Dinner was uneventful as it was just her at the lonely dinner table. Fluttershy found it strange she was eating by herself, she hated to admit it but at least at lunch she had some company with the king. Even when she was eating breakfast in her room this morning she had Rainbow and Rarity with her keeping her from feeling alone.
Then this evening, Twilight escorted her to the dining room but the unicorn told her she couldn't stay long because she had to get ready for the Royal Summit with the king. She could also remember Twilight telling her, "Not that it matters, the king doesn't eat dinner down here anyway."
Fluttershy had inquired, "But why?"
Twilight merely shook her head, "I cannot say." then she left.
By then Pinkie had come into the room and started serving her. The energetic mare did talk to her a bit before going back into the kitchen.
When she had finished eating the mare she recognized as Applejack came in to clear the dishes.
"Did you like your meal, sugar cube?"
"Oh, yes, it was very good."
Applejack smiled at that and replied, "We try our best." with dishes in hoof, she started going toward the kitchen but stopped when Fluttershy said.
"You're married to Spike, right?"
The kitchen maid skeptically looked back at her and slowly started, "Yeah… that's right."
"I'm just curious as to how you got together…" she nervously added, "If you don't mind me asking, that is…"
Applejack gave a tiny smile, "Not at all." she slightly chuckled, "It does seem strange doesn't it? A pony and a dragon…" she sighed, "I never thought it could happen to me, falling in love… You know he wasn't always the tall, strong, and handsome dragon you seen. In fact, when he first came to this castle with Twilight, he was practically a baby dragon, with him being short and adorable at the time. But, he also had a crush on Rarity."
"On Rarity?" feeling surprised by this.
"Yup. Something I rather forget but I can't denide it because it was a huge part of his life. Rarity was everything to him as he worshipped the very ground she walked on. To this day I still don't know if I should be amazed at his devotion or find it pathetic. Thankfully though, as time went on his crush started to diminish just as Rarity and Fancy started to get together. But it still stung, knowing the mare he cared for, for so long wanted another… It was right about there I consoled him one night in the kitchens. Then we started talking and well… something just clicked between us."
"Oh, that's so sweet."
She nodded, "The next thing I knew, I was falling head over hooves for him…"
"And did he feel the same?"
"Not at first but shortly afterwards… he realized how much I meant to him just as much of what he meant to me…" she had a dreamy smile over her face.
Fluttershy smiled in return, commenting, "That's wonderful, I'm so glad you two found each other."
"Yup. Then we got married and been that way ever since."
"And you been happy ever since…"
Applejack slightly frowned, replying, "To an extant… I'm happy we got married when we did but way we got married was a poor reminder that the king still had control over our lives and we have to hide our relationship…"
Fluttershy nodded in understanding.
"Heed my advice young filly, you still have control over your life so at the first chance you get, leave this place and never look back. Live your life the way you want it."
The pegasus made a small smile, "I'll remember that."
Satisfied with that answer, Applejack excused herself and made it back to the kitchens. There she saw her sister was waiting for her.
Apple Bloom told her, "I found out why Big Mac was acting all dreamy."
Applejack was intrigued, "Really?"
Apple Bloom nodded and grinned, "He's got a crush on a mare that sells baked goods in the village. She passes the castle gates almost every day with a pie cart and she and Big Mac exchanges brief conversation and it's easy to tell that they like each other a lot."
"What's her name?"
"Her name is Sugar Belle. Which is fitting because she's really sweet."
Applejack smiled at the thought of her brother finding someone but it was sad at the same time given how they can't get together if Big Mac was stuck in the palace and can't get out and she could remember that Mac and her made a mutual agreement when they were younger to never let anyone they care about be stuck to a life of servitude like them.
Thankfully that wasn't the case with her and Spike, since he was here with Twilight under Celestia's orders and thus he wasn't a true servant of the king. Upon realizing that, an idea struck her just as Apple Bloom sadly told her.
"But there's a problem…"
"Oh? What is it, sugar cube?"
"Sugar Belle is engaged to marry a stallion name Featherbangs… And Big Mac was the one who urged her go through it."
"I wish I can say I was surprised… But it's probably for the best given that Big Mac couldn't leave the castle even if he wanted to."
AB sighed, "I know…" then shouted, "It's not fair! Why do you have to hide your marriage and why does Big Mac have to give up the girl he loves all because of a stupid law the king made?!"
"Because we are force to do as he says, Apple Bloom. If we don't follow his rules, we're liable to be banished to the Everfree Forest and that's not a good thing."
Apple Bloom grumbled, "It's still not fair…"
"Fair or not, it's just how it is…" she hated saying that but it was the truth. Then she said, "Now you better get ready for bed, I'll be in soon to tuck you in, okay?"
Her sister nodded and went out of the room.
Applejack then put the dishes in the washtub to begin washing just as she heard heavy footsteps coming her way and then a strong pair of arms wrapped around her stomach making her smirk.
"I knew you would show up."
He chuckled, "I always show up every night to see my favorite mare."
"Just grab that dish towel and start drying, we have to be quick tonight because Apple Bloom's gonna be waitin' for me."
"Did she tell you about Big Mac and Sugar Belle?"
"Uh-huh, and- wait…" she looked back to him and scowled, "You knew about them?! All this time?!"
Spike winced as he twiddled his fingers to confess, "I've known for a while… Mac told him about his attraction to Sugar and made me swear to never reveal it to anyone. It's a sacred trust we share especially on Guy's Night."
Applejack sighed in exasperation, "Guess I can't go against that…"
"I love you and I would share anything with you but your brother is also a good friend of mine, and it's important I keep his trust especially since we're in-laws." Spike made a tiny smile.
AJ found herself smiling as well, "Yeah, it made me happy on how well you two gotten along."
"We may have secrets that only we know of but I have just as many secrets with you including the one that's growing in your stomach right now." he gently rubbed her swollen tummy.
She kept smiling as she said, "I've been meaning to ask this, but if our baby is a girl, can we name her after my mother? Since Big Mac was already named after my father."
He smirked, "Only if you agree to Spike Junior if we get a boy."
She chuckled, "We'll see…"then she slightly frowned as she slowed down with the dish washing and slowly started, "Speaking of our baby… I had a thought tonight that might help him or her…"
"Oh? What is it?"
Applejack took a deep breath and faced him, "I think… because you're not really the king's page, you have the freedom of coming and going as you please. So what if, you took our baby and raised it far away from here? Where it can be free and live life as it should?"
She saw the shock expression on her husband's face with him uttering, "Are… are you serious?"
She stated with a firm look, "Dead serious."
Spike sputtered, "That's… that's…" until he shouted out, "That's insane, Applejack!"
She retorted, "Well what's so insane about it?! Our baby could be free from this prison!"
"And never have them know their mother?! I won't do that, Applejack!"
She started to release tears, "I'm giving our child the best chance it could have!"
"Our baby deserves to know both its parents!" his own tears were starting to show.
"As much as I can agree on that, our child will be better off with their father while living away from a place that would crush any hopes and dreams they would have!"
There was dead silence between them with the exception of Applejack's sobbing. Spike stared in bewilderment, he knew his wife had grown up in this castle but she had never once told anyone why that was, nor did Big Mac ever tell him. The two Apple siblings never could bring it upon themselves to explain why they had to serve under the king. Maybe now was the time to say.
He slowly approached and wrapped his arms around her as he softly said, "Tell me… tell me why you have to serve him…"
She blubbered out, "I-I d-don't k-know if I can…"
He stroked her mane, "You must try, my love… I need to understand why you feel so trap here… why you would be so willing to let our child go just so they could have a taste of freedom…" he move his hand to her belly.
She touched his claw over her abdomen as she replied, "I don't want to let our child go, but I know that they'll be happier out there then in here…" she sighed. There was a long pause before she spoke again, "It began with my parents… You know how I told you they were an Apple and a Pear?"
He nodded, following her.
"Well… there was more to the story…" she took another breath, "The Apples and Pears were part of a feud that involved marketing their products and to see who could do better when taking care of their orchards. Needless to say, the fighting got out of hoof with them hating each other so much that it was a miracle in itself that my parents were the only ones in their families to not hate on each other.
"But anyway, as time went on their love for each other grew and they became more determined than ever to get together. So one evenin' my parents decided to elope and ran away from their families' farms. They ran all the way to town where they came across the king…"
Spike voiced, "Uh-oh, I think I know where this is going…"
She merely nodded, "You guess right, sugar cube. You see, my parents regretted running away so they sought the king's help and he made them an offer they couldn't refuse…"
"To end the feud?" he surmised.
"Yup. But there was a catch, as in they would have to serve him for the rest of their days…"
He breathed, "No…"
"Oh, yes…"
"But what does that have to do with you? If your parents were the ones who made that deal then shouldn't you be free from his grasp?"
She sighed again, "One would think so… But when his ban on love happen shortly after Apple Bloom was born, it was too much for my parents. So they snuck out one night in search of a better place for us kids…" then her face grew solemn and Spike could see tears of pain threatening to escape her.
He softly told her, "Just take your time… Don't force yourself."
She wiped her eyes while taking another deep breath, "They had succeeded in escaping."
He questioned, "But the traps…?"
"This was before he put those traps around the castle, what happen next was the reason he put them in." she paused with her tears coming back, "I don't know what happen exactly but by morning the king had sent his guards to search for them and when they had found them, they were brought back and Big Mac and I saw firsthoof of how badly injured they were and on the verge of dying…"
Spike gave a sympathetic look as he kept embracing her.
She sniffled, "They pleaded to the king to take care of their children but he only agreed to it as long as we took their place to serve him…" She could feel her husband stiffening as he uttered in shock.
"He didn't…"
She quietly replied, "He did…"
He whispered while tightening his hold, "Oh, Applejack…"
"Promise me you'll at least think about it…? Taking our baby and leave this place forever?"
"I still don't like the idea of leaving you here and having you never know our child but after what you told me… I can certainly respect your wish… I will think carefully on this."
She moved her head to his chest, feeling more emotional than ever, as she softly said, "Thank you… that's all I ask…"
"My beautiful, brave Applejack… you always did have a noble heart that puts others before yourself… That's one of the reasons I love you so much…" he moved her chin up and they leaned in for a kiss.