Maid Twilight Sparkle walked down the long castle hallways with a sad look on her face. It truly is astonishing how with a castle full of people, I still don't belong. I suppose I am rather odd for a noble but well, I'm used to things that are ordinary. Even my parents were never as luxurious as other aristocrats. Father was a knight while Mother was a Baron's daughter. But even so, they never did anything on a grand scale, mostly because they were humble to a fault. Adopting Spike was proof of that.
At the thought of her younger brother, Twilight felt upset at how so many ladies of the court were after him. His youthful appearance, his status, and his inheritance made him a prize for the taking. That the only woman she could trust to be alone with him was her lady-in-waiting, Sunset Shimmer. When she first came to the castle, Sunset wasn't the friendliest person on the castle staff but as time went on, she managed to gain her trust particularly on one night in the library when they found out they had something common about worrying on letting everybody down.
Sunset and Twilight then became the closest of confidantes and didn't hide any secrets from each other.
"There you are, Twilight!"
Speak of the devil.
Twilight turned to her with a smile, "Sunset."
Sunset smiled as well, "I've been looking all over for you, want to play a game of badminton before we have to get ready for dinner tonight?"
Twilight's smile brightened, "That would be wonderful."
As they walked together, Sunset noticed the fleeting frown on her lady's face making her slightly frown and asked, "Is there something wrong?"
The purple-haired girl shook her head and replied, "It's nothing."
But Sunset wasn't buying it and drew out in a firm tone, "Twilight…"
She sighed and admitted, "It's just… Do you think I'm odd?"
"Odd?" Sunset questioned with a furrowed brow.
"You know… Strange, abnormal, unusual, funny…"
Sunset quipped, "I know the definition of odd, Twilight. The question is; why do you think you are odd?"
Twilight sighed again, "It's just… how everyone in the castle sees me… I tell Spike it doesn't bother me but the truth is… it does…" she said that last part in sadness.
Sunset gave a sympathetic look before inquiring, "Then why hide it from him?"
"Because he's got enough on his plate already, especially with all those girls going after him. I want him to worry about his own life without having to worry about mine."
"So… you think finding him a wife will end this cycle of pursuit?"
"I want him to find love. I could never force his hand onto anybody he doesn't know or love."
Sunset scoffed, "According to Sheriff Gladmane that's exactly what Lord Trenderhoof tried to do to that poor farm girl before they were force to evict her and her family."
"I wish I knew who that family was so I can offer my condolences. They didn't deserve for their land be taken all because of Blueblood's greed."
"Yeah, I agree with you, but I don't know the family's name other then I heard from the sheriff they were apple farmers."
Twilight's blood run cold the minute Sunset had said that. And memories of her past went floating past her eyes as she recalled a dear friend of hers that grew up on an apple farm and that she had occasionally visited the farm to help her friend.
Twilight uttered under her breath, "No… it couldn't be…"
Sunset looked at her in confusion, "Couldn't be what, Twilight?"
But Twilight didn't acknowledge her question and asked her instead with a worried expression on her face, "Are you sure the sheriff said they were apple farmers?!"
Sunset uneasily replied, "That's… what he said… why? Is there something important about apple farming?"
"No! It's not apple farming I'm concern about, but that it's possible that I might know this family after all!"
Sunset's eyes widen and uttered, "Are you sure?"
"I don't know! That's why I got to find out!" she ran off.
Sunset gave a concern look before following after her lady.
Spike sat at a table in the castle's kitchens as he took a sip of tea. Juniper Montage was nearby serving to other guards and members of the castle staff though she was doing so begrudgingly. But whenever she turned to Spike she gave out a bright smile.
Spike tried to smile back, for as nice as Juniper is, he couldn't help but feel she was just trying to get close to him so she could escape her role as a serving girl. He couldn't blame her of course given how thankless her job was but it made her no better than the other girls that were trying to pursue him even though they were in an upper division then Juniper.
Suddenly he felt a slap on his back that nearly made him spill and choke on his drink. He glowered at the laughing court jester that sat next to him.
"Must you always do that every time I take a drink?"
Discord wore the usual jester attire though it was cover in patterns of different colors making the outfit very unique. He replied with a smirk, "No, but why stop a good thing?"
Spike sighed in exasperation before taking another sip.
"My, someone's in a foul mood."
"You would be too if you had hundreds of girls trying to get you to settle down with one of them."
Discord pretended to ponder on that, "Let's see, a hundred girls at my beck and call, pining for my attention… so far that doesn't sound so bad."
"But they only care about what I have and not who I am! There is more to me then just my title!"
Discord started snickering that turned into loud guffaws to the point it annoyed Spike as he stated with a scowl.
"I fail to see how any of this is funny."
Discord's laughter died down as he explained, "I seem to recall a young boy who loved to get attention at every chance he got. After all he was but a lowly squire and he would have loved for girls to pine over him then."
Spike retorted, "I was thirteen years old! I didn't know any better! Yes, I used to think that having girls around me would make me someone important but I've learned since then that I don't need that."
"So you honestly believe that none of these girls are for you?"
"Oh, I know they're not for me."
"And what makes you say that?"
His eyes casted down, "I can't love someone who doesn't care about me. And all these girls going after me… They don't care… They just want to use me…"
Discord touched his chin, genuinely looking thoughtful toward the knight as he commented, "Hmm… I see your point."
"And what's worse is that all of them have various reasons for wanting me if not every reason."
"My goodness, you are in a pickle." he showed off a pickle.
Spike dryly replied, "Har, har… you're so funny."
"It's my job is it not?" Discord wiggled his brows.
Spike rolled his eyes before going back to his drink.
"You know, if you want my advice, I suggest you get out of here and find the girl you've been dreaming of."
Spike coughed up his drink making Discord confused to the strong reaction. When Spike cleared his throat he inquired in bewilderment, "How… How did you know about that?"
Discord questioned while scratching his head, "Know about what?"
"You mean you didn't…?" Spike blushed in embarrassment and quickly said, "Never mind! What is you were talking about?"
"I was saying that you should leave this place so you can find a girl that will love you for you."
Spike sighed, "I can't… Not if it means leaving Twilight all alone…"
"Uh, you're forgetting that she'll have Sunset to watch over her. So no she won't be alone."
"That's not what I mean… If I marry outside the castle, then Twilight will have no one to take care of her in case something happened to Shining Armor. It's my duty to provide for her in the meantime."
"Sounds to me like you need to marry her off."
"Good grief, Discord! My sister is not an object! I know it's been said that women are property to their fathers and husbands, but honestly that always disturbed me greatly. A girl is a living being and should be treated as such."
Discord shook his head, "Well if you can find me a girl that won't find me repulsive and likes to laugh at my jokes, I would treat her as if she were the heaven and earth."
Spike wavered with a cringing smile, "You're… you're not that ugly…"
The jester deadpanned, "Uh-huh." Not buying the statement one bit.
The knight sighed, "Okay, so maybe you're not the most attractive guy in the castle, but you do have a winning personality!" he gave a cheesy grin.
Discord narrowed his eyes, "Not your most compelling argument…"
Spike shrugged, "I tried."
Gladmane sat at his desk with his feet up as he relaxed in his chair while listening to Twilight rant.
"How could you do that?! They were just farmers trying to make it! And how could you let Trenderhoof propose to Applejack like that?!"
Gladmane slid his feet down and replied in a dispassionate tone, "Maid Twilight Sparkle, it was my job to make sure that the family would pay their taxes but since they couldn't, Lord Trenderhoof was generous enough to offer marriage. It's not my fault your friend refused of what could've been the easiest solution to her problems."
"Easy?!" Sunset yelled, "You call a force marriage easy?!"
Twilight added, "Right! Trenderhoof was taking advantage of the situation!"
The sheriff held his hands up, "I'm sorry, ladies, but it's out of my hands, unless you can convince the prince for a full pardon, my orders remain the same."
Sunset and Twilight exchanged a look knowing they wouldn't be able to change Blueblood's mind. And since they were getting nowhere with the Sheriff they left without another word.
Twilight was still fuming from the exchange which Sunset noticed and commented, "It's no wonder the prince chose him to be the Sheriff…"
"I should have been there…"
"What?" Sunset stopped walking and Twilight did the same as she uttered in sorrow.
"I could have helped them… I would have been able to loan them the money… Then none of this would have happen!" the tears came faster then she expected.
Sunset's face soften and she gently held Twilight in her arms as she whispered, "No, it's not your fault that you had move away and from what you told me about your old friends, something tells me they would never accept charity from you no matter the circumstances…"
Twilight wiped her eyes, "Maybe you're right… Applejack did always prefer to earn her keep. She wouldn't want me feeling sorry for her and try to offer her the money she needs."
"Exactly. So really, this was something that you couldn't prevent. In fact, this is something that no one could have prevented since Blueblood took control."
Twilight solemnly nodded then said, "I'm glad Applejack and her family got away, but if Sheriff Gladmane is right about them going into the Everfree Forest, then their chances for survival are slim at most… I know that Applejack is capable but still… I can't help wondering if the last time I saw her really was the last time…?"
Sunset gave an uncertain look, "I can't say that for sure, Twilight…"
"I know… Would you do me a favor?"
"What's that?"
"Would you not tell Spike about this? As upset as I am about this, I think it would upset him more since he'll know it's one of our oldest friends that got hurt from Blueblood's selfishness."
Sunset asked in concern, "Are you sure it's wise to keep him in the dark like this?"
"I don't know what he would do if he knew. He might try to go against the prince and end up in the dungeon or worse! And he's already got enough worries to deal with; I don't have it in my heart to add on more."
"If you really don't want me to, I won't say anything. But you know you can't keep this from him forever…"
"It won't be forever, just until things get better, which hopefully will be soon…"
But both Twilight and Sunset had doubts that would happen.