Princesses - Chapter 4

This is not my home.

I was born here, in exile, to parents who loved me and did their best to make sure that I knew it. I made friends
here - many of whom went on to be ponies of note in their own right. I even met my fiancee here in my aunt's
palace.

But this is not my land, and these are not my people.

I grew up hearing stories of my land - a glorious empire, shining and pure, that would one day return. When I was
young, I was sure beyond any doubt that I would be the one to reclaim it. My mother and father, as is the way of
our kind, withered and faded away not long after I was born - and while I was sad for the loss of their guidance,
I knew that it was the way of things, and persevered.

The people here are warm, and welcoming, but I can see in their faces that this is not my land. When one of the
young fillies I had helped care for - a protege of my aunt's - restored her lost sister to her, I saw them welcome
her back into their lives and their hearts. It was that day that I understood that no matter how I applied my
magic, I would never be one of them.

My aunt allayed my fears, assuring me that when the time was right, I would retake my kingdom. I was so focused
on that and on what my destiny would be that I almost didn't notice that a captain of the guard in my aunt's
palace had been drawn to me.

My gift is to inspire and increase the love in others' hearts - but I cannot create it. A creature that truly had
no love in its heart would be immune to my powers. Imagine my surprise when I found it growing in the heart of
the unicorn that commanded the soldiers without any help or encouragement from me.

He was handsome, kind, brave, and unquestionably devoted to me - the first person from this foreign land to truly
welcome me and accept me, to actually want me to be a part of his world. And for the first time in my life, I
knew true joy.

He rose from a mere captain to a commander to win a rank and title that he hoped would impress me - but the dear,
silly man never realized that as a princess in exile, I had no lands, no real power, and no reason whatosever for my husband to have a title. Still, when he had obtained his new rank, and run to me, fresh from the promotion
ceremony, to ask me to marry him...how could I refuse?

My name is Mi Amore Cadenza, and soon I will be married.