The Princess and The Peasant

by DapperLilArts

The Knight in Shining Armor

CHAPTER 3

⚔️THE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR⚔️

---

“So… Are you some sort of Ruggish Legendary bounty hunter?” Princess Rarity couldn’t help herself, she had the need to ask her strange rescuers a million questions.

Applejack suppressed laughter at the implications. “Lady, I told you before, I'm just a farmer.”

The Princess was flabbergasted. “Surely that can’t just be it, darling. Why would a farmer take a job for a Prince?? Or, more adequately put, why would a Prince give this job to a farmer??”

Applejack wasn’t all there. “Just lucky, I guess.” She had a lot on her mind, this day had been long, weary, and confusing, and this Princess asking her a million questions didn’t help.
Pinkie piped in gleefully. “She was the last one standing!”

Princess Rarity blinked a couple of times, unable to process whatever that meant. She had to increase her pace speed to actually match applejack’s longer and sturdier legs, attempting to get her attention.

“You fought a dragon. A dragon, darling!! And you’re telling me you’re just a peasant? That’s all?? Surely there’s some other reason why you’re so strong??”

A smirk appeared on the farmer’s face. “Hard work and determination.”

Applejack wasn’t one to lie, and no, this didn’t qualify as a lie, not fully, but it certainly qualified as omission. She wasn’t about to tell her entire life story to some fussy nosy princess.

“W-well,” Rarity was taken back. “Could you at least explain to me. Why in the world are a Peasant and a Bard rescuing a Princess??”

Applejack giggled at the very absurd circumstance. It really was utterly deranged and unheard of.

Pinkie pie giggled too. “Oh! Oh! A Peasant, a Princess and a Bard walked into a bar! There’s a joke in there somewhere!!”

Rarity blew air from her nostrils and waved her tail in frustration. She then approached Pinkie, who was trying to come up with jokes in her notebook.

“Okay, okay, the Peasant is being obtuse. How about you? Pinkie, was it? Why is a farmer walking around with a bard?”

Pinkie smiled. “I make good company!”

Applejack smiled. “She makes good company.”

The Farmer was quite enjoying the frustration her royal highness was starting to feel on their walk. She took delight in inconveniencing a princess like this.

Rarity frowned and blinked. “Surely that’s not all there is to it…?”

Pinkie giggled. “Well, since you asked…”

Applejack was waiting for this moment, and readied herself for Pinkie’s outburst.

She began hopping and skipping with her usual gleeful demeanor, unleashing a barrage of words on the Princess. “I’m Pinkie Pie the Bard! Worked briefly as a jester, done birthdays, babysitting, but I mainly focus on the bard thing. My most famous work is as Princess Twilight Sparkle’s personal bard, retelling her feats and adventures through song! I truly want to just spread joy and laughter and fun all around Equestria, and I'm always looking for a new song! More specifically, a new Legend. And you’ve gotta admit, ‘The Princess and the Peasant” sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?? I think I'm just where I'm needed!!”

The Princess Blinked. “What”

Applejack snickered. “See? Good company.”

“Eugh, forget it.” The Princess rolled her eyes.

They remained silent for a while longer, walking by a grassy field on their way to the swamp that Pinkie and Applejack had already passed earlier that day. The Peasant took the silence to just breathe, trying to think of nothing, while hearing the wind flow in the grass, attempting to forget her troubles.

“So, about my Prince… Prince Blueblood, was it?” Rarity piped in, and the Farmer instinctively groaned in response to hearing his name.

“Is he rich? Is he powerful?” her eyes gleamed.

“Oh yeah. For sure, super rich and powerful!” Pinkie stated.
“Too much if ya ask me.” Applejack muttered.

Rarity noticed that, but chose to continue. “Is he kind, honest and generous? Is he charming?”

“Pretty charming, yeah!” Pinkie omitted.
Applejack’s response was just to snicker mockingly. “Nope” She muttered under her breath.

Rarity once again took notice, but chose to ignore it.

Pinkie quickly approached applejack and whispered. “Can we not crush her dreams, AJ? She just wants to know a good time’s waiting for her!”
“And I'm not a liar.” Applejack whispered back, frowning.

A grin appeared on Rarity’s face instinctively. “Is he good looking?”

“Totaly!” Pinkie proclaimed.
“HAH.” Applejack scoffed.

The Princess lost her patience. “Okay, farmer, that was a scoff. Why are you scoffing?”

The Farmer instinctively gritted her teeth. “Let’s just say he ain't my type.” Truth to be told, Applejack was simply not attracted to stallions. But even if she was, she wouldn’t piss on Prince Blueblood if he was on fire.

Rarity was perceptive enough to see that the Farmer wasn’t fond of her new Prince. “Hmpf. I’m not surprised you wouldn’t find him attractive, Applejack. Peasants simply have no taste for the finer things.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, frowning. “Bah. And you don’t know dirt from mud.”

Rarity was NOT having it with her attitude. “So the Peasant doesn’t like the Prince? How original!! You’re just jealous that someone would spend a million bits just to save the ones they love!”

This was now personal. Applejack had no money to spare so she had to consistently bet her life to save the people she loved. She turned to the princess. “OKAY. Yer threadin’ some mighty thin ice here. Your beloved asshat is paying me to take you all the way from here to there, and I think we’d both be mighty happier if we didn’t talk along the way!” She scowled.

Rarity gave her a defiant, teasing, unintimidated smile that drove Applejack crazy. “You forget, darling, that you won’t get your reward if I'm harmed, and you especially won’t get it if I tell my Prince you treated me poorly. So you should probably consider your manners around me!”

“Girls, c’mon, don’t be like that…!” Pinkie tried stopping them from fighting, unsuccessfully.

“GAH” Applejack turned around and faced away from her. Now this is more of what she expected from meeting a princess.

“Hmpf! I have half a mind to find my own way to my Prince! I’d have better company alone.” Rarity started trotting to move ahead of them, leaving them behind. Pinkie didn’t know what to say, things were falling apart fast.

Applejack placed a single hoof on her back, pinning her on the floor easily. “Listen here, missy. I was paid to get you outta that tower and bring you to your Prince safely, and that’s what I’m gonna do. I fought a dragon for ya, so I'd appreciate it if you showed me just, I dunno, literally even the slightest hint of gratitude?!”

The princesses muzzle shot high, with a pout. “You fought that dragon for money, you greedy mercenary.”

“Umm… Girls?” Pinkie tried interjecting.

Applejack took insults to her integrity very seriously. “Yer right! And I shouldn’t have taken this job if that Prissy Prince didn’t offer me double, yer worse than that dragon!!”

Rarity also took that sort of insult very intimately. “Release me, you… You big ugly oaf!!!” Her face went slightly red as she stuttered over the insult.

Applejack laughed instinctively, she had a pretty good lie detector, but she didn’t even need one for this. “HAH! The cat’s outta the bag, your highness!! You find me handsome!!” She grinned.

“G-girls, please!” Pinkie tried intervening.

Rarity once again shot her muzzle up, pouting in superiority, but this time her fluster betrayed her. “I only said that because I thought you were my knight!!” She lied.

Applejack gritted her teeth. “Yer a bad liar and ya make terrible company, princess!!”

Rarity bit back, profoundly insulted. “Well at least I'm not devoid of manners and charm like a certain brutish uncaring dolt in this conversation! Unhand me and escort me to my prince at once!!”

Applejack’s patience was at its limit. “I've had it with yer center-of-the-world-attitude!! YOU’RE NOT SPECIAL!”

That last comment cut her deeply. Rarity was moments from tearing Applejack apart with insults and scorn. “Why, you no good–”

“GIIIIIIIIIIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Pinkie shouted at the top of her lungs, shutting the two arguing mares up instantly, making birds take off in the distance. She looked at both of them and scolded them thoroughly.

“I think we need to be a BIT more constructive here! You both want the same thing! Rarity, you want to be taken safely back to Equestria to your Prince, and Applejack, you want the reward for being able to escort her safely. Now, I get that we’ve all had a very long and very messy and very confusing day, but this FIGHTING is STUPID!!!! You’re both NICE, and we have a WEEK to go, so can we just get ALONG??? YOU TWO WANT THE SAME THING, SO COMPROMISE!!!”

A moment of quiet where they all looked at eachother.

The Princess and the Peasant gazed at each other briefly, a look that began with frustration turned to shame and regret shortly.

Applejack let go of Rarity, who dusted herself off, and neither of them could look at eachother, in embarrassment.

“...Well… I shouldn't let fightin’ a dragon stop me from havin’ manners. I won’t bite if you won’t, yer highness. …I’m sorry.” Applejack looked away, genuinely ashamed.

The Princess looked away too, feeling the same shame. “Hmpf. Yes. Quite. This was quite unbecoming of me. You two are here to help me, and I should be grateful. …Shall we be off?”

Pinkie nodded along. “See? It’s not that hard to be nice! I know you two don’t got much in common, but you want the same thing. So let’s just compromise for each other, okay?”

Both The Princess and The Peasant looked away from each other, embarrassed. This very much had been a very difficult day for both of them, and they were both acting unlike themselves at their usual.

Still, it was hard to talk casually after that display. Applejack had mixed feelings on the whole thing, she couldn’t remember the last time she had snapped at someone like this. And Rarity felt the exact same way.

Despite all the distaste she had for royals, despite all her reasonably justified anger she could have at the injustice of her even having to be here, Applejack just felt shame for acting this way at the Princess she had just moments ago fought so hard to keep safe.

Rarity had no reason to ever respect Peasants before other than a simple sense of kindness and common decency she always had. But today that had flown out the window in a storm of confusing emotion and misplaced frustration placed on her would-be Knight. Her shame cut deep.

They remained in ashamed silence for a little while longer, even if both did want to talk and apologize properly. A far cry from the Knight and Princess they had been earlier that day, much to both of their own distastes…

---

Rarity immediately stopped in her tracks while Pinkie and Applejack got knee deep in mud.
The entire area was surrounded by mud, water, and other forms of wetland gunk. They had finally reached the swamp… The Princess simply could not proceed.

“Um, darlings, where’s the way forward?” She looked around, concerned to not see a single non-gunky pathway.

“This is the way forward.” Applejack pointed at an ocean of mud and grime.

Rarity immediately sat down, with half embarrassment, half disgust. “B-but there’s simply no way, with the frogs, and the snakes!! And the mud…! I am not mudying my hooves and ruining my dress, I simply cannot!” The feeling of the gunk on her hooves was just about one of the most disgusting things she could ever experience.

Applejack exhaled, rolling her eyes. Yep, this was expected. Pinkie stared at the farmer, raising an eyebrow, pointing at the princess.

Compromise.

“...Alright, up ya go.” Applejack laid down next to her. “I’ll carry ya. It’s faster than goin’ around this darn swamp, we can’t dilly dally.”

The Princess smiled, tilting her head. “Oh, Applejack, are you sure…?”

“Yeah, I’m sure, c’mon, giddyup.” She looked away.

Rarity couldn’t help but grin as she climbed on the Peasant’s back once more. “Heheh. I knew there was some chivalry in you, farmer. Thank you, thank you!”

“Hmpf.” The Peasant’s face went a bit red, as she stepped into the swamp effortlessly carrying the Princess over the mud. This was the most time efficient way to transport, even if they were both taking a bit of personal enjoyment out of it.

Rarity felt like joking. “Sooo, darling, is this smell the swamp, or is it you?”

Applejack looked back at her. “Do you know how easy it’d be to drop ya?”

“Sorry! Sorry! I'll be good.” She clinged tighter, in desperation, and Pinkie couldn’t help but giggle. This was a bit better.

Applejack was once again distracted by the Princesses’s flowery perfume. It was hard to think of anything else, the perfume and a breeze that promised rain…

The Princess whispered “thank you.” on the Farmer’s ear, making her tail whip involuntarily, as her hide shivered.

The Peasant simply tried not thinking about this distraction.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Sooooo, Pinkie darling. You said you were Twilight’s bard? How has she been doing lately?”

“Oh she’s been doing great! She and Sunset actually hit it off, heheheheh.” Pinkie giggled mischievously.

“My!! It’s about time. Those two were sooooo awkward. But they were very much made for eachother, hihi. Ah, to have a devoted protector like that for myself…” Rarity’s face went red as she smiled, thinking of fairy tales, Leaning on applejack’s neck. The Farmer tried not thinking about it, or anything, once again.

“Oh yeah, and right as Sunset got promoted! She’s Captain now!” Pinkie giddily skipped in the mud, unfazed.

Rarity couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. “Hah, Captain and Princess, together! Oh my goodness, if I had a nickel! Why, Twilight and her brother, both shameless, those two. But it’s quite amusing.”

“Hihihi that’s what i said!”

Applejack couldn’t help but smile. At least these two were getting along. She closed her eyes and felt the wind on her face, and the smell of the swamp, occasionally interrupted by the scent of the perfume the mare on her back had doused herself in. She sniffed the air, focussing on the environment.. “Rain’s comin. Big one.” She stated, as droplets started falling from the skies, little by little.

Rarity panicked a little. “R-rain?? Could we take cover somewhere?? My mane, i-i… I’ve never gotten it wet with Rain water of all things! A-and my dress…”

Applejack’s first instinct was to complain. In a second, she considered how unneeded taking cover was without dusk guiding the sky, how there was still so much longer they could walk and so much progress to be made in one day.

But she suppressed that rash, first instinct. The Princess had made a request, and she was going to follow it. She owed her that much.

“Alright, hang on tight, sugarcube!” The farmer picked up the pace, with Rarity clinging on. sprinting through and out of the bog, poor Pinkie falling behind.

“T-thank you, my kn– Applejack!” Rarity held herself tightly.

Jumping out of the bog, she galloped towards some rocky hills, and her prediction was correct, she managed to find a small crevice for them to rest, barely a cave, but safe from the rain.

The Princess dismounted, with a relieved smile. “T-thank you Applejack. Truly. I-i know you didn’t have to–”

Applejack gave her a warm smile. “It’s alright, Princess. Stay here, will ya? I’ll go find Pinkie, make sure she didn’t sink in the bog.” The farmer didn’t wait for a reply, just made sure the cave was safe and then took off.

Rarity tried muttering more thanks, but it was unheard. She looked around the cave, with a disappointed sigh, realizing sleeping in places like this was going to be her foreseeable future. She then looked out of the cave, seeing the rain pick up, almost torrential. The entire swamp had a blue hue that would soon turn orange as the sun set behind the clouds.

When was the last time she had gotten to see something like this?

She saw the large figure of the farmer carrying Pinke on her back. The poor Bard looked soaked in water and mud.

Applejack was definitely not dry herself. She placed Pinkie on the cave, looking at rarity. “You alright, sugarcube?”

“Y-yes.” That nickname. It still drew a reaction from the Princess.

Pinkie picked herself up and shook like a wet dog to get the gunk and water out of her fur. Rarity yelped, fearful for her mane, only to be surprised, finding herself completely dry.

Applejack had purposely shielded her from water and mud completely, without saying a word. Rarity muttered a thanks.

The Peasant then put her bag on the floor of the cave, taking out a sleeping bag out of it. “Here. Ya can lay in this, it’s better than rocks n dirt.” She placed the sleeping bag as comfortably as possible for the Princess to sit on. The Unicorn once again attempted to mutter more thanks.

“Sorry I almost got you soaked!! I couldn’t see you there through the mud…” Pinkie shamefully apologized.

“It’s okay, Pinkie…” Rarity had her sights set on Applejack, who seemed to be avoiding looking at her.

The Farmer laid her hat on a rock, and started walking out of the cave. “I’ll keep watch. Wasn’t interested in staying dry anyways…”

And then, outside the cave, she sat on a ledge of grass that overlooked the swamp, feeling the rain.

---

“Is she going to stay out there through the night too?” Rarity whispered at Pinkie, as they both could only see Applejack’s back, as she sat in the rain outside the cave they rested in.

Pinkie scratched her own chin, sharing her concern. “I dunno… Sometimes Applejack is kinda hard to read. And she’s had a darn tough week…”

“I hope she’s not mad at me…” The Princess laid her head on the sleeping bag, pouting. They had thoroughly settled themselves on the cave, Rarity had already taken out her suitcase and put away her dress. Clearly it would have no use in the wilderness like it would in any village or town. She could feel her priorities twisting as any form of comfort she was once used to broke away.

Every once in a while thunder would rumble in the distance, making both of their ears perk up, but Applejack remained unmoving outside.

Closing her eyes, listening to the rain echo on the small cave they were on, she sighed, missing the finer and simpler things in life.

At least her mane was dry…

“You did give her a bit of a hard time, princess…” Pinkie hesitated to critique her, not knowing how much of a minefield it would be. The Princess did not respond, just looked down.

Pinkie wondered if it was okay to spill her friend’s problems, and decided it might be necessary. “She’s not the kinda pony you might be thinking she is… She really, really needs that reward.”

Rarity sighed, looking at the bard. “How so?”

Pinkie looked at her friend hesitantly, then back at the Princess, whispering. “In three weeks, she and her family are gonna be evicted from a home they lived in like… forever! Generations! She has a little sister, a grandmother and a big brother… I watched her fight like twenty mercenaries and WIN just for a chance to get this job, Princess… All for them.”

Rarity once again didn’t respond, she just looked at her rescuer, standing alone in the rain.

“She has everything riding on this.” Pinkie went back to lounging, grabbing her harp to fiddle with, not wanting to say more on the Farmer’s behalf.

The Princess looked down, and sighed. “Three weeks…!”

The Bard gave the princess a look, and then, with her eyes, pointed at the Peasant.

Compromise.

She felt a lot of things in that moment, but guilt was a highlight. She got up, and walked to the exit of the cave, stopping right at the edge where rain poured. The last hints of daylight shone through the rain clouds, as night was falling. The sun had already set.

“A-applejack?”

The Farmer was simply completely lost in thought, or on the attempt of lack-there-of. She had been in a state akin to meditation, almost, for over an hour, eyes closed, feeling the rain on her hide and hair, letting herself be one with it. She did not reply, she didn’t even hear the Princess.

“Um, Applejack? Hello? Darling?”

Applejack tilted her head as her ears twitched, as if she was awoken from sleep. She did not fully turn around. “Yeah?”

“Are you coming back inside?”

“...Eventually.”

The rain was not torrential, but it was substantial. There wasn’t much wind, but Rarity was well aware that if she stepped out there even after a bit of time, she would get soaked.

“And umm… What are you doing out there?”

“Rain shower.”

“What?”

“Rain shower.”

“O-oh.”

Rarity had a quite literal barrier between her and the farmer, as much as an abstract one. She had never willingly ruined her mane like this.

She took much consideration and hesitation, before she stepped outside and sat next to the Peasant.

“Applejack.” She nudged the Farmer, who flinched, not expecting her to come out here. “W-woah!! Princess! …Heya.”

Applejack immediately took notice of the Princess's mane, which she was getting utterly soaked just for a chance to be next to her. And to no surprise, Rarity could pull off this look too.

The farmer’s cheeks went red as the princess looked directly at her eyes, with an earnest smile, and wet mane that curved along her frame. “So… rain shower, right? I’ve never done this sort of thing before…” She said, giggling at the absurdity of a princess standing in the rain like this. Her makeup was getting a bit messy, but she didn't care. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the rain on her hide and mane.

The Farmer had a moment where she couldn’t speak, until she smiled. “Well… There’s a first time for everything, right?” The Princess giggled in agreement.

They sat in silence together, not knowing what to say.

They attempted to speak at the same time, interrupting each other, which just led them to them both snickering together.

Applejack spoke first, realizing what she needed to say had to be said as soon as possible, with her head low, embarrassed. “Look Princess, I just wanna say… i feel like a damn fool for yelling at ya earlier. I have no reason to be mad at ya, yer as much as a victim here as I am… Could ya ever forgive me…?”

Rarity blinked a couple times, in surprise. “Um. I actually came here to apologize to you, darling…”

Applejack looked at her, embarrassed. “No, really, I’m really, really sorry, Princess. I shouldn’t let my weariness ruin my manners. Why, If my granny saw how I talked to ya today she’d chew me up, spit me out and bake me into a pie…” She scratched her own face with her hooves nervously.

Rarity giggled a bit, then got a little closer. “It’s okay, darling… Really. Pinkie told me about your… Circumstances. I’ve been utterly unfair to you, and I am not surprised at all that you would not like me… I wouldn’t like me either, in your position.”

The Peasant looked in the distance. “It’s not you, it’s just… Well, this next week or two is gonna be real messy. I’m just hoping It’ll work… I haven’t exactly been a bodyguard before.”

Rarity made Applejack look at her. “Darling, I promise that from now on, I will respect and follow your lead, and I won't be such a… nuisance. I’ll try to make these coming days easier on you… For the sake of your family, and if nothing else, as thanks to you for saving me. A-and I am very, truly sorry for the way I acted before. It was out of line, and utterly shameful… You deserve the reward for my rescue in full.”

The Farmer wasn’t very energetic, even if looking at the Princess's eyes made her feel a certain way. “T-thank you. A-and I promise I'll keep you safe the best I can… For as long as it’s needed.”

Rarity giggled, not doubting the Peasant’s abilities in the slightest. “If that skirmish with the dragon is anything to show for, I believe I'm as safe as I could ever be, darling.”

They stared at each other for a moment, dumb smiles on their faces, rain running down their coats and manes.

Applejack spoke up. “O-oh, and for the record, yer fine. Best princess I've ever met, at least. It just me takes some getting used to… Me, a Peasant, having to be close to a Princess, for this long? sheesh. I'll get over it.”

The Princess started fidgeting with her mane, with a small grin, looking away, reminiscing. “I think you handled yourself quite fine, in the beginning...” reminiscing on her knight in shining armor.

The Farmer also looked away, embarrassed. “I-i shouldn’t have dressed up as a knight. It weren’t right. I’m just a Peasant after all…”

Rarity approached her even more, with a grin and a whisper. “Well, darling… You braved a castle, fought a dragon, and rescued me. So like it or not, you are my knight.”

The Princess planted a kiss on the Peasant’s cheek, who felt as if her warmth spread across her face in a matter of seconds. A stupid grin manifested on her face and she couldn’t wipe it off.

“Eyup…!” She muttered involuntarily.

“Hihihi… Now if you’ll excuse me, darling, I have a lovely mane to brush and makeup to adjust. I’ve had enough rain showers for now, but for the record… I liked it.” The Princess walked back into the cave.

“I-i-i liked it too.” Applejack muttered, only to realize how dumb that sounded.

The Peasant was usually one for single minded purpose. Got a problem? Fix it. Have a new objective? Fulfill it. Dragon stands in your way? Fight it. It was not usual of her to ever allow herself to be distracted.

Maybe it was just the case of a Princess, or maybe it was specifically Rarity, But as the Farmer watched her shake the water off her mane gracefully and gaze back at her with an earnest smile, Applejack felt as if Rarity could reach out and pluck pieces of her heart with ease.

---

An early riser as usual, Applejack yawned, as soon as the sun rose, and got up stretching. She looked around the cave, and her heart stopped.

Pinkie laid snoring slightly on a corner, and the Princess's suitcase and effects laid on the corner, but there was no sign of Rarity.

“Pinkie!! Wake up, darn it!! Where’s Rarity?!?!” The Farmer shook the Bard maybe a bit too harshly. The poor bard mumbled incoherently and undiscernably.

“Oh, tarnation…!!!” Sweat ran down the Farmer’s forehead as she ran out of the cave and yelled the Princesses name.

After receiving no response, she bolted to the woods below, continuing to call for her.
A painfully long minute passed with her shouting, being met with only silence, until she heard a distant “yooohooo!” on the very recognizable pompous voice of the Unicorn she was chasing.

She ran like a freight train following the voice, expecting some sort of crisis, only to be met with a Princess in casual summer wear, levitating a basket in which she was collecting wildberries.

“Good morning, darling! I hope you’ve slept well! I couldn’t sleep much, so I decided to start on fetching us breakfast! ~” Her calm and delighted demeanor contrasted the Peasant’s panicked state and heavy breaths.

Applejack was frantic. “Princess…! I don’t know how dangerous these woods are! We are real far from central Equestria, please don’t pull a stunt like this again! I thought you had ran away, or been taken, or–”

Rarity’s demeanor changed, realizing that what she might have done might be kind of reckless. “O-oh, sorry darling… I was just trying to make myself useful…” She put down the basket, fiddling with her mane.

The Farmer was more concerned than upset. “Listen, we can gather breakfast when we’re all up, together, there’s no need to rush! Please don’t go far from me. I can’t protect ya if i’m sleepin!”

The Princess pouted, looking down. Applejack felt a bit guilty. “L-look, I really appreciate the gesture. I do. But how about we gather our breakfast together from now on?”

Rarity smiled. “That sounds lovely, darling…”

Applejack pointed at the basket of multicolored wild berries. “By the by, you didn’t eat any of these, did ya?”

“Heavens no! You should always gather all your guests before serving the table.” She proudly showed her manners, placing her hooves on her hips.

Applejack exhaled in relief. “Oh good, ‘cause these blue ones here are poisonous.”

Rarity’s eyes widened. “Okay every meal together from now on.”
They both laughed in relief, appreciating that the problem was over.

Pinkie arrived, stumbling a bit, clearly dizzy, akin to a state of sleepwalking. “Oh hey girls good morning’... oh sweet, breakfast…” She said, before stuffing her sleep deprived muzzle on the basket.

“PINKIE!!” They both shouted, as the farmer pulled the Bards entire body up and away from the wild berries.

---

“And that, Darlings, is how I won one of the most prestigious fashion shows in canterlot! My, I hope my lovely dresses are still displayed there… And to think, I almost met Celestia that day…!” She looked at the clear sky, reminiscing.

“Wow Rarity!! You don’t mess around! Sounds like it was a real doozy!” Pinkie joyfully skipped along the path.

Applejack smiled. “Now I don't know much of any of that, but it does indeed sound like a ‘doozy.’ And did ya ever end up meeting Celestia after that?”

“Heavens, no. If only I could be so lucky! Despite being friends with Twilight, I didn't really ever get the chance to meet the Queen of the Sun… My, I would give just about anything for the chance to design a dress for her…!!” Rarity’s eyes gleamed with inspiration, her mind swirling with ideas.

They all stayed quiet for a bit, enjoying the trek. They walked on what could be barely seen as a trail through a sparse forest, with no sign of civilization anywhere, which is something The Princess absolutely took notice of.

“Now, darling, I don't want to be that mare, but… Are we there yet?” Rarity tried her absolute best to not sound annoying.

Applejack couldn't help but chuckle a bit. “If it makes ya feel better, we’re seein’ our first signs of civilization tomorrow, if not today. We’re really off the beaten path, Princess. This area of Equestria is rarely ever traveled by–” She stopped.

Both the other girls stopped too, instinctively, noticing how Applejack’s demeanor changed.

Her ears flickered side to side, and her tail whipped instinctively as she looked around. “Applejack? Darling?”

“We ain’t alone. Behind me now, both of ya!” Applejack took a more ready stance, as the girls obeyed her. “YA’LL COME OUT NOW, I HEARD YOU!”

For a moment, quiet, and then rustling. Several cloaked ponies came from behind cover in the woods in front of them, and leading them, a large figure emerged from behind the trees.

A smug minotaur adorned in makeshift battle gear, surrounding at least ten ponies that seemed to be equally ready for battle.

Pinkie shivered. “T-those are bandits!! And that guy, h-he’s–”

The large Minotaur laughed loudly and proudly. “I am Iron will! And I reckon that little missy on the summer dress behind the big lug is none other than Princess Rarity, boys. So the rumors were true after all! A giant dragon roams the skies, dictating the keep is unguarded… Paydirt for us.”

The ponies surrounding him snickered joyfully, all getting ready to catch a Princess.

Rarity touched Applejack’s side, hesitant. “Darling they have crossbows…” She whispered. Applejack was staring the minotaur down. “S’fine. Follow my lead and cover me if ya can.”

The Minotaur walked forward casually and confidently, stopping one meter in front of Applejack, scratching his chin. “My, you’re a big one, ain’tcha? Don’t tell me that a Peasant is protecting the Princess?”

The ponies behind him snickered once more, at the absurdity of the situation. Applejack blew air from her nostrils as she glared at him, ready for a fight. “Back. Off.”

Iron Will saw an opportunity for business. “Well, you got a spine on ya, don’t you? Tell ya what. You seem to be very capable, having come this far to nab that Princess. Why don’t you join our gang, and we can get a nice, big fat ransom out of the cute little thing behind you. The Prince is offering a million bits for her backside, I reckon we can raise that DOUBLE if we make it clear he doesn’t have a choice–”

The Farmer was sick of hearing him blabber. “Shut up. The Princess is not for sale, and neither am I. Now take yer posse and scram, before someone gets hurt.”

Iron Will chuckled, not very intimidated. “Someone gets hurt, huh?”

He then backhand slapped Applejack directly in the face. The farmer’s hat flew off, but she didn’t budge. The grass around them shook with the impact, and her friends flinched.

She looked back at him, and wiped blood from her nostrils. “My brother hits harder.”
The Minotaur recoiled a bit, realizing he might have just made a mistake. Rarity grinned in adoration, knowing what would come next.

With one single swift motion, Applejack turned her body 180° and bucked the Minotaur directly front and center with all her strength, sending him flying across the forest and crashing against a few trees, the impact of the buck was felt in the very air around them. Every bandit recoiled, changing their confident demeanor in an instant. Rarity giggled, beholding her knight.

The Farmer smirked. “Pinkie.”

“Y-yeah?”

“Play double time.”

The bard took out her guitar and joyfully started accentuating the battle that followed with great speed, precision and enthusiasm.

The bandits attempted to fire crossbow bolts at the Farmer, but the Princess used her crystal shield magic to protect her, whenever they fired.

Applejack ran at top speed, trampling bandits, smashing their bodies against trees, picking them up and tossing them at each other, even lassoing them with great ferocity. All the while Pinkie played her through the battle, And her Princess cheered.

Three bandits attempted to wrestle her at once, and she easily overpowered them. The minotaur stumbled clumsily off the crater he had been delivered to, trying to seem like he was still in control. “H-hey you lil NOTHING! No one messes with my gang!!”

Applejack smiled confidently as she galloped towards him, and he barely mustered an defense. The Farmer purposely overshot a leap so she’d grab him by the neck and force him to the ground, on a fierce headlock he could do nothing but choke and sputter to.

When she heard that the music stopped, she instantly knew something was wrong. Her ears twitched as she heard Rarity scream.

“A-applejack!! Help!!” Pinkie yelled, being held at crossbow point by a Unicorn bandit that was holding the Princess’s mane with his teeth, pulling her away as she struggled. “Boss! I got her!!” He mumbled.

Rarity struggled, but that hurt, and on her beautiful mane no less. “U-unhand me, you Scoundrel!! You villain!! You disgusting…!!” Her eyes got teary as she searched for her knight.

Applejack was fuming as she crushed the minotaur’s windpipe. She then delivered a swift blow to one of his horns, breaking it off, and then a swift blow to his nose, fully knocking him out. She leapt to action to rescue her Princess.

The Unicorn bandit holding the Princess so unjustly levitated the crossbow, pointing it at Rarity’s neck. “Ah!! Nuh uh!! Stop right there!” And the Farmer obeyed, even as she towered over him with a rageful glare.

“Ya wouldn’t shoot your paydirt, so point that crossbow at me.” She stated through gritted teeth, breathing heavily. Rarity looked at her, distraught. The bandit hesitated.

The Peasant stomped her hoof on the ground. “I said, stop pointing it at yer prize, and point it at ME, YA VARMINT!” She snarled.

The second that the bandit switched targets, she leapt at him like a freight train, smashing him against a tree, freeing her Princess. “BITIN’ HER MANE?? ARE YA SERIOUS??!” She yelled in anger, then easily bended one of his legs the wrong way, breaking it, resulting on him screaming in pain like a little filly.

She picked him up by headlock and pointed him at Rarity, while glaring at him real close. “Apologize to the lil lady. NOW.”

The poor sniffling bandit barely muttered a genuine apology while being choked by the burly Farmer.

Rarity frowned at him, then raised her muzzle, scoffing. “Hmpf! I don’t accept his apology! Applejack! Dispose of him. Violently.”

The farmer grinned at the terrified bandit. His unconscious body would only be found halfway across the forest by his comrades hours later, some would say he saw the curvature of Equestria.

Applejack shifted her attention to the Princess, with worry. “Y-you okay, sugarcube? He didn’t hurt you too bad, did ya?” She checked the Princess for wounds, relieved to find none. “I’m real sorry I couldn't protect ya… Some bodyguard I am.” The Farmer looked away in shame.

Rarity was a tad flustered, for a multitude of reasons, while gently adjusting her mane, she looked at the crowd of unconscious and incapacitated bandits, then back at her. “I-i’m fine, darling, you did incredibly well… I’m more concerned about y-you…!” She cringed in concern, pointing at her protector’s flank.

The farmer looked down her side, noticing an arrow lodged in her shoulder. “Oh. Right.” She wasn’t really fazed.

Applejack simply turned around and started walking. “Well, we should get goin’ before some of these idiots wake up.”

Pinkie hopped next to her, extremely worried. “W-wait!! AJ, look at your back!! Oh, gosh…!”

Applejack turned her head, noticing two more arrows lodged on her hide. “Huh. Alright.”
Rarity approached her, ashamed. “I-i’m so sorry, darling… I tried covering you as best I could, but…!”

Applejack smiled. “It’s alright, sugarcube. I barely feel it! C’mon y’all, we gotta get goin.”

The Bard and the Princess looked at each other, flabbergasted as the Peasant walked casually away from the hurricane she had just wrought on those bandits, with three arrows lodged on her.

The two mares nodded in agreement as they attempted to stop the Farmer from going any further. They trotted each on one side of her.

“A-applejack wait up!! You can’t walk around like that!!”

“We simply cannot let you walk around with wounds such as those, we must treat them at once!”

The peasant sighed, without slowing down. “Girls, I appreciate it, but we really shouldn’t dilly dally round’ here. We can get these splinters outta me when we’re somewhere safer. Besides, Earth Ponies heal fast.”

The two mares attempted to get in front of the farmer and push her to make her stop, with zero success, being pushed themselves. She amusingly continued to walk forward, with the Princess and the bard being dragged along.

Tumbling aside the farmer, unable to stop her from walking around with open wounds, the two mares dusted themselves off, staring at the Peasant, who simply continued on her way unfazed.

“What do we do, Rarity??” Pinkie looked at her in concern.

The Princess fussed, blowing air from her nostrils. “Applejaaack! SIT.”

Much to the Peasant’s annoyance, she found herself obeying Rarity’s command instinctively, sitting down then and there. The Princess, with a mischievous grin, simply walked up and sat in front of her, forcing the Farmer to look her in the eyes.

“Pinkie, get the arrows, will you? Cautiously, if you please.” Then she turned to the Farmer who sat, frowning. “Now, I will not have my Knight walking around wounded. We still have a long journey ahead before we reach my Prince, and I need you in top form!”

She inspected the Farmer’s bruised figure, a bit too close. “Look at you, all bruised…” She sighed, as she levitated a bit of her dress to wipe the blood off of Applejack’s face.

“I’m fine.” The Peasant grumbled, as her face got a bit red. The Princess was forcing her to look forward, directly onto her eyes.

Pinkie pulled one of the arrows out with her teeth, resulting in an “Ow!! Pinkie, you better not be right behind me when pullin those!!”

Pinkie took into account that if Applejack instinctively bucked, the poor Bard could wind up across the forest. She pulled another, much more cautiously.

“Ugh! What are ya doin back there?!” The farmer tried looking back, but the princess simply pulled her face forward with a hoof, decisively, much to her fluster.

“No no. Eyes on me, darling.” Rarity smiled at her, fully aware of the complete domination she had over the Peasant’s senses at this moment, as the Applejack’s face got redder.

The last arrow was pulled, and Applejack was too distracted to feel it.

“Now now, we’re almost done.” The Princess magically summoned her suitcase, of which she took out an expensive looking old liquor bottle.

Pinkie’s eyes widened. “Is that…? Gee, that bottle is worth more than any house I've ever lived in!!”

“It was a gift from a client, darling. I was waiting to open it at a special occasion, and this qualifies.” Rarity popped the bottle open, and then started tearing her dress with her magic, much to the others’s confusion.

“Rarity. What are ya doin. Ya love that dress…?” Applejack was completely focussed on her, with a much calmer yet curious demeanor.

The Princess cheerfully folded the ribbon she ripped into a little mass she doused with the liquor, all in careful and calm magical motions. “We have to make sure your wounds are not infected before I bandage them, dear.”

The Peasant followed the floating gauze with her eyes, until Rarity simply once again pointed Applejack’s face at hers with a single hoof motion. “Almost done darling. Eyes forward.” She obeyed implicitly.

The Farmer barely hissed or grunted as the Princess cleaned her wounds, she was too distracted to feel it.

Pinkie quietly watched the scene, taking mental notes on how both of them were carrying themselves.

“There, see? Now, for bandaging.” The Princess ripped her dress into ribbons, and started wrapping them carefully over her knight’s wounds, who no longer complained, just looked forward. For a minute, she diligently worked in silence, and the farmer had eyes for her only.

She finished bandaging her wounds, and then booped the farmer’s muzzle with her hoof lightly, smiling. “There you go! Top form once more. Was that so bad, dear?”

“It was fine…” The Farmer’s voice was quiet and reserved. "So... How'd a Princess learn to do stuff like this?"

The Princess double checked the bandages. "Oh, my little sister was always getting into trouble, and our parents were always sooo absent-minded, i picked up a few things. Though it should be stated my little sister never was shot by arrows, darling."

The Farmer didn't respond, just watched the Princess tidy up her things.

Rarity giggled. “And to think! You almost forgot this!” Rarity levitated Applejack’s hat off the ground, amidst the unconscious bodies. She placed it on the Farmer’s head, with finesse.

“Oh. Right. Almost forgot…! Thanks, sugarcube.” Applejack tipped her hat, glad to see it back where it belonged. The Princess simply giggled, gathering her effects, and putting her ruined dress on her suitcase, as well as the half full bottle of expensive liquor. And, through what seemed to be a single, calculated motion, she put on a new, different, equally lovely dress nigh instantly.

“No need to thank me, darling. It’s the least I could do. At least your bandages look fabulous, hihi. Shall we be off?” She turned around lightly grazed her tail on the farmer’s face, continuing following along the path.

Pinkie followed, a tad concerned. “Gosh, if these guys knew Rarity was free, does that mean that more people could be trying to come after her?”

The Princess laughed delightedly, unafraid. “Darling, we’re as safe as we ever could be, with Applejack protecting us. I wouldn’t worry!” She stated, joyfully whipping her tail around. She gazed back at the frozen Farmer with a smile.

Once again, the Peasant watched idly as the Princess had plucked a piece of her heart effortlessly.

The Farmer wasn’t usually one for distraction. Most of her days were spent with single minded purpose, and she prided herself in being able to focus on a task without wavering. Before all this, she had the single minded focus of earning that reward, and returning to her life and family successfully.

All of that was not applying to the task of escorting Rarity across Equestria safely. She found herself more distracted than she had ever been, for once.

The Princess she was tasked with protecting was very, very distracting.

Author's Note:

Can you tell i'm salty that Applejack is inconsistently strong in the show, and even in the comics, lmao? I'm tipping the scales all the way overboard. She deserves to be a living battering ram.

That fight sequence was vindication for her not being able to even put up a fight against the stupid minotaur in the comics. Girl should have been capable of at least getting a tie! Sheesh. He just punches her into a building and she never lands a hit, so lame

Generaly, I am boosting her combat prowess and competency by a lot, even if it is an unpolished and selfdestructive fighting style.

So umm. If a pretty girl told you to sit would you sit. be honest

This fic basicaly be like lmao ^ ^ ^

Comments

[Dimbulb]

Yeah I too don't like that AJ's strength in official stuff is inconsistent.

Also, yes, I very much would sit.

[RedHoodie21]

sooo cute! love the conflict and how you incorporate the show’s influences and dialogue into it while also adding in pieces from shrek AND your own story! its super compelling and i’m loving every chapter

[DapperLilArts]

11872079
Thank you! I'm taking bits and pieces from multiple things and making my own thing out of it; in later chapters there is essentialy no shrek left, nyeh. So glad you're loving it!!!