A Knot Too Hard to Untie
As Spike woke, it took him a long while to notice Applejack sleeping in a chair beside his bed. Had he been there all night? He had not remembered him staying after helping him to bed.
The Duke leaned over and nudged the pagecolt.
"Applejack?" he called softly.
Applejack jumped as she came out of her slumber.
"Huh? Wha...? Oh, my lord. Pardon, I only came to see how you were doin'."
After his suicide attempt, Applejack could not rest without knowing that her master was safe. So she came to his room to find him sleeping, and could not resist staying and watching him in his peaceful state. She must have fallen asleep herself.
"It's all..."
Spike was cut off as he sneezed.
"Oh my," Applejack said. "Looks like ya caught a cold from the rain. I'll get ya some tea."
"Have you been here all night?" Spike finally asked.
"Only half the night, my lord. Don't worry, I'll be right back."
She was about to rise from the chair when he grabbed her shoulder.
"Thank you for being there for me last night," he said with a smile, "and for that, I'm giving you the day off."
"There's no need for that, my lord," Applejack assured him. "I'm much obliged to stay with you for as long as ya need me."
"No, I insist. I mean have you had a break since you came here?"
"I don't mind, my lord."
"Well, I do. Take the day off, go into town, enjoy yourself!"
"I'd rather stay, my lord. After all, you almost..."
She could not say it.
"I'll be fine," Spike assured her, "as long as I know that I have a friend like you who cares for me."
Applejack glanced down as he touched her hoof. Spike followed her gaze and quickly retracted his claw at the memory of last night's dream. That was the real reason he wanted Applejack gone. He needed time to get over the sensations of that dream. Being around Applejack so soon after made him feel awkward.
"Well, okay," Applejack said. "But I still think you need some pony to watch over you. I'll go get yerr sister."
Spike crossed his arms and pouted. "Oh, so now that you know my age, you're going to treat me like a child, huh?"
The disguised mare snickered. "Only if you keep acting like one."
"This doesn't change anything! I'm still your master!"
"In more ways than one," she mumbled.
Applejack took one long, last look at the dragon before she shut his bedroom door. She really did not want to leave him, but she had business to attend to with the Lady Rarity.
Meanwhile, back at Lady Rarity's estate, Fluttershy was ushering Discord, Soarin and Rainbow Dash into the bushes.
"Hurry!" she whispered. "He's coming this way!"
"Where's Pinkie Pie?" Soarin inquired.
"Probably late, as usual," Rainbow groaned.
"Too bad she'll miss this," Discord said with a chuckle. "This is going to be great!"
"Just remember to be quiet!" Fluttershy exclaimed.
"Aren't you going to stay and watch?" Rainbow asked.
"It's best that I don't. If I get caught in this, my lady will surely fire me!"
"She's got a point," Soarin said. "I mean we get in trouble all the time, but Fluttershy here has a reputation to uphold."
"And Cranky will come down on her the hardest," Discord sighed. "Very well, Fluttershy. You don't have to hide with us if you don't want to."
"Shush!" Fluttershy whispered harshly. "I hear him coming!"
The trio laughed as their heads lowered into the bushes. Fluttershy glanced around and dropped an envelope in front of their hiding place and then casually trotted away.
"Move over!" Rainbow whispered. "Your elbow's in my side!"
"Well, your wing is touching my tail!" Soarin replied, gritting his teeth.
"You're such a baby! Ow! And get your wing out of my eye!"
"Only when you let go of my hoof!"
"I'm not touching your hoof!"
"If you're not touching my hoof, then who's...?"
"Hi!"
All three of them shrieked and looked behind them to see Pinkie Pie.
"Stop doing that!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"Sorry I'm late!" Pinkie apologized. "Did I miss anything?"
"He hasn't even come yet," Discord replied. "He should be here any minute. Now keep quiet!"
They all lowered their heads as the donkey came up the walkway. He was mumbling to himself.
"What's he saying?" Pinkie whispered.
"Hush!" Discord pleaded, making his ear bigger so he could hear.
"Why, Rarity," Cranky said in a shocked tone. "This...this is so sudden and...you think it proper? A noblemare and a lowly servant?"
The four eavesdroppers tried their best not to laugh.
"Well, I suppose it's not unheard of. After all, Princess Cadence just married her Captain of the Guard. Oh, but I'm so much older... You don't mind? Well, neither do I."
Cranky paused and looked up at the sky. "Lord Cranky. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
"No," Rainbow snickered.
The donkey did not seem to hear him, so he carried on. "But if we are to be married, we must get rid of that ridiculous uncle of yours."
"What?" Discord gasped.
"Unless he stops his fooling around and inviting those idiotic knights..."
"He's talking about us, isn't he?" Soarin whispered to Rainbow.
"Sirs Soarin and Rainbow Dash."
"I knew it!"
"And most importantly, he should stop...fooling around with the staff."
"What?!" Discord nearly shouted. "I'm going to kill him!"
"Quiet!" Rainbow exclaimed as he and Soarin held the draconequus back. "He'll hear you!"
"But the very idea! I would never..."
"What's this?" Cranky said, kneeling down to pick Fluttershy's letter off the ground.
"Shush!" Pinkie whispered. "He's found the letter!"
"Let's hope he buys it!" Soarin chuckled.
Cranky curiously examined the envelope. He then turned it over to see who it was addressed to.
"To my unknown special some pony..." he read and then let out a gasp. "This is Lady Rarity's writing! These are her P's, her L's, her O's and her T's!"
Discord, Pinkie and Rainbow snickered while Soarin scrunched his nose in confusion.
"P's, L's, O's and T's? Why focus on that?"
"This is her seal!" Cranky exclaimed. "With the picture of a gem! And this is her stationary! Who's this unknown special some pony?"
The donkey hastily opened the letter and read its contents:
"My dearest CDD..." He paused. "CDD! Cranky Doodle Donkey! Those are my initials! This letter is for me! She wrote a letter to me!"
"Okay, we get it!" Rainbow grumbled. "Read the dumb letter already!"
"If thou should happen to stumble upon this, thou must not know who I am. This is exactly what my lady would say! I adore thee with all my heart, that which I entrust to you. 'Tis why I rejected every suitor who came to call, for my affections are bestowed upon thee and only thee. Yet I am afraid, for I am above thee in station, but if thou shalt have me, let it be. Be not afraid of greatness, my love. Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them."
"Ooh," Discord chuckled in delight. "He's caught hook, line and sinker!"
"Though thou art gloomy in appearance. I do wish to see thee smile, and see thee wearing thine charming lime green stockings and wearing a..."
He trailed off and his spies waited in anticipation.
"What?" Pinkie pleaded. "Wearing what? WHAT?!"
Cranky turned around and the others covered Pinkie's mouth. The donkey shrugged and returned to the letter.
"And since I hope that thou wilt be my husband, look down on the other servants and my uncle, for thou art above them all. Do all these things and I shalt know that thou lovest me as I do thee. Forever yours, the Lady of your Heart."
Cranky let out a cry of happiness and clutched the letter to his heart. "She loves me! My lady loves me! Oh, yes! I will do all these things she asks of me! I will smile! I will be cheerful and look down on the riffraff!"
He then paused and the four eavesdroppers watched as his lip quivered. It looked as if he was going to cry, until his lips curled upwards. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened as she was about to witness what she had thought impossible.
Cranky smiled.
What he did afterwards was even more unexpected. He jumped up and kicked his back hooves together. Then he started laughing and danced down the path. As soon as he was out of sight, the four of them released the laughter they had been holding back.
"That...was...awesome!" Rainbow cried.
"Fluttershy not only made a fool out of him," Pinkie exclaimed, "but she got him to smile!"
"Oh, I could marry that mare!" Discord declared.
"So could I!" Soarin cried, raising his hoof.
"Even me!" Pinkie giggled. "Even if it's not legal in this period!"
Rainbow Dash cringed. "Err...I'm fine being single."
"Oh, we have to go find her and praise her for this ingenious prank!" Discord exclaimed.
The entire time, Fluttershy had been sitting on a stone bench with a book open in front of her. She squealed in surprise as Discord suddenly appeared.
"You!" he cried.
Fluttershy blushed as the draconequus knelt down and kissed her hooves.
"You brilliant..." he said between kisses, "devious...exquisite mare, you!"
"So it worked?" Fluttershy inquired.
"Did it work? You sprang the trap and snapped his spine!"
"Yeah!" Soarin shouted as he and the others came up to her. "You should've seen him! He was all...cheerful!"
"And ridiculous!" Rainbow laughed. "He totally thought the letter was from Rarity!"
"And he smiled!" Pinkie shrieked. "I've been trying to get him to smile for years, and he smiled!"
"Now he'll be acting so stupid, Lady Rarity will think he's crazy!"
"That's the idea," Fluttershy said.
"Though what was with the lime green stockings?" Soarin asked.
"Well, Lady Rarity absolute abhors the color lime green, especially with Cranky's shade of brown."
"But what was that other thing you told him to wear?" Pinkie inquired. "He didn't say that part!"
"Oh, I told him to wear a..."
"Excuse me?"
Every pony turned around to see the Duke Spike's pagecolt standing in front of them. Discord crossed his arms.
"Oh, it's you again."
"Is Lady Rarity within?" Applejack asked.
"Uh, who are you?" Soarin inquired.
"I'm Applejack. I'm here on behalf of the Duke Spike..."
"Get lost," Rainbow huffed, flying into the pagecolt's face. "Hasn't any pony told you that Rarity doesn't want anything to do with the Duke?"
"Yeah!" Soarin nodded. "She's marrying me!"
Applejack raised an eyebrow at the knight. "Really?"
"Yeah! Why is that a surprise to you?"
"Look, I must speak with the Lady Rarity. It's very important!"
"Well, she's not seeing any pony today," Fluttershy said.
"On the contrary..."
Every pony turned their heads again. This time, it was the Lady Rarity walking up to them.
"If this young colt requests my audience," she said, holding her head high, "I am obliged to grant it to him."
"But..." Soarin started to say.
"Leave us."
Her commanding tone made them all shrink and they did as they were told. Once they were gone, Rarity turned to smile at the handsome pagecolt.
"Dear Applejack," she said, taking his hoof, "it is a pleasure to see you again."
Applejack glanced down at the white hoof, not liking it there, and pulled hers away. Rarity frowned at this gesture.
"Unless, of course" she said coldly, "you're only here because your master sent you."
"Actually, madam," Applejack said, "my master doesn't know I'm here."
"Oh!" the unicorn cried, her face lighting up. "Well, in that case..."
"But I did come to discuss him. Ya see, last night, he tried to..."
"UGH!"
Applejack jumped back as the lady screamed.
"Him! It's always him! The Duke this, the Duke that! Oh Celestia, why don't you ever come just for me?!"
"Madam, I don't..."
"I saw you holding hooves with the Lady Twilight! What does she have that I don't?! Am I not pretty enough for you?"
Applejack backed away as Rarity stepped toward her.
"My lady, I..."
"Is my hair too curly?!"
"Your hair is fine, but..."
"Do I bore you?!"
"Madam, what has come over you?!"
"Oh, Applejack! Are you really that blind?! Can't you see that it's you I want and not the Duke?! I thought inviting him to the tournament would make you jealous, but I saw you were occupied with other matters!"
"W-wha...?"
Applejack soon found herself pressed against a tree, the unicorn only inches away from her face.
"Oh, I can't hide it anymore, Applejack!" Rarity cried, trapping the pagecolt with her hooves. "By all the gems in the world, by honor, truth and everything, I love you so!"
Applejack felt sick to the stomach as she learned her suspicions had been correct.
"My lady..."
"I know I may seem bold," the unicorn said, taking hold of the pagecolt's shirt, "but don't think it a bad thing! I know you didn't ask for this, but isn't it better to receive love without asking for it?"
"Get your hooves off me, you crazy mare!" Applejack shouted as she angrily shoved the unicorn away.
Rarity only sighed. "Oh, you're even handsome when you're angry!"
"Look! You're a nice mare and all, but you're just not my type!"
"How can I not be your type? I'm every pony's type!"
"Trust me, you're not!"
The unicorn grunted. "It's that confounded purple unicorn, isn't it?! I should've known! Servants fall for their mistresses all the time!"
"Listen! My heart belongs to no mare! No pony, for that matter! It never has and it never will!"
Applejack huffed as she began stomping away. "Good day to ya! I won't come and bother you about my master ever again!"
"Then come just to see me!" Rarity called. "You'll learn to like me! You'll see!"
The disguised mare was so appalled, her march turned into a run. She wanted to get as far away from that insane mare as possible.
Applejack could not believe what she had gotten herself into! Her disguise had worked all too well! She was such a good stallion that she had gotten a mare to fall for her! Not just any mare, but the one her master was in love with! That poor lady. If she were ever to find out the truth, she might as well be in love with a dream!
Before she knew it, Applejack had reached the Duke's estate and she her first instinct was to run for her room. Applebloom was there, mending a dress. She looked up as her sister burst in.
"What's wrong?"
Applejack collapsed beside her sister and gazed up at the bed above her.
"Oh, little sister," she gasped. "I've just weaved a web of chaos with my lies! We should've never come here, Applebloom!"
"What are you talking about?"
"We have to leave, before things get even more out of hoof!"
"What?"
"We have plenty of money now! It might not be enough to get us back to Haystings, but we could get as far as Trottingham!"
"But why, sis?"
"Because...because..."
Applebloom put her needlework to the side and crawled up to her sister. "Come on. Tell me."
Applejack took a deep breath before shouting, "The Lady Rarity's in love with me!"
The filly's eyes widened. "What?! How is that possible? You're a mare! Mares don't fall in love with other mares!"
The older sibling smiled at the younger and patted her head. "Sure they don't, Sugar Cube. But she thinks I'm a stallion! It's the craziest thing ever! Spike is in love with Rarity, but she, greatly mistaken, is in love with me, and I, the stupid mare that I am, would die a thousand deaths for Spike!"
Applebloom gasped. "I knew it! I knew it!"
"But it can't ever happen! Every pony thinks I'm a stallion!"
"Then show them you're not! When Lady Rarity sees you're a mare, she'll leave you alone, and the Duke will fall in love with ya, marry ya and y'all can live happily ever after!"
Applejack grunted and sat up. "It doesn't work like that, Applebloom! If I reveal myself, Spike will fire me! Even if I do tell him how I feel, he won't care, because he loves Rarity. He'll kick us both out and we'll be beggars! Do ya want that, Applebloom?"
"Maybe it won't happen that way. Even if the Duke doesn't love you back, maybe he'll help us get home."
"I can't take that chance, Applebloom," Applejack said, taking her sister's hooves. "I promised Mother I'd take care of ya. I can't do that if we're out on the streets."
"I don't care. The Duke needs to know how you feel. More importantly, he needs to know you're not a..."
She trailed off as her eyes widened.
"What is it, Sugar?" Applejack asked, following her sister's gaze.
She was silent as she caught sight of their mistress standing frozen in the doorway, her shocked expression matching theirs. For a while, all they did was stare at each other, neither of them saying anything or even knowing what to say. What could they say? Twilight had overheard the conversation. Silence was expected. It was Twilight who decided to break it.
"Is it true?" she asked in a choked voice.
Applejack glanced between her sister and her mistress and sighed in defeat. "Yes, my lady."
"You...you were a mare...all this time?"
Applejack nodded.
"Who...who are you then?"
The disguised mare sighed. "My name is Lady Applejacqueline of Haystings. Applebloom has the same title. We were shipwrecked here with not enough money to get us back home." She pulled her sister into an embrace. "I had to provide for my sister, but as you well may know, there aren't many opportunities for mares."
"So you made yourself a stallion," Twilight concluded.
"You know the rest."
The unicorn approached the sisters cautiously. "And...the Lady Rarity's in love with you?"
Applejack smirked. "She thinks she is, anyway."
"And...you're in love with my brother?"
This made her blush. "I...I didn't mean to..."
Twilight giggled. "It's okay. No pony plans for these things to happen."
The two sisters chuckled along with her, glad that the awkwardness between them had dissolved. Twilight sat beside them.
"After all, I didn't expect to find love with Flash."
"Why do you not tell your brother about that?" Applejack could not help but ask.
"Well, it's not because of our stations or anything, but Spike has enough problems to deal with. I can't leave him when he's in this state, especially after he..."
She paused, not wanting to say it.
"Ya see why I have to get him with the Lady Rarity?" Applejack said. "He might try again, and...I can't bear to let that happen!"
"Because you love him," Twilight murmurred.
The poor mare buried her face in her hooves. "Yeah. I'm a monster, ain't I?"
"No. You're just in love." The unicorn took the earth pony's hooves in her own. "And frankly, I don't think Rarity is right for my brother. In fact, I can't think of any pony better suited to marry him than you."
Applejack smiled as tears of hope formed in her eyes. "Really?"
"Yeah. I mean you care for him, and he dotes as much on you, though he doesn't realize it because of your disguise. You're patient with him, you put his welfare above your own, and you saved his life!"
"That's very kind of you to say, Twilight, but...even if I do tell him the truth, what if he doesn't love me back?"
"Why wouldn't he? Even if he doesn't, I'll make sure he's not hard on you. We'll get you home, or even let you stay here if you'd like."
"I appreciate that, Twi, but...if Spike does know the truth, I'd rather he hear it from me."
Twilight nodded. "I understand, but I mean it when I say you'd be the perfect match for him." She giggled. "It's funny. When we were kids, Father wanted the two of us to get married someday, since we weren't really siblings. He wanted to keep Spike in the family."
"Why didn't you?"
The unicorn shrugged. "We weren't compatible. I love Spike more as a brother than a lover, and he loves me as a sister. So I won't leave him until he has found some pony who can take care of him for me."
Applejack blushed as Twilight hinted at her with her raised eyebrows.
"Don't worry," she assured them both. "Your secret is safe with me."
"Thank ya, Twilight," Applejack said, throwing her hooves around her friend.
Big Macintosh stared at his reflection in the mirror. Trixie's failed healing spell had brightened the hue in his coat and mane. His coat was orange and his hair was the color of straw. If he were shorter, he would be a spitting image of Applejacqueline.
The thought of his deceased sister made a tear fall from his eye.
"Again, I'm really sorry," Trixie said, her head appearing in the mirror. "I thought it would've worn off by now." She carefully removed the bandage from his head. "Your wounds have healed anyway."
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh said, feeling the much smaller bump on his head. "Which means I should be off."
Trixie's face fell as the stallion took a sack off the rack and went to pack Trixie's father's old clothes that she had lent to him.
"You're leaving?" she asked, rushing up to him. "So soon?"
"Eeyup," Big Mac replied.
"Can't you stay another night? Just to make sure your head is completely healed?"
"Nope. I have to get back home. I'll have to get some money first though so I can make the voyage."
"Then let me go with you!" Trixie pleaded, laying her hoof on his.
"Nope," Big Mac said, taking his hoof away. "It's best I go alone. I've had so much bad luck, I don't want to get you roped into it."
"Where will you even go? You're a stranger in this country! I can help!"
"Trixie..."
The blue unicorn blushed deeply as he laid his hoof on her shoulder.
"You've done so much for me already. I'd hate to ask you for more."
"I don't care!" Trixie insisted. "I want to go with you! I...I care about you a lot."
Big Macintosh sighed. "Because you have been my friend, you should know that my name is Macintosh of Haystings."
Trixie gasped as she recognized the name. "You're...you're a duke?"
"Eeyup. Big Mac was what my sisters called me. They both drowned in the wreck." He sniffed as tears formed in his eyes. "Applebloom was so young, so sweet. She would've blossomed into a beautiful mare. And Applejacqueline," he shook his head with a grin, "she sure was somethin'. Stubborn, rebellious... And to think, I was going to force her to marry a stallion she didn't love. The last words we said to each other were filled with anger. We...we never had a chance to apologize..."
Trixie looked at the stallion sympathetically and used her magic to lift a handkerchief to his face. Big Mac nodded in thanks and blew into the cloth.
"I'm sorry if I wasn't a better host," Trixie said.
"Nope," Big Mac sniffed. "I'm grateful that you saved my life. You're right. I need to live for my sisters. I need to get back to Haystings and make sure the place isn't in chaos."
"How will you get there? Haystings is all the way across the sea."
"I will go to the Duke Spike's court and ask that he aid me. If not, I'll ask him to employ me."
Big Mac finished gathering his clothes and then turned to embrace his friend. "Thank ya, Trixie. I will never forget ya."
Trixie blinked away the shameful tears that were developing in her eyes. "I won't forget you."
He pulled away and smiled warmly. "Farewell."
She gulped. "Farewell."
Trixie watched in sadness as the stallion walked out the door. Then she collapsed on the bed and allowed the tears to flow. She wanted to follow him, but if she entered Illyrimane, she would be arrested on the spot.
She had grown fond of her patient over the past few weeks. Not only was he handsome, but sweet and gentle, despite his masculine physique. Even though he did not talk much of his past, she had enjoyed their small talk. She had not had company since her exile, and nothing had made her smile before Big Mac.
It had not taken long for her to fall for him.
Yet she knew deep within her heart that as soon as he was better, he would have to leave. He had a home somewhere and, even if his sisters were gone, he must have a family.
He had made it clear he did not want her to follow him, and she would get in trouble if she did.
She wiped away her tears and turned to look at the door.
"Oh, to hell with it!" she exclaimed, standing up. "I don't care if I risk execution, so long as I'm with him!"
Stats
Page generated in 0.054 seconds
Total duration
802 users online
1,196,879 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Ahh confessions, the legendary two way street. It could end in a happy ending or a bitter sorry ending. I dont know how, but you make FlashLight tolerable. This is getting really good.
fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/099/5/b/rainbow_dash_derping_by_moongazeponies-d3dmg7l.png
Haha wat.
If this story wasn't so long, I'd love to read it.
... The heck with it. I'll favorite it and maybe get around to it in the next week or two.
I love that line from the play I also love how Pinkie Pie knows she is in a different time peroid
This. Is. Gold. MOAR!
Ah, Shakespearian love triangles. Got to love them.
And the part with Sir Toby and the others pranking Malvolio was always my favorite part of the play, and you did it so well
Kudos, I look forward to more
Go, Trixie. Go!
4066330 That IS interesting. I didn't even talk about it much!
The scene that's been going through my head ever since the beginning is of Mac walking in to see Spike, sees Applejack standing there dressed as a Stallion instead, and Spike trying to figure what the hay is going on. I wonder how close ill be.
huh, didn't see "hell" coming
4068467 Miss DisneyFanatic, you said there was no TrixeMac!
Wow, people..*ahem*..ponies are falling in love left and right!
6779633
HA! You can type THAT again