’re all excused from your duties until Monday. At that time, please go to Captain Accord to get further instructions.” 

A dozen or so salutes rang in the air, and all the soldiers but one quickly dispersed, eager to rest a few days. 

“Your Majesty,” Twilight said, saluting. “I’m ready to relieve Nightwatch of his duties and return to my position.” 

The king laughed, a hint of affection coloring his tone. “Ah, Twilight,” he said, fondly. “Ever one to display why you were selected personally by King Aegora. Your devotion is admirable, but my orders include you, too.” He waved her off with a teasing hoof. “Go! If what I’ve heard is correct, you’ve done the kingdom proud. You deserve a few days of rest and relaxation! I’m sure you need them.” 

“What? No, she doesn’t,” Princess Rarity immediately blurted out. 

Her father looked at her, eyebrow raised. “Excuse me, but are you Twilight Sparkle?” 

“…No, father,” Rarity replied, her embarrassment intensifying at the briefly delighted expression on Twilight’s face. 

“Your Majesty, I appreciate the offer, really,” Twilight said, “but my idea of relaxation is going back to my duties.”

“Hm! Very well, then. If that’s the case, I’d like for you to stop by tomorrow at some point so we can discuss a few matters regarding your stay in the West, but beyond that, you are now officially in charge of dealing with my daughter.” 

“Ex-CU-se me?” the Princess gasped indignantly, like nothing had changed, and she was still the same. “What do you mean ‘dealing with’?! I am a DELIGHT. A de-light!” 

“Your Majesty,” Twilight replied relieved—so, so relieved—to be home. “It would be my honor.”