Heart of Gold

by CartoonNerd12

Chapter 16

Author's Note:

I couldn't hold on to this any longer, it's been done for awhile now and it's a turning point in the story I've been dying to reveal. I really would love to know your thoughts on this. So please review.

Rarity and Capper had crossed paths near the ballroom as servants were working on a chandelier that was currently set on the floor until they started to pull it up.

"I want to thank you again for all your help yesterday." she said.

He replied with a smile, "Well you were short one pony. Think of it as a good deed."

"Still you went out of your way to help me with my duties after we finished cleaning in the foyer."

He was about to reply when his ears picked up on the sound of a rope breaking and turned to see the chandelier about to fall! He shouted, "Look out!" and he pushed Rarity out of the way as the servants ran away in time as the chandelier crashed to the ground! Glass flew across the room and some pieces slashed Capper's arm while he was shielding Rarity.

When they were sure it was safe, they looked on to see the huge mess.

She gapped at the cat, "How… how did you know?"

He twitched his ears, "I heard the rope breaking."

"That's amazing!" then she gasped when she saw how bloody his arm was, "You're hurt!"

Capper just waved it off, "It's just a scratch."

"It is not! I should know, because Sweetie Belle had a cut like this once and she needed stitches!"

His eyes widen then looking closer at his wound he realized she was right.

She said, "Quick, come with me!" she led them to a room and using her magic she quickly got the things she needed including a sewing needle, thread, cotton balls, and rubbing alcohol. She sterilized the needle before setting it aside and got a cloth to dip in the basin full of water. She told him, "This may hurt…"

"I can take it." he stated and sat down on a table.

"Oh, and um, you'll have to take your shirt off…" she blushed.

His eyes went wide.

She quickly explained, "It's just so I can get a clearer view of your injury!"

He nodded in understanding and slipped his cavalier shirt off. Rarity held in her breath when she saw how fit his chest was.

Stop it, Rarity! You need to focus! That charming cat is losing blood by the second so this is no time to stare at his perfect body!

She listened to her head and began to exam the deep wound. It wasn't too bad but it was of the upmost importance he received those stitches now before it could get infected. She took the wet cloth and gently set it down on the cut. Capper made a hiss when he felt her cleaning it.

"Are you alright?" she inquired.

"Fine… just fine." he grimaced.

She then magically got the rubbing alcohol and cotton balls, dabbing a ball with the isopropyl alcohol and slowly placed it on the flesh wound. He made another hiss of pain but he kept himself from screaming.

She stated, "Now here comes the tricky part…" she grabbed the needle and thread with her aura, "Are you ready?"

He stared at the stylus then he stared at her with those big eyes of his before proclaiming, "Ready."

She put working glasses on much to his surprise but kept quiet as she began to concentrate of sewing him up. The hissing started up again but he refused to scream.

Besides… I've been in worst scrapes then this… Getting stitches in my arm is nothing especially since I have a beautiful pony here to help ease the pain…

"There! All done!"

He looked at his stitched up cut and was utterly stunned. The thread was sewn in tight with no chance of blood escaping anymore.

Rarity then levitated bandage wrappings and wrapped some around his arm.

He started, "So… what's with the glasses?"

"I need them whenever I have to sew something up and it's imperative that I get it just right or else the thread gets loose and we can't have that."

"Ah, yes, we can't have that…" he smirked.

"I strive to keep things in order around here. It's my job as Head Maid after all."

"And from I can tell since I've been here, you have done a great job."

She uttered, "You really think so?"

"Absolutely, in fact you kept this place so clean and neat that I wish my place was like this."

"I would offer to clean it but… working for one member of nobility is enough for me."

"I don't blame you. From what you told me about his highness's rules it's enough to make any pony quit the cleaning crew."

"Certainly, what with the everyday duties he assigns us to… Makes you feel like you can't get out…"

Capper nodded and said, "Like you're forever stuck in one place…"

Without them realizing it they both said at the same time, "You're just… trapped."

They slowly gawked at each other.

Breaking out of the trance, Rarity cleared her throat, "I should go… But as long as you change your bandages every day you should be fine…" she left before he could say something back for she feared if he had she never would have wanted to leave his side.

This is impossible! You can't be feeling something towards him! You already have a love! A dark thought came across her mind, A love that's hardly ever there for you… No! I mustn't think like that! You are faithful to Fancy and shall remain so even when he's not here! A doubt crept in, But… why do I feel such a strong connection to Capper? Could it be that I was never meant to be with Fancy? That we're not true soulmates after all? I'm so confused…

Capper in the meanwhile was having his own struggles that regarded his feelings for Rarity.

You shouldn't have gotten close as you did… You can't get close to her… You can't be with her! He got up from the table to put his shirt back on. She's already got a coltfriend so stop thinking otherwise that you can have her! I have to remember why I'm here and once I'm done, I'll be gone and forget all about her… But as much as he told himself this, he knew deep within that he would never forget the pony that's shown him more friendship than anyone else has in his entire life. He touched his sore arm that was still healing. He sighed with a thought, It's hopeless…

---

Fluttershy was waiting for the king in the dining room so they could have lunch together but as the minutes grew longer she started to get concern. The king may have been bad but she certainly didn't want something awful to have happen to him. No pony deserved such a fate.

Suddenly Twilight appeared, "I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but the king won't be coming today."

"Oh dear, has something happen?"

"No. He just told me that he wasn't in the mood to see any pony today."

"But why?"

The unicorn just shrugged, "I don't know, frankly, I was surprised he turned down a lunch date with you. He's thought highly of you ever since you came here…"

"I am flattered his majesty has taken an interest in me but it's hard for me to return the feeling when he doesn't give ponies especially his servants the same respect he gives me."

"I agree." and she thought, But I'm hoping we can change that with you…

"But there is good in him… Him giving me that magic mirror was proof."

"It was. That was a genuine act of kindness I never thought I would get to see from him."

Fluttershy's eyes widen to this, "Really?"

Twilight nodded then asked, "Have you made any progress on that straw?"

"Oh yes, it's almost done, the room will be full of gold within another night." That is… if Discord will be willing to come back…

Twilight commented, "He'll be pleased to hear that. Though you don't have finish so soon, we really love having you here and would be sad to see you go so soon."

"Don't worry, I'm planning on staying until I feel there's no need for me to be here."

"Great." Twilight smiled. Whew! I was able to buy some extra time for her to stay. I wish I could say this to you Fluttershy: You're our only hope.

---

Rarity was heading toward the kitchens that late afternoon in a daze. All day her emotions were confusing her to no end. Torn between her faithfulness to her special some pony and her growing infatuation toward the count, she was absolutely stuck on what to do. She needed advice and fast. But who could she talk to? Her friends were the ideal ponies given three of them were married and would know how it feels to be in love and being with your soulmate. But would they think less of her for feeling something to Capper when she was currently in a relationship with Fancy Pants? With a deep sigh she went in to see the three mares with their husbands happily chatting away.

She made herself known with Applejack greeting her, "Howdy, Rarity! Haven't seen much of you all day."

The unicorn slowly started, "That's because I've been rather busy with… things…"

Dash pointed, "Yeah, sorry to leave you hanging like that but I still wasn't feeling so good."

"Oh no, it isn't that…"

Pinkie inquired, "Then what?"

"Well, um, you see… I don't know how to put this, but I'm hoping that the three of you will understand given your personal experience in the matter…"

Applejack furrowed her brow and the rest followed with the kitchen maid saying, "Come again?"

Rarity sighed, "Your marriages. Being married to the one you love. Your soulmate even. How did you know they were the one?"

Pinkie piped up, "Oh! Is that all? That's easy! When Cheesy and I met, we had this crazy psychic connection right away! We just instantly knew!"

Cheese proclaimed, "You bet we did!" and rubbed noses with his wife.

Rainbow told Rarity, "Yeah, well those two defy logic anyway so I don't think that's what you're looking for in an answer."

The unicorn nodded.

"With me and Soar, it took us awhile to know we were for each other."

Her husband nodded, "We didn't fall in love on the first day we met but as we started to train we started to feel something that brought us closer with each passing day." taking his wife's hoof making her smile.

Applejack said, "It took us awhile too before we realized how great we were together…" she smiled at her husband.

Spike smiled back before he addressed the unicorn, "I was slow given I was still getting over you."

Rarity flushed in embarrassment, "I am still sorry about that Spikey, but well… you know…"

"Yeah… but looking back on our interactions there wasn't much to go on was there?"

Rarity shook her head, "You were more of a little brother to me…"

"If anything, I'm grateful you never returned my feelings or else I never would have found my true love…" he looked at his wife again and wrapped his arm around her.

Applejack smiled and told the maid, "In a way, you brought us together, Rare… Thank you…"

Rarity smiled as well and stated, "Well… maybe you can return the favor by telling me what I should do…"

"Like what?"

She took a deep breath, "I… I am having certain feelings toward Count Capper while I am still with Fancy Pants…"

The couples gawked at this.

"And that is why I asked you how you knew the one you married was the right one for you… For the past couple of days now, I have spent a great deal with the count and he's… he's just wonderful! Whenever I'm with him, I feel so comfortable and I feel I can connect with him so easily! But then I think of Fancy and how attracted I was to him when we met and all that he has done for me! But we've hardly had time to be together with him being away most of the time! And as much as we have similarities to each other it's nothing compared to what Capper and I have shared!" she panted from her ramble and saw she had made her friends utterly speechless.

Pinkie was the first to speak up, "Wow! You really have a problem!"

Rainbow motioned, "You know I don't see what the big deal is, when Fancy gets back just tell him that you two should break up and pursue the cat."

Applejack said, "Dash is right, you need to be honest with Fancy and tell him what you have told us."

The husbands nodded their heads in agreement.

Rarity bit her lip, "I'm… afraid it's not that simple, darlings… There's something I haven't told you about… You know the day the king put me under contract? Well, there's more to it… At first I was going to take the job for Sweetie Belle but when our parents showed up before I signed the contract, I could have gone with them… but I didn't…"

Their brows furrowed in confusion.

AJ asked, "What's that suppose to mean?"

Rarity sighed, "Before I went to the king, I met Fancy in the village and he offered me the chance to get a job at the castle…"

Rainbow pointed, "Wait… you two knew each other all this time?"

Rarity explained, "We didn't start dating until last year, I had to work the other two years to get him to court me. As it was part of my agreement with the king…"

Applejack scowled, "What agreement?"

Rarity shut her eyes and said with her head held high, "That I had to get Fancy to fall in love and propose to me. Only then would I be free of my contract and to earn my own title so Fancy could marry me." she opened her eyes to see her friends were in shock.

Applejack was the first to get out of it as she said in a dangerously low tone, "Let me get straight… You could have chosen to walk away from here with your family but instead you gave it all up for a guy you just met…?"

Rarity gulped and squeaked out, "Yes?"

Applejack slammed her hoof on the table and stood up as she yelled at the top of her lungs, "RARITY, THAT IS THE MOST PATHETIC AND IDIOTIC THING I'VE EVER HEARD OF IN MY LIFE!"

Spike whispered in concern, "Applejack, calm down…"

"NO! I WON'T BE CALM OVER THIS!" she stomped toward Rarity as the unicorn slowly backed away with fear over her face, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LUCKY YOU WERE! YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM HERE BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE! INSTEAD YOU JUST PUSHED IT ASIDE LIKE IT WAS NOTHING! NOW LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO, YOU'RE FORCE TO STAY HERE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE JUST LIKE ME, JUST LIKE MY PARENTS BEFORE ME!"

Rarity called out, "Applejack! What has gotten into you?! You've been angry before but never like this!"

Rainbow shouted, "Yeah! What gives?!"

A voice suddenly said, "That's what I like to know too…"

They turned to see Twilight and Fluttershy at the doorway.

AJ stammered when all eyes were on her, "I… I…" then she burst into tears and crouched to the floor with hooves to her eyes as she wept.

Her husband quickly held her in his arms as she blubbered to him, "I-I can't… h-hide it a-anymore, Spike…"

Rarity questioned, "Hide what?"

Spike stated for all to hear, "She's pregnant."

Comments

[kurusagi16]

Interesting. I look forward to what Discord does next in terms of his building relationship. On another note, I could totally see Applejack becoming pregnant, if that was the reveal.

Wondering about the first born child thing also. Are you going to cut that out or what?

[CartoonNerd12]

8549998
Wait and see...

[Foxhelm]

Well, that just happened.
Rarity is torn
Applejack's secret is out
and the King/Discord is MIA
Talk about escalation.

[Godslittleprincess]

Do I need to build plot explosion bunkers for ALL your stories?!
Umm, could you be a dear and pass me my kidney?

[Queen Goodfay]

8804823
Sure * passes you your kidney