Red Strings, White Chains

by Undome Tinwe

Confrontation

"Rarity! At last, we see each other plain!"

And here she had hoped to make it to the wedding without hearing that voice. "Wishful thinking," Rarity muttered to herself before turning to face her old obsession with a practiced smile. "Prince Blueblood! Fancy meeting you here! I thought you were in Trottingham on official business." She definitely hadn't expected him to appear in the Royal Tailor's quarters.

"I've been allowed to return to Canterlot for a few days to make arrangements for my departure to the Zebra lands." Blueblood spoke with his usual refined swagger, but Rarity sensed a strained undercurrent to it, and suspected he was being as false to her as she was to him. "While I waited for my servants to finish packing my belongings, I thought I would make a short trip to the servants' quarters to find you and congratulate you on your victory."

"My victory? Whatever do you mean?" Her interactions with the prince had been few and far between, thankfully, but she'd never known him to be cryptic before.

"I'm referring to your pending nuptials, of course," Blueblood sneered. "You've climbed to the very top of the social ladder, and stopped everypony from pulling you back down. I must admit, I severely underestimated you. I did not expect you to so completely defeat my efforts at preventing this unholy union."

"Huh?" There had been attempts by him to stop her wedding? She hadn't even spoken to him since before the proposal!

"Come now, there's no need to play coy anymore. After all, you've already bested me quite soundly, and in a few days I'll be too far away to act against you." Frustration and anger tinged Blueblood's voice, and Rarity could see his teeth clenching as he continued to speak. "I only ask that you be gracious in victory, and that you not abuse my aunt's affection to greatly in the coming years."

Rarity stiffened. "I would never!" she said, affronted. "Celestia's happiness is my highest priority, not that it's any of your business." She didn't have to defend herself against this... this lout, but Rarity couldn't let such an accusation go unaddressed.

Blueblood snorted. "Please, don't insult my intelligence. We both know who you really are, and why you decided to pursue my aunt. Going after the affections of Princess Celestia was a bold strategy, but it's paid off in spades for you, hasn't it?"

"You think I'm marrying Celestia for her money?" Rarity barely stopped herself from screeching the words, and she had to remind herself that being Celestia's fiancée did not put her above the law before she did something stupid.

"Money, status, power. All the things you wanted from me once upon a time." The look he gave her was one Rarity had seen plenty of times from the nobles who thought she was beneath them, but never had she seen that much disdain in a single glare. "I might have seen through your pathetic attempts to seduce me and ascended the social ladder, but I suppose my aunt's status makes her less... experienced with dealing with such matters."

Rarity's jaw dropped. "Is this seriously about the Grand Galloping Gala?" That had been years ago! "And it's not like you have any room to talk after how abominably you acted towards me." Though, if she had still been smitten with him, she would never had fallen for Celestia, so she supposed all was well that ended well.

"Do you really think I didn't see through your facade as soon as you approached me?" Blueblood scoffed. "Please, I've been driving away gold-diggers since I was a colt."

"Is that what you thought I was?" Rarity strode up to Blueblood, her vision turning red with suppressed rage. "I admit I shouldn't have fancied you. But I never wanted you for your money or your position."

"Oh please, do you actually think—"

"I spent my whole life dreaming about the perfect stallion." Rarity didn't give Blueblood a chance to speak as she continued advancing towards him, years of tension building up like a coiled spring her voice turned low and dangerous. "He would be cultured, kind, the perfect gentlestallion. I'd be treated like a lady, and not because I was showered with gifts, but because he would be chivalrous and generous in giving me his love."

Another step forward. Rarity was practically hissing at him now. "I grew up with stories of gallant princes treating mares with respect and love, and being the model of a perfect gentlestallion. That was what I fell in love with, and I got it into my silly little head that as a prince, you would be noble in character too."

Rarity widened her stance and straightened her spine. Dating Celestia had taught her how to make her presence imposing in the presence of a taller pony, and she was bringing all of her experience to bear right now on this royal brat. "I was sorely mistaken, as I found out during the Gala. Being noble isn't something that a pony is born with — it's something they earn. My best friend earned her princesshood by being one of the best mares I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

A nearly feral grin danced on her lips. "And then I had the pleasure of a private meeting with a mare who showed me what it meant to embody all the ideals of Royalty. She was everything I had dreamed of and more, and I fell in love with her just like so many other ponies have before."

She stared Blueblood straight in the eyes as she spoke, pouring every inch of her conviction into her words. "Celestia's love is the greatest treasure I have ever been given. And I spend every day wondering how I could possibly be worthy of it. So believe me when I say that marrying Celestia isn't climbing the social ladder to me.

"It's taking on the greatest responsibility that I've gladly embraced."

She stepped back to give Blueblood a chance to breathe, delighting in the uncertainty warring on his face. Finally, he put on a mask of doubt and narrowed his eyes at her. "If your love is so pure, then why have you spent these past few months playing games to keep me from my aunt?"

"Darling, honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about." He'd been bringing up some kind of dastardly plan she'd been plotting against him, and she still was no closer to figuring out why he thought she had personally targeted him for... something. "I've barely even thought about you since my engagement."

"A likely story," Blueblood replied. "I tried to warn my aunt about you, and the next day I find that not only can I not get an audience with her, but I've been placed on an urgent diplomatic mission to Trottingham. I try for months to contact her only to get her servants replying to my letters as if I was a commoner, and all my contacts in Canterlot couldn't get an audience with her either."

He took a step towards her, his earlier anger returning in his gait. "And now, I'm being shipped off to the Zebra lands right before your wedding. By the time I can send a message back to Canterlot, the wedding will be over. Awfully convenient, isn't it?"

"I swear, I didn't know about any of this." A flicker of memory returned to her, and Rarity's heart sank. "When did you get sent off to Trottingham?"

"I received the 'request' four months ago today."

"Oh dear." Rarity remembered that day. Celestia had promised to protect her from all threats, both physical and... "I can't believe she didn't tell me about this." She returned her attention to Blueblood. "I'm afraid I'm not quite so devious as you think I am. It seems Celestia has been trying to defend me from your campaign without even informing me." They were going to have to have a talk about this, after. Rarity did not want to be put in this position again, and Celestia should have been able to trust her with this.

"That is... very much like her," Blueblood admitted. "And you really didn't seem like the kind of mare who was capable of playing such games at a level that could match me."

"How very humble of you," Rarity commented dryly.

Blueblood ignored her. "Regardless, I still don't approve of your union. You are going to be in possession of much more power than you deserve."

"Fortunate for us that we don't need your blessing," Rarity retorted. "And I know very well the responsibilities that I'll be taking on."

"It would be for the best of the nation if you simply concerned yourself with looking pretty and keeping your mouth shut," Blueblood snapped. "This diversion of my aunt's has already cost me far more than I care to think about."

"And now which of us is thinking in terms of material wealth?" Rarity sniped back.

"Do you think I care about money?" Blueblood scoffed. "Please, the only currency that matters in Canterlot is influence. I was just about to get Lord Wind Caller to donate his private observatory for the third day of this year's Winter Moon Festival Fundraiser, and now it's taken too many of my favors to simply maintain my relationship with him."

"Oh, that." Rarity waved a hoof dismissively. "I already convinced him to lend us the venue and provide some of his staff for the event. Lady Weather Wax has proven to be a much tougher nut to crack with regards to the fourth day."

"Lady Wax has a soft spot for ancient tomes of magic," Blueblood replied with equal dismissiveness. "Just promise her some special visitation privileges for the Royal Archives and she should fold quite quickly." A pause. "And why are you in charge of the WMFF?"

"I saw that nopony was making any arrangements for it so I asked Raven to bring me on board." Another pause, this time from Rarity. "She never mentioned your involvement. I take it your... ah... sabbatical was the reason why things had stagnated?"

"Quite." The silences between them were quickly becoming awkward. "I suppose I should be grateful that somepony is ensuring that the charities of this city are not suffering in my absence. But how the devil did you get Wind Caller to give in so quickly? I've been working on him since last year."

"As it turns out, he's quite the fashion-forward pony, and I simply gave him a first look at this year's Fall Line from Carousel." It was hard to keep the pride from her voice, even if Rarity wasn't entirely sure if Wind Caller's interest wasn't because this would be Rarity's last line as Carousel's owner.

"Hmmph, so you aren't completely useless." Technically, that was the nicest thing Blueblood had said to her since this conversation began, a thought which made Rarity wonder once again why she wasn't walking away. "I'll just have to hope you don't make a complete muck of things."

"Thank you so much for your vote of confidence." If looks could kill... well, they'd both have been long dead already.

"Hmph, if you're taking over for the Winter Moon Festival, then that must mean the fundraisers for Hearth's Warming, Hearts and Hooves Day, Autumn Equinox, Star Swirl Day, and Nightmare Night are all languishing."

Rarity boogled. "All of those were your projects?"

"My aunt must have very much wanted me out of Canterlot." Beneath his casual swagger, Rarity heard real hurt in his voice. "I hope you treat her very well, Miss Rarity. She deserves happiness, but she would never forgive herself if Canterlot suffered for it."

The snide response was on the tip of Rarity's tongue, but she held it back. She could tell Blueblood was being genuine, and despite how... distasteful a stallion he was, Rarity finally understood how he must have seen her courtship with his aunt.

Blueblood truly, honestly, cared about Celestia, and when Rarity — a mare who had unwisely pursued him — had won her heart, he must have feared that her feelings towards her were as ill-advised as those she had once held for him.

And when he had approached his beloved aunt about it — likely in the worst and rudest possible way, given his disposition — and gotten sent away, what else would he have thought except that Rarity had her under her spell for some nefarious reason?

And if he was truly busying himself with so many charitable projects, then surely he couldn't be that bad of a pony, despite Rarity's experiences with him. He didn't act anything like a prince was supposed to, but that didn't mean he couldn't be generous as well.

"I've been trying to keep those events on track, but between my own responsibilities with Carousel and planning for the wedding, I've been stretched far too thin, and there's nopony else with enough influence and time who can take over." Rarity hesitated, and then internally cursed Twilight for what she was about to do. That accursed Princess of Friendship and her infectiously friendly way.

"If you aren't really needed in the Zebra Lands, I'm sure I could talk Celestia into letting you stay here and resume your previous duties."

Blueblood's eyes narrowed in immediate suspicion. "And your price?"

Rarity shot him a slightly-less-false smile. "Help me learn the lay of the land, as it were. I think, together, we could do a lot more good for Equestria than if we were working against each other. You obviously have much more experience with the charity scene than I was aware of, and I will have a significant amount of political capital once I marry Celestia. I could never forgive myself if I didn't use it to help others as much as I could."

She extended a hoof towards the wary stallion. "I'm not asking for us to be friends. Just... allies."

"Allies." Blueblood looked at the outstretched hoof like it was a snake about to bite him. "I suppose I could consider it."

"And you'll be invited to the wedding too, of course." Whatever Rarity thought of him, she wasn't going to keep him from attending his aunt's special day. "I'm thinking of running some events in the days leading up to the event to raise money for charity, and I think your expertise would be most appreciated."

"Talk is cheap," Blueblood said. He hesitated for a moment, and Rarity was worried he'd reject her offer. "But politics has made for stranger bedfellows, and sacrifices must be made for the greater good." He grasped her hoof, and both of them wanted to immediately let go, but they held firm long enough to shake on their new alliance.

"Well, this has been an unexpected encounter," Rarity said when they thankfully let go and returned to their previous aloofness. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to have a long talk with my fiancée about keeping secrets."

"And I have to inform my staff that I will not be departing as planned." Blueblood's demeanor was pure business now. "Shall I tell my secretary to pencil you in for a meeting sometime tomorrow?"

"I'm free at lunch," Rarity replied. "Send a message to Celestia's quarters if you can make it."

"Very well. Good day, Miss Rarity." He almost sounded like he meant it this time.

"And to you as well, Prince Blueblood." Rarity almost meant it too.

As Blueblood trotted away, Rarity allowed her smile to finally falter. This had not been how she'd expected her morning to go, but Rarity couldn't say it hadn't been productive. She now had a fiancée to dress down and a new potential ally in her charitable endeavours throughout Equestria. Truly, politics did make for strange bedfellows, as Blueblood had said.

And now, she had to go speak to her actual bedfellow about honesty and being open. It seemed her life was fated to be one of confrontations.

She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Comments

[The Iguana Man]

Given the title and opening, I'm a little disappointed didn't find an excuse to call Rarity "Madame le Mare", but I suppose it would be a bit of a stretch.

[SigmasonicX]

This was a great presentation of Rarity and Blueblood's relationship. Though all the charity talk makes me think that so much charity work wouldn't be necessary if Celestia just taxed the rich properly :P

[hypervelocity]

These vignettes have been incredibly wonderful. The relationship between Rarity and Celestia is heartwarming, there's some good comedy, and just good slice of life world building.

I'm excited for when another update comes!