"ENGAGED?!" Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash gasped out.
"That's right, darlings, Fancy proposed to me last night!" Rarity gleefully said while all four of them were outside the kitchens.
The three mares looked at her with uncertainty not sure to be happy for their friend or pity her.
The unicorn saw their looks and inquired in confusion, "Are… are you not pleased with the news? I'm about to marry the love of my life!"
Applejack slowly started, "It's not that we're not happy for you Rare, but are you sure this is what you want? Cause I remember you coming to us when you were conflicted in your feelings to Capper."
Rainbow and Pinkie nodded their heads.
Rarity's heart sank a little before she scowled and countered, "That was before I learned that he was a fraud and a con-artist! I should have realized that our time together was too good to be true! I can't believe I almost gave up on the one stallion that was truly right for me!"
Rainbow pointed, "Well yeah, sure, he lied to all of us but… the way you were talking about him… it sounded so genuine and loving…"
Applejack said, "And I was watching his face last night, he kept looking at ya like he disappointed ya and was upset the moment you left the room."
Rarity was surprised to hear that, "He… he was…?"
Pinkie gently added in, "Yeah, and I saw the way you were looking at him too, you two looked like you were in a lot of pain. And only true soulmates could share something like that. I should know…"
AJ nodded, "She's right. Admit it, you're still thinking about Capper even after getting engaged."
Rarity was taken aback by this, she didn't want to admit but her thoughts still lingered to the charming and handsome cat. She shook her head, "I'm afraid it wouldn't matter, darling, even if I do have feelings for him as you say, it would not work anyway because there's still a matter of my contract with the king. Remember that?"
The mares gapped as they suddenly recalled what Rarity told them.
The unicorn added, "So it's just as well that Capper was exposed, it makes things a lot easier for Fancy and I to wed without doubt getting in the way."
Applejack frowned, "So you're just going to let your marriage be based on a lie?"
Rarity shouted, "Well what choice do I have, Applejack?!"
The kitchen maid shouted back, "Well for one you could just back out of it!"
The maid turned her head away with a huff.
Rainbow Dash decided to cut in before things got ugly, "Look, Applejack, if Rarity wants to kid herself, let her. It's her life so we can't interfere in that."
"Exactly, thank you Rainbow Dash."
The pegasus mentioned, "If anything we need to focus on what do about Fluttershy."
Rarity raised her brow, "Fluttershy? Why? What happen to her?"
Pinkie said, "That's right, you left so you don't know…"
Rarity listened intently as they told her what happened making her sad for the sweet pegasus.
"Oh Fluttershy… the poor dear…"
Dash said, "She was crying all night before she fell asleep from exhaustion."
Pinkie added, "Cheese and I wanted to cheer her up but we knew in that moment she needed a good cry."
Applejack pointed, "And it doesn't help that Twilight was in on it the whole time too. Not once bothering to tell us this herself. Spike was upset for the rest of the night too."
"What a conundrum." remarked Rarity.
Dash said, "And you know the weirdest part is? I actually believed him when he said that the bet didn't matter to him when he was with Fluttershy. And just the way he kept pleading at her was almost pitiable."
Pinkie nodded, "It's true, ever since she came to the castle, the master has become a new being."
"I can vouch for that." a deep voice said.
They turned to see Big Mac standing there.
AJ inquired, "Big Mac…?"
Mac spoke much to the girls' surprise, "Yesterday when I was in the village with Sugar Belle and just I was force to go, he came to us and told me how in that moment Sugar Belle and I resembled my parents and that they would want me to be happy with the mare I love so he granted me permission to go see Sugar Belle whenever I like."
They gawked at this information with Applejack tearing up, "He… he did that for you?"
Mac nodded his head then said, "But there's more, Fluttershy was with him and as he was telling me those things he looked back at her for a moment before telling me to cherish my love as he will do the same…"
Their eyes widen at the impact of that sentence.
Rarity utters, "He cares… he truly cares…"
Dash slowly nodded in disbelief, "For her…"
Applejack made a look of determination, "We need to get them back together."
Pinkie questioned, "How are we going to that? When I tried to serve him breakfast this morning, he refused for me to come in and he told me wasn't going to leave his room for the rest of the day!"
Dash added, "And Fluttershy won't leave her room either. You know I'm starting to think they are perfect for each other as crazy as that sounds."
Rarity suggested, "They just need a little nudge in the right direction and I think I know how…" she made them get into a huddle to tell her plan.
Moments later, the girls were front of the king's bedroom door with Pinkie knocking and calling out, "Come on, kingy! Get out here!"
Inside, Discord was lying on his bed with his covers over him as he yelled back, "Never! I refuse to come out! There's no point in it! Not… without her…" the tears welled back up in his eyes before he let out a howl of anguish and cried into his pillows.
Outside the girls were stunned by this behavior for it seemed like he was an animal that just lost his mate.
Dash uttered, "Sweet Celestia, I didn't think he'd be this bad…" she took a deep breath, "I'm going to do it."
Applejack questioned, "Do what?"
"Tell him me and Soarin are married."
They gapped at this then AJ said, "If you're going to tell then so am I."
Pinkie agreed, "So will I."
Applejack added, "We'll just have to beg him to spare the others and hopefully he'll do it."
They nodded before turning back to the door with Rainbow calling out, "Hey! The only reason Fluttershy couldn't tell you her secret is because she was protecting us!"
Silence followed afterwards before the door slowly opened revealing his hard face.
The three married mares stood their ground.
He slowly asked, "Protecting you how?"
Rainbow Dash took the lead and outright stated, "We're married."
He raised his brows.
Dash continued, "We made Fluttershy swear to secrecy so there you got what you wanted."
He said nothing for awhile before questioning, "How? I just figured with Applejack and Spike they just had baby out of wedlock…"
AJ was appalled by the idea and was about to retort had Rarity not stopped her in time.
Fancy suddenly came onto the scene, saying, "I'm afraid that was my doing, my lord. I helped marry the couples while you were away those times."
Discord frowned, "Et tu, Fancy? You've been keeping this from me all this time?"
Fancy Pants replied, "To be fair, your majesty, you were not exactly the best king in the world. I just couldn't stand by and let your servants suffer all because of a ridiculous law you put up."
Discord said nothing for the longest time and they weren't sure if this was a good thing or not.
Finally he released a deep sigh, "Okay, yes. I was a terrible king."
Their eyes widen to this sudden confession.
"I was lonely and jealous of those who had love in their lives. I think deep down I just wanted the same thing but I couldn't, after all… who could ever love me? So when the one most wonderful mare in the world came into my life, I thought maybe… just maybe I finally had that… but now… it can never be…" he turned his head away in sadness.
The ponies looked at each other before Rarity stepped fore, "Well I don't believe that in the slightest! You can still win her back!"
He looked back feeling stun.
The unicorn stated, "You just need the right method to accomplish it!"
"But… but how?"
Rarity just smirked.
It was nighttime and Discord was back to himself as they faced Fluttershy's bedroom door. He looked back to the group with a nervous look on his face, asking, "Are… are you sure this will work?"
Rarity answered, "It will. Fluttershy showed me her songbook before and this song is just perfect for this situation."
"It's just… I'm not a good singer, heck, I can't even carry a tune! It'll never hold up to her angelic voice."
The unicorn told him, "All that matters is that you try, darling, Fluttershy won't care if you're singing it wrong. Just that you show you care for her is all that matters."
He gulped, "You better be right." he looked to the door and took a breath, "Here goes nothing…" he started to warm up making the group behind him cringe.
Rainbow eyed Rarity, thinking, Are you sure this was a good idea?
Rarity said with her eyes, Just trust me…
Discord muttered, "This is it…" he started to sing, "We all lead such elaborate lives… Wild ambitions in our sights… How an affair of the heart survives… Days apart and hurried nights… Seems quite unbelievable to me… I don't want to live like that… Seems quite unbelievable to me… I don't want to love like that… I just want our time to be… Slower, and gentler, wiser, free… We all live in extravagant times… Playing games we can't all win… Unintended emotional crimes… Take some out, take others in… I'm so tired of all we're going through… I don't want to live like that… I'm so tired of all we're going through… I don't want to love like that… I just want to be with you… Now and forever, peaceful, true… This may not be the moment to tell you face to face but I could wait forever for the perfect time and place…"
Suddenly the door opened and there stood Fluttershy. The two stared at each other for the longest time as the others waited in anticipation of what she was going to do until she hummed the song making a smile spread across his lips and together the two sang.
"We all lead such elaborate lives! We don't know whose words are true… Strangers… Lovers… Husbands, wives… Hard to know who's loving who…"
She flapped up and sung, "Too many choices tear us apart… I don't want to live like that…"
He sang, "Too many choices tear us apart… I don't want to love like that… I just want to touch your heart… May this confession…"
He held her hooves as they sang together, "Be the start…"
He softly said, "I do mean it, you know… Every word."
"I believe you… I'm sorry about what I said, I was just so afraid to lose what I was feeling to you… I should I have realized the things you've done weren't easy to make, what you've done for me, Rainbow Dash, Big Mac… You even apologized to my parents!"
The group behind them gawked at that revelation.
Discord sighed, "I wanted your happiness, Fluttershy, for if you were happy, I was happy."
Suddenly out of nowhere, Fluttershy kissed his cheek!
He put his paw to the touch while being stunned.
Everyone else was smiling at the sight.
After awhile everything was finally out in the open. With Discord saying, "So… can we agree to have no more secrets between us?"
Fluttershy gave a single nod, "Yes…" she exchanged glances with the girls then asked in concern, "Will they be punished? For keeping such a huge secret from you in the first place?"
Discord sighed, "As much as I should… No, I won't. Because as of this moment I hereby lift the love ban."
The ponies rejoiced to this.
Fluttershy wrapped her arms around him in joy. He hugged her back before turning to Fancy, "Now Fancy, I believe there was something you wanted to do with Miss Rarity when you got back."
The noble smiled, "It's already done, my lord, I proposed just last night."
Rarity smiled as well as she took her fiancé's hoof, "And I accepted."
Fluttershy exclaimed, "Oh Rarity, congratulations! Both of you!"
Discord commented, "Indeed, now we need to prepare for a wedding. With me presiding of course." he started to order, "Twilight make sure-" then he realized that his vizier wasn't present, "Wait-a-minute, where is Sparkle?"
The others realized this too with Applejack saying, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her all day."
Dash said, "Yeah, me neither."
Rarity added, "It is rather strange, she's usually so good about doing her duties."
Pinkie began to fret, "Oh no, what if we hurt her feelings from last night and she ran away! And she'll never come back!" she let out waterfall tears.
Rarity and Fluttershy quickly comforted her.
"Darling, I'm sure that's not true!"
Rainbow pointed, "Yeah, she has to be around here somewhere!"
Applejack said, "We'll find her even if we have to search this entire castle from top to bottom."
Suddenly there came a rustling from the hall closet making Discord say, "Somehow I don't think you have to…" with the snap of his tail fingers, the closet door sprung open with an orange pegasus stallion and a purple unicorn mare falling out in each other's embrace.
They saw the crowd before them having huge blushes on their faces.
Applejack voiced, "What in the hay?"
Discord said, "'What in the hay' indeed."
Twilight and Flash stammered over each other trying to give a good explanation.
Discord held up his paw, "Save it you two. Just consider yourselves lucky I lifted the ban before I found out about this."
The couple gawked at that.
Rarity mentioned, "I thought you two were on a professional relationship."
The other servants and Fancy agreed.
Twilight expressed, "We were, but recent events forced me to rethink about my life," she told the girls, "I never meant to hurt any of you, you're the bestest friends I could ever have… That I'm scared I had ruined what we had… I'm so sorry… I understand if you wish to never speak to me again…" she hung her head.
The mares were touched by Twilight's speech that they slowly went to her and got into a group hug, catching her off-guard.
"We forgive ya, sugar cube…"
"We can't stay mad at you forever…" said RD.
Pinkie stated, "Never ever!"
Rarity added, "What's done been done, let's just move on."
Fluttershy nodded, "Besides, everything's okay now, Discord and I are back together so no harm has been done."
Twilight disagreed, "Well there was still some harm…" she faced Applejack who knew what she was thinking of.
AJ replied, "Go to him."
Twilight separated from the group and went on.
Flash told the girls with a smile, "I knew you would forgive her."
Rarity gestured, "As for you mister, I want you to spare every detail you have on when you and Twilight got together finally." she batted her eyelashes.
Flash blushed in embarrassment wishing he was anywhere but here now.
While the others tried to get information out of the guard, Fluttershy went to Discord asking, "Do you need help with planning the wedding?"
The draconequus was surprised at first before saying, "Well with Twilight currently distracted with… other matters… I don't see why not. In fact, I think I would enjoy your company more when it comes to planning an event such as this."
Fluttershy smiled making her say, "I was thinking… I need to know what it's like to rule by a king's side… So could you maybe give me lessons on what a good queen should do?"
Discord's jaw nearly dropped at the suggestion and his heart raced faster as hope grew more and more that she would finally admit her love for him.
He replied, "I… I would be honored, my darling."
Rarity was dressed in an elegant and silk white gown of her own design with a veil atop her head as she walked down the aisle to get to the other side of the throne room where the king and Fancy were waiting. Her friends watched on with smiles on their faces as she passed them by. When she reached the end, she and Fancy exchanged a loving glance before turning to the king.
"Dearly beloved, we gather to join this mare and this noble in marriage. Rarity, do you take this genteel to be your lawful wedded husband for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"
She exclaimed, "I do!"
"And do you take Rarity to be your wedded wife for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"
A voice said, "I do."
Rarity was confused that wasn't Fancy's voice in fact it sounded like… she slowly turned her head to see…
"Capper?!"
Indeed it was the cat standing next to her wearing a white fancy suit to match her dress. He was even more gorgeous then he ever was before if that was possible!
Rarity was shocked beyond belief as she sputtered, "But… but I thought…"
Discord clapped his hands together and a flying Persian carpet appeared to them and in one swift motion the carpet scooped them up and carried them up in the air. The king called out, "Have fun on the honeymoon, you two!"
Rarity was still stunned by all this but when Capper touched her hoof, she looked straight into his green eyes and suddenly felt calm.
He asked with a gentle smile, "Do you trust me?"
For a short while she said nothing before smiling herself and uttered softly, "Yes…" then they leaned in for a kiss.
Rarity woke up with a gasp and panted for a bit as she slowly calmed down. She said, "It… it was only dream…" sounding conflicted not sure whether or not to be disturbed of marrying another instead of her intended or disappointed that the dream ended too quickly for her.
She held her hooves to her eyes, "Oh I'm so confused… What should I do…?" with a sigh she dropped her hooves to say, "There's only one thing I can do…" she looked ahead with a look of determination, "I have to face this head-on…" and she threw the covers off herself to leave the room.