//------------------------------//
// Chapter 14 
// Story: Heart of Gold 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

"You want us to do what?!" Rainbow screeched.

Twilight stated firmly, "To help me get Fluttershy to fall for the king."

All of the servants were in the kitchen as Twilight told them about her request and were appalled at what she was suggesting.

Rarity proclaimed, "Darling, you can't expect us to have that poor creature be tied to him forever! As cruel as our servitude is to him, it would be crueler to make her his wife!"

There were murmurs of agreements.

Pinkie gestured, "Yeah, while you were away at the summit we got to hang out with Fluttershy more and she is the sweetest thing in the world! She doesn't deserve this fate!"

More agreements.

Twilight motioned, "Listen, I didn't like the idea anymore then you do, but just this afternoon I saw a side of him I thought I would never see! When he and Fluttershy were at lunch together she brought up a point of missing her family and he gave her a magic mirror so she could see them!"

There were slight gasps while others gaped and mumbled in disbelief.

Flash questioned out, "Why would he do that?"

Twilight replied, "Because he actually likes her. He's willing to go out of the way to make her happy!"

"Ha!" Applejack voiced out then she stepped forward, "I'll believe that when I see that! What he did this afternoon doesn't change the fact that he's done a lot of awful things in the past! Don't forget, Twilight some of us have been here a lot longer then you, so we know firsthoof of how he behaves."

Flash made a remorseful face, "I'm afraid she's right… A majority of us were born in this castle all because our parents were force to serve him just as we are now."

Soarin' and a few others nodded in agreement.

The unicorn pleaded, "I know I'm asking a lot, but I believe this may be the first step of him turning over a new leaf."

Rainbow retorted, "I am not going to let my oldest friend get married to a heartless jerk! So you won't catch me helping!" she flew out of the room with her husband right behind her.

Some of the other servants started leaving too. Only Rarity, Pinkie, Cheese, Applejack and Spike remained.

Rarity told her, "I'm sorry, Twilight, but Fluttershy deserves better." she left as well.

Applejack stated, "You may think you can change him, but he won't." she walked out.

Spike gave a sorrowful look, "I'm sorry, Twilight, but… I have to side with my wife on this."

The unicorn gapped at this. For as long as she could remember Spike had always been by her side and always supported her but this was the first time he ever went against her.

He continued, "He has caused so much suffering around him that I don't think he can turn around…" he shook his head, "I can't help you this time…" he went to catch up with his wife.

Twilight could feel the tears welling in her eyes as she uttered, "Spike…" then she felt a hoof on her shoulder, turning back to see Pinkie and Cheese still there. "Let me guess, you won't help either…?"

Pinkie shook her head and gently said, "No silly, we're here to tell you, that… we will…"

Twilight's eyes widen as she saw the party couple's assuring smiles.

Cheese added, "If you truly believe that Fluttershy is the reason he'll change, then what have we got to lose?"

Twilight glanced at where the others went and uttered, "Our friends…"

Pinkie sucked her teeth and slowly started, "Okay, yeah, there's that. Buuuttt if we can show them that you were right then they'll realize how wrong they were!"

"I truly hope you're right, Pinkie."



Rarity and Rainbow were cleaning in the foyer beneath the staircase as Dash exclaimed, "I can't believe she wanted us to help her get him together with Fluttershy! What was she thinking?!"

"It was rather strange for her to ask that." The unicorn levitated a damp cloth into the water bucket before wrangling it out and wiped the hard floor.

Rainbow also took a wet cloth and wiped the floor till she felt pain in her head and held it.

Rarity had noticed and inquired, "Another headache, Rainbow dear?"

"Yeah. I don't know why they keep happening."

"Maybe you're coming down with something?"

"Now that you mention it, I have been feeling nauseous in the morning recently."

"Perhaps it was something you ate?"

"I guess…" she went back to work.

Meanwhile, Capper was on top of the stairs when he saw them working, and slowly went down so they did not hear him. He spotted two dustpans on the last step then quickly looked at the clean floor as a mischievous smirk spread across his face. He dipped his feet in the dust and then walked onto the floor leaving a trail without them noticing.

But when they turned back they saw the tracks and Dash exclaimed, "Hey! We just cleaned that!"

Capper stopped and turned back acting innocent, "Oh my, did I do that?"

Rarity addressed him, "I apologize if this is offensive, Count, but… Being born blind does not mean you can get away with 'accidents' such as these. You clearly saw our two dustpans on the steps or else you could have avoided them."

"There is just no fooling you is there?" he made an amusing smile.

Rarity continued, "Which brings up the interesting question as to why a count would stoop so low as to make a practical joke like this."

"What can I say? I'm a loose politician."

"Politician or not, you're going to help clean up this mess!" Rainbow declared.

The unicorn nodded, "I quite agree."

Capper bowed, "It would be my honor little ponies." He made for the bucket as he quickly wiped his feet and then took another damp cloth and put it in the water. He crouched down on the floor and washed his paw prints away.

Rarity turned to her fellow maid, "You know Rainbow, if you're feeling unwell, you should go get some rest. I can finish the rest of our duties by myself."

Dash smiled, "Thanks Rare. As much as I am able to handle things, I just don't think I can continue on without a splitting headache bugging me."

"Quite so, and if I recall correctly Applejack didn't look so good last week so perhaps you caught something from her."

"I bet you're right. So it's Applejack's fault I'm like this." she started going, "See you later."

When her assistant had gone she turned to the count who said, "Sounds to me like you got a sick household on your hooves."

"I'm sure it's just a minor illness going about the castle, we servants happen to be very diligent in our cleaning around here especially since the king makes sure that we do our work every single day."

"Why? What happens if you don't do your work?"

"We get banished to the Everfree Forest."

He slightly frowned, "Well that sounds a little extreme."

"Isn't it? And the worst part is we didn't even know about that rule until after he had us sign our long-term contracts to him."

"How much is long-term?"

"Oh, it depends on the pony's contract. Some of us have been signed on for twenty years or more!"

"What about you?"

"Me? Oh, um…" she searched for the right words to say that wouldn't sound like a lie but it wouldn't be the complete truth either. She stated, "I've served for quite so time now that I'm almost done."

"Well good for you. So when you are done what will your plans be for afterwards?"

She froze at the question and quickly thought back to when she first met the king. Originally she was going to take the job for Sweetie Belle's sake all because of that fire that separated them from their parents. And just before that happen, she was on the verge of raising money to own her own dress shop.

She told the count, "Why to start my own business of course."

That actually intrigued him as he said, "Oh? What kind of business?"

"A boutique for my dresses. Before I was a maid I sewed my own creations."

"So what made you become a maid then?"

Her eyes went sad earning a curious look from him as she said.

"A fire started at my family's house and my sister and I were force apart from our parents in the chaos."

His eyes widen and uttered, "Really?"

She nodded.

His ears drooped down as he admitted, "I lost my family in a fire…"

She gasped, "Are you serious?"

He nodded sadly, "In that one moment, I lost everything and everyone I loved…"

"Oh my…" she was astounded by all of this.

Capper faced her, "I managed to bounce right back, though. But the truth is…I've never told that to anyone before…" he ended up staring into her sapphire eyes.

"Oh. Well your secret is safe with me; I could never repeat such a tragic event."

"Thank you." he made a genuine smile then said, "Now, tell me more about your sister."



Applejack felt herself melting to her husband's touch as he rubbed the tension out of her back. She asked, "You really said those things to Twilight?"

"It wasn't easy but I had to do it. What she was requesting was downright ridiculous, it's like you said there's no way he'll change his ways."

"Still… you've never went against her like that."

He sighed, "I know… But I have to think my family now."

"But Twilight is part of your family."

"She is, but I had to choose between you two and you had to come first." he moved his hands to her shoulders and kept rubbing, "When we did our marriage vows, I promised to love, honor, and cherish you."

She smiled, "You always were a noble dragon." then she frowned, "But I hate how this is going to come between you two."

"I don't like it either but Twilight has made her choice and I've made mine." he moved a claw down to her bludging abdomen and rubbed it, a kick responded to the touch making both parents smile.

Then they heard a moan outside the room and looked to see Rainbow Dash passing by while holding her head.

AJ inquired, "You okay, Dash?"

The cyan mare turned to her and glared, "No, because it's your fault I'm like this!"

Both Spike and Applejack went, "Uh?"

"What are you talkin' about?" the kitchen maid asked.

"I'm sick! And it's obvious I caught it from you!"

"Now wait just-an apple pickin'-minute!" AJ retorted, "What makes you sure you're sick because of me?"

"Duh! Because you were sick last week!"

The couple exchanged worried glances, they knew the real reason Applejack was sick but they couldn't tell their friend that.

Hoping to change the topic, Spike questioned, "What exactly have you been sick with?"

"I've been getting these constant headaches and I have been feeling nauseous lately."

They exchanged surprised looks with AJ whispering to her husband, "You don't think…?"

Spike directly asked RD, "Um, Rainbow, have you and Soarin' been… you know…"

Dash furrowed her brow in confusion, "What?"

The dragon cleared his throat and said uncomfortably, "As in… have you two been cuddling closer than usual?"

The implied words hit her in seconds and she shouted with flushing cheeks, "No!" then she rubbed her neck, "At least… we've been making sure we don't go too far… Especially after that night we got drunk…"

Applejack motioned, "I remember that night; and sorry to break it to you but you two were really out of it."

Spike nodded, "You couldn't keep your hooves off of each other."

Rainbow bit her lip and slowly asked, "Really?"

They nodded together.

Rainbow started to unsteadily said, "But that's crazy! We didn't- I least… I hope we didn't…" she shook her head, "No! It's just a stupid bug I caught! I'll be better in a few days, I'm sure of it!" she ran off without another word.

Spike solicited, "Do you think she is pregnant?"

Applejack stated, "Most likely, because those symptoms sound like the ones I had shortly before discovering I was pregnant."

"Should we tell Soarin'?"

"Yes. Because if our suspicions are right then they need to start making plans like we have before it's too late."