Applejack winced as her hoof slammed into the trunk. The apples remained stubbornly in the tree. She'd been working all morning, and she had nothing to show for it but a couple of empty baskets and sore hooves. She hadn't been sleeping well, and it was starting to show.
Giving the golden band on her hoof a long glare, Applejack wound up for another buck. THWACK! A couple of apples dropped into the waiting baskets.
It would have been so much easier if it had been anypony else. She spent every night nestled against that soft coat, listening to the faint sounds of breathing, barely audible over the relentless pounding of her own heart. Imagining the warmth of those hooves wrapped around her. Those bright eyes locked on hers. The taste of those lips —
Applejack yelped as she missed the tree entirely, losing her balance and crashing to the earth. She lay still for a moment, drawing a few shuddering breaths.
Her eyes drifted back down to the ring. With a wordless bellow that rang through the orchard, she leapt to her hooves and started tearing wildly at the ring. She slammed it into rocks and trees, she crushed it with her hooves, she tore at it with her teeth until her hoof was bloody.
Applejack finally stopped, chest heaving, trembling limbs flecked with blood and sweat. The ring was still there.
She wasn't quite sure when her ragged gasps had turned into muffled sobs. Twilight deserved so much better! Twilight was a hero three times already, full of fire and courage and magic, and learning wisdom from the Princess herself! She was the kind of pony a whole country could rely on! And Applejack? Applejack kicked trees for a living.
There was only one thing she had ever done that might have deserved a mare like that, but — green flames and mocking laughter — she had even bucked that up.
As the tears faded, a grim determination took root in Applejack. Maybe I'm not good enough. She hardly registered her hoofsteps carrying her to the barn. Maybe I don't deserve Twilight. She stretched her leg out, the light gleaming brightly from the golden band, untouched by the sweat, or blood, or heartache. Beautiful. But I can still do what's right. I can set her free.
Applejack swung the axe.