Discord struggled in Fluttershy's grasp. She was a small mare but had a strong grip. While he could really teleport away from her at any time, he secretly liked being her hostage. Her hostility towards him was extremely attractive, and he could not deny that she was pretty.
He did not tell Fluttershy any of this, for that would spoil the fun of catching her off guard with his flirting. Besides, he did not think it a serious attraction. He was not a creature to be tied down by something as petty as love. Still, there was no harm in a little teasing every now and then.
She finally released her hold of him. Discord caressed his sore ear.
"Must you pull so hard?" he snapped.
Fluttershy sighed. "What am I going to do with you, Discord?"
He shrugged. "We're both single. You could always marry me."
"This is no joking matter, Discord! What if it was some pony else who had caught you, like Cranky? Would he have treated the matter so lightly?"
He gulped. "If that's what you call 'lightly,' I think I'd pass, but I hope you realize if it was Cranky who caught me, I would have just turned him into an orange."
Fluttershy crossed her forelegs. "And if my lady questions his whereabouts?"
"We'll say he went on vacation, or quit. Ooh, I like that second idea better!"
"Why, Discord? Why must it always be chaos with you?"
"Uh, hello?" He knocked himself on the head. "Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, remember?"
She groaned. "You know? Sometimes I wonder why your niece even bothered saving you!"
His face fell with genuine disappointment. "You don't really mean that, do you?"
Fluttershy immediately felt guilty at her outburst. She had not meant to hurt him, nor did she truly hate him. She was just fed up with all the chaos he had been creating.
"Discord, I...I..."
She trailed off as she heard some pony clear his throat. The couple turned to see a group of ponies standing at the gate. The pony that had made himself known was a young colt with orange fur and a blond mane. Beside him stood a red-headed filly and behind them were four other stallions.
Fluttershy darted her eyes at Discord. "We'll finish this later."
She flew over to the group of visitors.
"Is this the house of the Lady Rarity?" the young colt asked in a shrill voice.
"It is," Fluttershy replied bluntly. "What business do you have here?"
The colt took an envelope from his coat pocket. "I have a message for the Lady Rarity."
"Oh? From whom?"
"That information I am to give only to the Lady Rarity herself."
Fluttershy figured this colt was another page of the Duke Spike's and knew her lady would not allow him to be admitted.
"I'm afraid my lady is not seeing any pony today, on account of her brother's death."
"Yes," the colt nodded. "My sincerest condolences, but despite this tragedy, I must speak with the lady. My orders..."
"Tell your master that your orders cannot be fulfilled and that he should pay court elsewhere!"
A small voice spoke: "Could you please let us in?"
Fluttershy looked down at the filly. Her lip was curled in a pout and her amber eyes were wide and teary. The pegasus felt her heart swell at the sweet filly's expression.
"Oh," she uttered. "Well, I suppose..."
"Fluttershy!"
The pagecolt and filly yelped as Discord appeared at Fluttershy's side.
"How many times have I told you, my dear? You've got to be more assertive with these kinds of ponies!"
He then took the time to notice the visitors. The filly was hiding behind the young colt's leg, shaking with fear. He smiled brightly.
"Well, hello there, little one!" he exclaimed, stooping down to the foal's level. "And what's your name?"
The filly was too stunned to speak.
"Who are you?" the colt managed to ask.
"Oh, so sorry!" Discord said. "How rude of me!" He bowed politely. "I am Discord, Lord of Chaos!"
"He's my lady's uncle," Fluttershy quickly explained.
The pagecolt's eyes widened. "You're related to the Lady Rarity?!"
"Well," Discord cringed, "sort of. See, I'm really a thousand or so years old, so technically I'm her great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great uncle...twice removed."
The colt blinked. "Uh-huh."
The draconequus knelt down to the filly again. "Would you like some candy, little one?"
The filly poked out her head cautiously. "What kind of candy?"
He snapped his fingers and a cone holding a fluffy pink substance appeared in the filly's yellow hoof. She gazed at it in amazement.
"Neat, huh?" Discord said. "I call it 'cotton candy,' an invention of my own. Try it!"
The filly looked to the colt who nodded with permission. She carefully took a bite of the treat and chewed. She moaned in delight chomping down again.
"This is delicious!" she said with her mouth full.
The colt smiled before turning to the pegasus. "Now, about your lady..."
"She is not seeing any pony today," Fluttershy repeated. "So I suggest you be on your way or..."
"What?" Discord gasped. "But we were just getting started!"
He reached his claw through the bars and behind the filly's ear. "What's this?"
The filly gasped as he pulled out a beautiful china pony doll and placed it in her hooves.
"That's incredible!" she exclaimed.
"Oh," Discord smirked. "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
"Discord!" Fluttershy whispered harshly. "These ponies have to leave, or we'll have to tell your niece about this!"
"You tell her! I'm just getting warmed up here!"
He snapped her away before she could protest.
"Discord!" Fluttershy shouted.
She paused when she realized she had been transported to the study. Rarity and Pinkie turned to her in surprise.
"Fluttershy?" the unicorn said. "How did...?"
The pegasus shook her head furiously. "Never mind that. Madam, there's a stallion at the gate who wishes to speak with you."
Rarity groaned. "Sent by the Duke Spike, no doubt."
"He did not say, milady. He's a fair young colt, I will tell you. He has four other stallions attending him, as well as a young filly about Sweetie Belle's age."
"A filly?" She sighed. "What will they think of next? He sends a child to woo me! Who's watching them at the gate?"
Fluttershy hesitated. "Your uncle, madam...Discord."
The unicorn gasped. "Get him away from there! The last thing we need is a lawsuit!"
"Right away, milady."
Fluttershy flew hastily out of the room.
"Cranky!" Rarity called.
The donkey was at her side in an instant. "What do you wish of me, my lady?"
"Tell that colt at the gate that I am sick or not at home. Anything to send him off!"
"Yes, my lady."
Once Cranky was gone, Pinkie spoke: "I get that you're putting on this charade to ward off unwanted suitors and stuff, but what I don't get is why you won't give the Duke a chance. He's rich, he's powerful, he's kind of cute for a dragon..."
"He's not my type," Rarity replied bluntly. "Besides, I have no interest in marriage. After all, I have to deal with my foolish uncle and see that my sister is taken care of."
She sighed and sunk into the couch. "The Duke and I don't really have anything in common. If ever I marry, it would be to a colt with whom I can relate. He wouldn't give any empty promises, but show his love."
"Of course he's got to have a sense of humor," Pinkie added.
"Yes." She smiled softly as she thought of her dream stallion. "He would be good to my sister and be willing to put up with my uncle. He would respect my opinions and desires. He would..."
"Rarity and some pony sitting in a tree..." Pinkie chanted under her breath.
The unicorn heard her and scoffed. "Oh, you!"
She tossed a cushion at her. Pinkie caught it with a laugh.
"A stallion like that is hard to find, my lady! If stallions like that were a dime a dozen, I would have gotten married years ago!"
"Still," Rarity shrugged. "I can dream, can't I?"
"Is this your card?" Discord asked as he held up a three of clubs.
Applebloom shook here head. "No, it was..."
"Seven of hearts, I know."
The filly blinked. "Yeah. But why didn't you pick that out of the deck?"
"That's because it's not in the deck anymore!" He gestured to her head. "You're now wearing it as a bow."
Discord summoned a mirror and Applebloom gasped at the sight of her hair bow. It was now white, decorated with hearts and the number seven.
"Amazing!" she uttered.
"Indeed," Applejack agreed. "Yes, this is all amazing, but I really must see your niece."
Discord made his cards disappear and returned Applebloom's ribbon to normal. "Wouldn't you rather see me pull myself out of a hat?"
"Yeah!" Applebloom said excitedly.
"No!" her sister exclaimed. "I'm sure it's incredible and all, but we don't have time for this nonsense!"
The draconequus glared at the pagecolt. "Nonsense?! I'll show you nonsense!"
He raised his claw to strike, only for it to be slapped by a yellow hoof.
"That's enough, Discord!" Fluttershy demanded.
"You two may go now," Cranky Doodle said as he shoved past them. "I can take it from here."
"But this colt insulted me!" Discord shouted, pointing accusingly at Applejack.
"Discord," Fluttershy warned. "Don't make me use the Stare on you!"
"Oh, please! You know that doesn't work on me!"
"Then at least control yourself!"
"Don't tell me what to do, mare!"
Applejack and Applebloom watched as the couple argued, their heads moving from side to side as if they were watching a tennis match.
"I'm glad we didn't come here first," Applebloom whispered. "This place is a madhouse!"
"Count to ten!" Fluttershy commanded.
"I will not..." Discord protested.
"NOW!"
Her voice came as an explosion, causing every pony present to flinch. Discord grunted angrily.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!" he said rapidly. "HAPPY?!"
"Keep counting," Fluttershy said as she led him away, "until you've calmed down."
"Eleven," Discord groaned, "twelve, thirteen..."
Once the pair was out of sight, Applejack shook her head and spoke to the donkey.
"As I was sayin', sir..."
"My lady has fallen ill," Cranky Doodle said gruffly. "So I suggest you be on your way."
Applejack raised her eyebrow cynically. She knew Lady Rarity was not really sick. She herself had used the same excuse numerous times to turn away suitors.
"And I wish her well," the pagecolt replied. "Nevertheless, I must speak with her."
Cranky scowled. "She is asleep."
"I'm sure she is, and I still desire to speak with her."
The donkey scoffed in disbelief. "Have you no decency that you cannot afford to come back when my lady is in better spirits?! She is not seeing any pony today! So take your little pest and go!"
Applebloom gasped at this insult. Applejack stomped her hoof in frustration. She reached through the bars of the gate and shocked the donkey as she grabbed him by the shirt.
"Listen, you!" she shouted in his face. "I will not tolerate such rudeness, especially towards my sister! Now you go in there and tell yerr lady that we will not leave this spot until we're let in to see her! Ya got that?!"
The donkey gulped and nodded dumbly.
"What's to be said to him, milady?" Cranky asked his mistress after relaying his encounter with the pagecolt. "Nothing I say drives him away! Did I mention he threatened me?!"
"Oh, he sounds so vulgar!" Rarity exclaimed, but then paused to ponder. "But admirably persistent."
"I'll bet he's cute too," Pinkie snickered.
Indeed, the unicorn found herself to be curious of this colt, though she was not sure why.
"What kind of stallion is he?" she inquired her servant.
"Why," the donkey replied, "of stallion-kind."
Rarity rolled her eyes. "What manner of stallion?"
Cranky grunted. "Very ill-mannered, I'll tell you."
"How old is he?"
He tapped his chin. "I can't really tell. Not really old enough for a stallion nor young enough for a colt. I'll bet he's not even eighteen yet."
"Is he handsome?"
"Well, I...I suppose his face is...youthful. Why, madam?"
"What of the filly?" she asked, ignoring his question. "Why is she with this colt?"
"He said it's his sister. He was rather protective over her."
"A stallion who cares for family," Rarity whispered.
The more she heard about this pagecolt, the more intrigued she became. Strange, she had never felt this way towards any other messengers who paid court for their masters. Perhaps it was his tenacity, or his defense for his sister. What did he look like? What did he speak like?
"Should I have the guards send them off, milady?" Cranky Doodle asked.
"No," Rarity commanded softly. "Let them come, but only the colt and the filly. Have them meet me in the parlor, and call Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle and tell them to wear their veils."
"But madam, I thought you didn't want..."
"That's an order, Cranky."
The donkey bowed. "As you wish, my lady."
As Cranky left the room, Rarity reached into her coin purse and handed a few bits to the fool.
"Here's for the entertainment and comfort you have given me."
Pinkie shook her head. "You've been through a lot. Today's show was free!"
The unicorn smiled. "Nevertheless, you need to eat."
The earth pony took a moment to ponder. "Point taken."
She held out her hat and let Rarity drop the coins in.
"Thanks a heap!" Pinkie chimed as she put her hat back on. "See ya tomorrow!"
The jester exited the room with a skip in her step and a song in her heart:
"Cuz I love to see you smile, smile, smile!
Yes I do!
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while..."
Rarity giggled as the pink pony's song faded away. Fluttershy poked her veiled head in the doorway.
"Is everything alright, my lady?"
The unicorn then remembered what she was supposed to do and led her hoofmaid into the hall.
"Come, Fluttershy. We will hear what this messenger has to say."
When Applejack and Applebloom entered the parlor, they were met with three veiled figures. Two of them were obviously mares, the third much smaller, presumably a filly.
"Leave us, Cranky," the mare in the middle ordered the donkey.
The servant bowed and shot a glare at Applejack before turning on his hoof and exiting the room. Applejack looked back at the ladies and cleared her throat.
"Which one of you is the Lady Rarity?"
The mare in the middle stepped forth. "Speak to me. I shall answer for her. What is it you want, sir?"
Applejack squinted, hoping to get a glimpse of the mare. She could tell just by her posh, smooth voice that this lady was well-mannered and refined.
"If it please ya, ma'am, I have a message."
"Read it."
Applejack reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the folded piece of paper.
"Most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty..."
As she read, her heart swelled at the Duke's passionate yet cheesy words. She trailed off, for this letter was too private to be heard by any pony other than the intended. She was not even sure if the lady was among them. Thus, she put down the letter and spoke directly to the mare.
"Tell me truly if you're the Lady Rarity, for I've never seen her. I'd hate to waste my speech on some pony who wasn't meant to hear it. Really, I've been practicin'!"
She heard a giggle come from the veiled filly. Though Applejack could not see the face of the mare in the middle, she could only imagine her eyebrow raising.
"What are you?" she asked. "Some sort of comedian?"
"Oh, no!" Applejack insisted, but then cringed. "Although...I promise ya I'm not what I play..."
A nudge from Applebloom helped her regain her composure. "Are ya the Lady Rarity?"
The mare paused. "Say that I was. What business do you have with me?"
"I come from the Duke Spike, madam."
"And I suppose what you have to say is nothing I haven't heard before. I heard you were saucy towards my servants."
"Beg yerr pardon, ma'am, but yerr servants weren't all sugary sweet either."
"This message must be very important for you to be so relentless. Well, since you came all this way, why don't you read it and be off?"
"With all do respect, milady, this message concerns you alone."
She glanced at the other veiled mare, figuring it was the maid she had spoken with earlier.
Rarity gazed at the young stallion through her veil. His face was indeed handsome, though a little on the feminine side. His straw-colored mane went well with his orange coat. His green eyes flared with spirit as he presented his case. The unicorn then turned her attention to the filly.
"Why did you bring your sister then?" she inquired.
"She insisted on coming," Applejack fibbed, tucking Applebloom beneath her foreleg.
"Very well." She turned to her hoofmaid. "Give us privacy." She then looked to her sister. "Sweetie Belle, keep the filly company while her brother and I speak."
"Really?!" the unicorn filly squealed, flinging off her veil. "Can I play with her?!"
Rarity suppressed a chuckle. "Yes."
"Yay!"
She raced to Applebloom and grabbed her hoof.
"Do you wanna catch frogs?"
"Are ya kiddin'?" the earth filly grinned excitedly. "I'm the frog-catchin' champ!"
"We'll see about that!"
The children laughed as they ran out together. Both Applejack and Rarity smiled at the fact that her sister got a playmate. Once Fluttershy had closed the door, the two were left alone. When Applejack faced the lady again, she found that her back was to her as she gazed out the window.
The disguised mare cleared her throat as she brought out the letter again.
"Most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty, I write to thee so that thou may knowest my heart..."
"Very pretty."
Applejack looked up at the lady's sudden interruption. For a moment, she felt enraged. How dare the mare interrupt the letter that the Duke had poured his heart and soul into? And so coldly at that?
"You didn't let me finish," Applejack said as she attempted to hold back her anger.
"Let me guess," Rarity sighed. "My eyes shine like sapphires, my coat is as white as snow and my hair is as lovely as lilacs."
The pagecolt paused. "Actually, it was violets, but..."
"Have you nothing more to say?" the unicorn snapped.
Her tone was cold, but her voice was etched with sorrow. Applejack wondered what this mare looked like. Was she truly as beautiful as described by the Duke? She must be, otherwise what was the point of her being here?
"Dear lady," she said cautiously, "may I see your face?"
Rarity turned and faced her abruptly. "Did your master command that you talk to my face?"
"Well, uh..."
"Very well. You might as well see what you are wasting your time with."
Applejack was genuinely stunned at the lady's response. Surely she expected her to refuse her request or at least be less eager.
Slowly, the lady lifted her veil and Applejack saw the face of the Duke's beloved.
Her fur was a pure white. Her silky violet mane was delicately curled outward. Her eyelashes fell gently over her gleaming blue eyes which were indeed the color of sapphires.
Applejack felt a sharp pain in her chest. The mare was beautiful. No, she was gorgeous! She was perfectly poised as she stood tall and straight, her chin pointing upward, showing off the perfect shape of her neck.
It was no wonder the Duke loved her. Any male would be a fool not to fall in love with her at first sight. She imagined that if she were a real stallion, she would be in love with her too, but as she was a mare, that was not the case. Instead of love, she felt jealousy.
She could not help it. The lady was the loveliest mare she had ever seen, much lovelier than her. She was so refined and well-formed, more than she would ever be.
Rarity watched the colt's reaction. His green eyes were wide with...what? Shock? Awe? Admiration? He was silent for a long while. She expected this, for this was how most stallions reacted upon first glance of her.
She became weary of the pagecolt's expression and decided to break the ice.
"Is it not well done?" she asked.
Applejack shook out of her trance and nodded.
"Excellently done," she replied in a choked voice. "It...it's a pity you are not married, madam."
"I think not. You see, good youth, many are happy to know I am single. If I marry, many hearts will be broken."
Applejack sighed. "You're too proud, milady. Nevertheless, my master," she gulped, "loves you."
"So I've been told," Rarity grumbled. "How does he love me?"
"He loves you with a burnin' passion," the disguised mare said, paraphrasing the Duke's letter, "with flames that scorch his fireproof skin..." She felt her heart grow heavier as she said these words. "He pines for ya, he suffers for ya... Do ya remember those gems he sent you a while back? He was savin' those for breakfast. He'd run through fire for ya...well, his skin is fireproof, so it wouldn't hurt him, but still! He'd do anything for ya! He loves ya more than life itself! He..."
"Enough!"
Applejack jumped back as the unicorn screamed at him.
"Enough, I say!" She turned away, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't want to hear any more of this! I've told your master time and time again that I cannot love him!"
"How can you not?" Applejack gasped. "He's good, he's kind, he's passionate..." She blushed deeply. "He's handsome..."
"Yes, yes, YES, I KNOW!" She spun around furiously. "But I cannot love him! I suppose he is...noble and just and virtuous, but I cannot love him!" She buried her face in her hooves. "I wish he would understand that!"
Applejack was the one who did not understand. What was there not to love about the Duke? True, she thought his constant wallowing pathetic, but what else was to be expected from someone suffering from unrequited love? She knew she could not force the lady to love him, but she was her master's only chance for happiness and could not afford to lose her.
"If I may speak freely, milady," Applejack said in a dangerously low voice, "I...I think you are the cruelest pony I've ever met!"
Rarity looked up at the colt in shock. "What?"
"You heard me! This boy loves you! He worships the ground you walk on! Why, if I was ever so lucky to have such love, I would...I would..."
"What would you do?" the unicorn asked softly.
"I certainly wouldn't cast him...I mean her aside! I would be his...hers! I would be her servant, her slave, her best friend! I would be loyal to her! I would be honest with her, share everything with him...her! I would never be false! Even if this pony did not return my feelings, I would still remain loyal! But I would not fight for him...her! I would be what she wants me to be! I would do whatever I can to make her happy, even if it meant ruinin' my own happiness! I will love this pony with all my heart and never take 'em for granted! Even if he...she shuts me out, denies me, shuns me, I...I will always remain true."
Rarity had listened to the colt's passionate declaration and watched the emotion dance in his eyes and face. She could tell he meant every word and found her heart racing along with his fire. When he fell silent, she realized she had been holding her breath and slowly released the air from her lungs in a sigh of awe.
Applejack herself was stunned at her speech. Where had these feelings come from? She had never been a romantic and thus these thoughts had never occurred to her. So what caused them to slip out?
As she mentally reviewed her words, she slowly realized that she had been talking about someone in particular, someone she had fallen for but had not known it.
It was the Duke Spike.
She then remembered the Lady Rarity was standing there and was reminded of the true object of her master's affection. Even if she was not in disguise, how could she compete with a fine beauty like that?
She cleared her throat. "I apologize, milady, if I..."
"Don't," Rarity uttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Silence fell between them again. Applejack rubbed her foreleg awkwardly as the unicorn stared intensely at her.
"Who are your parents?" she asked suddenly.
The disguised mare was surprised at this question and panicked at the answer.
"I...I'm an orphan."
Rarity blinked. "I'm sorry. Who were they, then?"
Applejack bit her lip. "I was born above my current state, but I'm content. I'm a gentlecolt, nonetheless."
The unicorn paused and turned away. "Tell your master my answer is the same."
The earth pony sighed sadly. "I wish I could change yerr mind..."
"I cannot love him. Tell me no more of his affections."
Applejack bowed courteously and turned to leave. What the unicorn said next caused her to stop abruptly in her tracks.
"That doesn't mean you can't come to me again!"
Rarity blushed at how desperate that had sounded.
"To, um...tell me how he takes it."
Applejack turned her head to raise her eyebrow at her. It was a strange request, but it also meant she had another chance to win her for her master. Whether the disguised mare had affections for him or not, the Duke deserved happiness with the one he loved.
"If that is what you wish, madam," she replied with a nod.
She tried to leave again when the unicorn shouted, "Wait!"
Rarity spun around and walked towards the pagecolt. She reached into her pouch and placed three coins in Applejack's hoof.
"Here's for your pains," she whispered.
Applejack looked at the money. She needed to buy her and her sister's way out of Illyrimane and every extra bit counted, but she could not take it. Her task was not fulfilled and thus, did not deserve a reward. She handed it back to the lady.
"Keep yerr money, madam. I feel I've caused ya enough trouble. After all, I did come to ya while you were in mournin'. My sincerest condolences, by the way."
Rarity felt both touched and guilty at the colt's gesture. "Thank you."
Applejack bowed. "Farewell, my lady."
The unicorn watched the pagecolt's back until he had disappeared entirely. She took the opportunity to breathe again.
"Goodness," she gasped.
Her face was flushing with emotion, her blood boiling with desire, her heart pounding with passion. Everything about the young stallion ignited the flame within her: his shrill, but strong, country voice; his handsome face, his fiery eyes...
She plopped down on the daybed and smiled up at the ceiling. She wanted to do nothing but lay there and smile all day!
"'Who are your parents,' I ask," she chuckled. "'I'm a gentlecolt,' he says!" She squealed. "I'll take your word for it!"
It seemed so indiscreet. She had just met the boy and already she was acting like a giggling schoolfilly! A lady should not be acting this way, especially for one below her station!
"Oh, it doesn't matter!" she cried, grabbing a cushion and squeezing it to her chest.
Was this what being in love was like? Feeling so wonderful that nothing else in the world mattered? And could one fall in love so quickly?
Her excitement faded away as realization washed over her. She pounded the couch in frustration.
"Oh, what a stupid mare I am! I didn't even learn his name!"