During the night as I sleep soundly, I can hear a faint weeping sound, and I immediately open my eyes to see where it’s coming from. I look around at the others to see they are still sleeping, including Sweetie Belle, but as I turn to my other side, I don’t see Connor. I feel my heart break as I listen to the weeping, and I realize that it’s his.
Being careful not to wake Sweetie Belle, I very carefully stand up, and I try to hear exactly where he is. I quietly trot to the door, my hooves lightly touching the wooden floor of the library, and I slowly open it with my magic. I feel tears sting my eyes as I see the little colt sitting with him hugging his legs to his chest, looking up at the moon of Princess Luna.
I let out a soft sigh and carefully trot outside, closing the door silently behind me. “Connor darling, is everything okay?” I speak as soft as I can so not to scare the poor dear. I trot close to him and sit down on my haunches.
“Oh…yes Ms. Rarity…I…I’m okay. I’m sorry if I woke you. Please don’t be mad at me,” he speaks with a scared tone, looking up at me with tears flowing freely down his cheeks.
Aw… you poor, poor dear. I carefully reach a hoof over to him, and rub along his back soothingly. “Shh… it’s okay darling, you didn’t wake me up. I usually like to come outside during the night to gaze at beauty of Princess Luna’s moon.” I continue to rub at his back as I look down at him.
Oh, that is the right thing to do Rarity, lie to the kid. I didn’t lie. I really do enjoy looking at Luna’s moon at night.
I shake away my thoughts as I turn back to look up at the sky. “Ms. Rarity, can I ask you something… if it’s okay?” Connor asks and I look down at him, giving him a soft nod.
“Of course precious, what is it?” I reach up and stroke at his mane, looking down at him with curiosity mixed with concern. I watch him as he starts to shudder, turning his head to the side from my eyes, and he starts to whimper.
“Ms. Rarity… do you think I… I’m ugly?” His little lips quiver, looking up at me with his eyes flooded with tears, and shuddering with sobs.
Without hesitation, I immediately pull him into a hug, pressing him gently to the warmth of my chest. I lay my head carefully over his, with my chin on top, and allow him to release his tears into my chest fur. I rub my foreleg up and down his back soothing, trying to calm his shuddering.
You know Rarity, his tears are going to ruin your beautiful coat that you have worked so hard on to make pristine and delicate. Oh would you please hush! I don’t care about the condition of my fur. I can always get it cleaned. Right now this child needs to be comforted.
After a couple more minutes of hugging Connor close to me, I feel him calm down some, and I lift my head, looking down at him. I reach up and stroke at his mane “Sweetheart, of course I don’t think you are ugly. You are a handsome, sweet, and very well-mannered young boy Connor.” I give him a reassuring smile, but give him a soft, stern look. “Why would you ask such a question like that?”
He looks up at me, sniffling as his lips quiver. “Sir always called me ugly, and said that is why my mommy and daddy didn’t want me.” He lowers his head, shuddering with sobs once again, and I can see his tears fall from his face, and strike the ground.
I place a hoof gently under his chin, lifting his head up so I can look down into his eyes, and I let out a soft sigh. I reach up with my other hoof to wipe away his tears. Well, he is speaking a little. Yet I don’t want to push him to continue. I will just let him tell me a little bit at a time. I pull him to me again, gently wrapping both of my forelegs around his small form.
I hold him close to me, allowing him to release that pain, and sorrow through his tears. I hold one foreleg gently around his shoulders, rubbing along his back with the other, and I lay my cheek on the top of his head. I allow a single tear to roll down my cheek, and I give him a tender kiss on the top of his head.
I finally release him from my embrace and look down at him, stroking at his mane. “Listen to me Connor. Don’t ever feel that you are ugly, on the outside, or especially on the inside. True ugliness exists in those hurtful things that ruffian said to you.” I wipe away the last remainder of his tears with a hoof, giving him a warm smile.
Rubbing at his back soothingly some more, I see him give me a light smile. “Also Connor, I want to let you know how truly sorry I am about your mother and father leaving you alone like that. However, I don’t want you to ever feel that it is your fault that they done that to you. Do you understand me darling?”
He sniffles, giving me a light nod “Yes Ma’am,” he speaks with a hushed tone.
I pat his back softly, and give him a warm smile. “Good. Now let’s go get some more rest until morning, okay?” He gives me a nod, and I give him a gentle kiss on the forehead as I open the door with my magic. I allow him to go in first, and then I turn to look up at Princess Luna’s moon.
Oh I sure do hope that Celestia will know what to do. For now though, I cannot, and shall not abandon this precious little child.