The Princess and The Peasant

by DapperLilArts

The Need vs The Want Debacle

CHAPTER 6

🌔THE NEED VS THE WANT DEBACLE🌓 (AKA the Nightmare vs the Dream)🌒

---

This night of sleep toed the line between dream and nightmare with quite uncertainty.

And, much like so, Applejack was torn in two.

In her dream, she could see Apple Acres. Her home. The lights were on in a beautiful night, and her family was waiting for her, hearty laughter could be heard from inside. She smiled, knowing she was almost there. No more worries, no more distractions, her heart was set for home.

Until it wasn’t.

She stopped moving. A bright white light on the corner of her eye atop a hill instantly called for her attention; accentuated with blue and lavender. She didn’t even need to look to know who that aura belonged to.

First, only a silhouette, that of an Alicorn. As her eyes adjusted, her heart beat faster.

Princess Rarity Belle, now an Alicorn, with long, gorgeous white wings, an even longer mane and a silver tiara, with a smile that demonstrated complete certainty and confidence; one the Peasant had seen many times.

The Princess stood there, looking directly into her. The Farmer forced herself– a feat that took great strength– to look away from the Princess, to look at her home, Apple acres, that called for her.

“Eyes on me, darling.”

And there it was. The command. Her voice smooth as silk, crossing through Applejack like an arrow. The Peasant obeyed without question, as she always did.

The Princess was gorgeous; This was an obvious fact, as she always was. Her mane flowed as if it was as light as wind, as well cared as it had ever been, her hide shined as if she had crystal particles on her very fur, and her eyes glowed as if they were gemstones. Somehow, some way, Applejack still found new ways to be surprised by Rarity’s beauty, much to her own dismay. A goddess. A maestro that orchestrated her heart.

Simply looking at her made it as if her home was a distant memory. As if she was completely bewitched, under a spell, with the Princess pulling the strings of her heart with ease and gentleness.

With a single nod and a tap of the hoof on the ground, the Princess beckoned the Peasant to come closer, with that same smile, that same, incredibly captivating, dominating smile.

Applejack found that her legs moved on their own. Towards the direction of her Princess, atop the hill, steadfast.

Somehow, anxiety, fear, guilt, meshed with the warmth of joy, excitement, and love; All that she felt, as if there were two parts of her heart in a fierce tug of war.

She reached the Princess, who remained silent, with that ever-dominating smile and piercing blue eyes, Intoxicating perfume, scintillating stars.

Applejack didn’t notice until she saw her reflection in Rarity’s eyes; she was now wearing armor. The Peasant was fully adorned with bronze armor perfectly suited for her size and build; and even matching her color, fitting for a true Knight. She looked only briefly at her own hooves and her flank, fearing and also wanting the Princess to command her once more.

“My Knight.” The Princess got even closer to her, almost with a whisper, sending shivers across her hide, her heart fluttered, Applejack was utterly entranced.

“My Princess.” the words flowed out of the Knight naturally, without resistance, an affirmation of possession. An affirmation of loyalty. An affirmation of love.

Her hooves stood firm on the ground, her body still like a statue, as the princess nuzzled her neck, embraced her with her wings, rubbed flank with flank, and dragged her tail across her hide, almost as if marking her possession. The Knight allowed this to happen implicitly. The rational side of her brain, that yelled at her to go home, was quieter and quieter. Every other part of her wanted to be here, with her. The Princess and her Knight. Play the part. Be the part. Forever.

The Princess faced the same direction as the Knight, pointing forward, away from the farm. As if they did not need words to communicate, Rarity once again mounted her, riding her Knight’s back, and Applejack galloped away from that place.

Rarity nuzzled her neck, kissed her cheek, whispered sweet words she couldn’t understand, all while Applejack galloped at extreme speeds, passing all sorts of vistas, battlefields, cities, monsters, cosmos, armies, and nothing stopped her. For her Princess, she would fight anything.

A titan slain. An army laid to rest. The walls of a fortress, broken through.

All while her Princess clung to her lovingly.

They stopped at a glade, fire surrounded the forest, but they were safe, untouched, on a field of flowers illuminated by moon, stars and fire. Applejack breathed heavily, still standing, bleeding, wounded, but forever standing.

Her Princess dismounted her, and examined her with that ever so loving smile.

And again, the Knight remained still, allowing the Princess to do as she wanted. Rarity kissed her wounds, nuzzled her bruises, and it was as if they were simply not there anymore, healed completely.

Once more, they sat face to face, muzzle to muzzle. There was one more wound to heal, and one more kiss to be bestowed, and Applejack once again allowed Rarity to do as she wanted.

The kiss they shared was long, matched with an embrace, passionate, yet, not desperate.

They let go, and leaned foreheads together, looking at each other. There was a stillness on the Knight’s heart. She should have felt guilty, she should have been homesick, she should have simply foregone any and all distractions and wanted to leave that place. But as they leaned on each other, Applejack felt her heart at rest.

“‘Cause it’s you.” The Knight affirmed.

“And me.” The Princess completed.

“This is how it should be.” They both spoke in unison.

Another kiss, another embrace, they tumbled down and rolled on the field of flowers, intertwined, embraced by wings, closer than ever before.

Rarity was the sun, and Applejack orbited around her. Desperately, tragically, Rarity was the sky itself, occupying her entire field of view, inescapable, once more, once desperately more, she commanded, “Eyes on me, darling.” And her Knight followed this command without question.

What proceeded was an experience and extension of love and desire that the Peasant had never lived before, completely intertwined with her Princess, fiercely and with passion; Something she had never even considered sharing with another.

It took all of Applejack’s willpower and considerable strength to force herself to wake up from that extremely vivid dream nightmare before the two of them had gone any further, no matter how much she wanted to.

She woke up, exhilarated, horrified, at rest, exhausted, wracked with guilt, a flustering mess.

And of course, her first sense was that of smell. Rarity’s flowery perfume was as if all over her, embracing her.

“Oh, horsefeathers.” Applejack managed to mutter, wiping sweat off her brow, trying her absolute best to get a grasp on reality, returning to the moment she was meant to be, to the want she should have, to the home she should be desiring to return to. until she noticed.

The Princess, asleep peacefully, was clinging to her side.

Applejack froze like a statue. Forgetting to breathe.

First instinct: Leave. Scoot away. Run away, even. Distance yourself from this siren, from this distraction, from this gorgeous, beautiful problem.

Second instinct: Don’t you dare wake her up.

She remembered to breathe, as she looked around, getting her bearings. They were sleeping in a cave, Pinkie was snoring quietly on the corner, the first lights of dawn cut through trees outside of it. Applejack considered whispering for Pinkie to save her, but quickly gave up on this notion, fully aware the Bard would not wake up with just a whisper.

Focussing on anything was impossible. The Princess held her. Mind and body. There was even a strand of her hair that had entangled itself on her neck.

The Peasant once again tried suppressing it, everything. All those feelings, all those distractions, that nightmare, that dream, anything, everything. Think about home.

But as she glanced at the Princess’s quiet and peaceful breaths, with her mane reflecting the light of dawn beautifully, She came to a painful realization that she had been attempting to avoid and stave off for days.

The realization that she was desperately, completely, entirely, without hesitation or shadow of doubt, in love with Princess Rarity belle.

---

“Honestly darling, we could have probably just outran those timberwolves, you know?” Princess Rarity once more tended to the wounds of her knight, cleaning them and bandaging them with her magic, being careful to remove the oversized splinters that pierced Applejack’s hide after a tussle with the forest beasts. “As much as I enjoyed watching you turn them into sawdust, you’re hurt… Again.”

“I couldn’t take the chance, Princess. They coulda caught up with you. Couldn’t risk it.” The Farmer kept her eyes on Rarity, no matter how much it increased her levels of flustering. She couldn’t bear to have the Princess mutter the words she had so lovingly whispered in her dream that morning, she had no clue what those words would do to her now. And she feared finding out.

The Unicorn sighed with concern. She had seen her Knight hurt too many times, and she didn’t like it. “It’s starting to get tiresome, seeing you wounded and bruised...”

Applejack saw the chance of avoiding the extremely close contact she often had with the Princess whenever she was hurt, and she tried taking it. “H-hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to take care of me like this, I can easily walk around with a few splinters. They really don’t bother me...” It was even worse now that she was fully aware how deep her feelings for Rarity ran.

The Princess did not hesitate. “I insist. I am just expressing concern, dear. At least the bear claw wound from yesterday seems to have healed almost fully …”

“Call it an occupational hazard.” The Peasant’s eyes averted, only for a moment.

“Ugh, maybe I ought to ask Twilight to teach me healing magic when we meet again…” For a moment, Rarity regretted her own lack of ability and magical prowess.

“I don’t imagine that in a princess's life that’d be mighty useful. This is kind of an outlier, ain’t it?” After all, This was all temporary. In a few days time, they would simply live their lives and never see each other again.

“Oh, r-right. Yes. Perhaps...” She had forgotten. She had forgotten that being side by side with her Knight would not be something eternal.

Pinkie simply stood a bit farther away from them, leaning on a mossy rock, noting down things in her sketchbook as usual, observing the two of them.

Rarity smiled, whispering. “What do you think she writes on that little notebook of hers?”

“I have no idea.” She lied, containing a chuckle. She knew what was on it, apart from song ideas and random scrawlings, extensive notes on the behaviors of the Princess and the Peasant.

A bit more time passed in silence, With the peasant remaining as flustered as she was when it started, containing herself. Centering her mind in an attempt to think of anything else, and failing.

And finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Princess was done. “There you go, handsome. Top form as usual!” Rarity poked her fuzzy chest with a hoof and a smile, and Applejack had to contain herself not to flinch.

“T-thanks again, Princess.” Finally, a respite from looking at those hypnotizing azure eyes.

“Wait! Oh no no no! Applejack, look!” Rarity gasped, taking the Farmer’s hat off her head, and displaying it; it seemed that in the fight against the Timberwolves, the hat had been torn in more than one place.

The Peasant’s eyes widened with sorrow, her stomach sinking. She had taken care of this gift for so long, and now due to her recklessness, it was ruined.

As if her mind was being read, the Princess was quick to action. “Don’t worry dear! I’ll have this mended in just a few minutes. It’ll be good as new!” She joyfully pranced, summoning her suitcase and taking off her sewing supplies.

“T-thank you…” Her strength had left her with the sudden accident. She simply stood there, for a few seconds, being thankful for having a professional seamstress with her.

Then, an idea. This was the perfect moment for it.

“While you do that, I’m gonna have a chat with Pinkie. Give us a bit!”

Rarity was already diligently working. “Alrighty dear, I will be done in moments! Stay within eyeshot!”

“Always!”

At a brisk pace, she walked towards the Bard. “Whatsup, AJ? *ack*” Applejack grabbed her with one hoof, like a stuffed toy, and walked further away from the Princess.

They were resting on a cliffside by a forest, with even more woods below it spreading for miles; with only the hint of a town in the distance that was their destination. Birds, insects, wind on foliage, and even the sound of a distant waterfall falling off the cliff could be heard, on a cacophony of peaceful wilderness. It was a beautiful day.

“Umm Applejack why don’t we just talk near Rarity?” Pinkie protested, unable to squirm out of the grasp of the Farmer.

“Shh. Quiet.”

The Peasant took the Bard further away, keeping an eye on the Princess the entire time, only stopping when she was certain she was out of earshot, but not outside eyeshot.

She set the Bard down in front of her, frequently giving glances to Rarity, who joyfully hummed to herself while repairing her hat.

“Okay, listen here, Pinkie. We gotta be quiet. I need to talk to ya.”

“Yeah, I figured!I can walk though, y’know? Hihi.” Pinkie dusted herself with a giggle. “So whatcha wanna talk about?”

The Peasant hung her head low in shame. “I… I… I fancy her.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “Hmm?”

The Farmer gritted her teeth in frustration. “I fancy her. Rarity.”

Pinkie tilted her head further, this time, teasingly. “Whatever do you mean?”

“I’m in love with Princess Rarity, darnit!!!!” Applejack raised her voice and immediately shut her mouth, glancing at the Princess far away, checking if she had listened, which thankfully she had not.

Pinkie simply stood there. Smugly narrowing her eyes at the Farmer.

Applejack got more nervous, and quite tired of the song and dance, which unfortunately for her was a Bard’s specialty. “Ugh… C’mon, ain’t you gonna tell me ‘I told you so’ or somethin’?”

Pinkie chuckled. “Aww c’mon, silly! I’m not gonna tell you I told you so!” She grabbed her banjo. “I’m gonna SING it!”

I was right and you were wrong
This is the pinkie's right song

And i saw with absolute clarity
that you're in love with Princess Rar–

Applejack snatched the banjo off her hands drastically. “Are you outta yer MIND?!!!” She nervously glanced at the Princess once more, sighing in relief that she seemed to be none the wiser, working diligently.

Pinkie giggled enthusiastically. “It's been well over a WEEK since i’ve been waiting to sing this!! You’re a dang slowpoke with your feelings, y’know that? So how are you gonna tell her?”

“Tell her what?!” The Peasant wiped sweat off her brow, handing over the banjo.

“That you’re in love with her, silly!” Pinkie skipped around, letting her excess energy and joy out.

The Peasant tried her best but failed to not be exasperated. “Why in the hay would I do that?? I’m here to talk to you cause I need to fix this; Do you think she put a spell on me?! Or maybe used some kinda potion or somethin?! Or some of those fandangled pheromonenes?!”

The Bard was a little concerned about how badly the Farmer was taking it. “Um AJ, it really isn’t like that…”

Applejack raved, unstable. “She’s in my head like a catchy song, Pinkie!!! Can she read my thoughts?! She tells me to sit, I sit!! She tells me to fight, I fight!! She tells me to look, and… And I can't look away…!!” She took a glance at the Princess once more, who continued to work with efficiency and pride. Tried as she might, she couldn’t shake the images of her dream.

Pinkie tried comforting her. “Applejack, I get it, this is your first time in love, but I promise you Rarity isn’t doing any shenanigans. Any and all attraction ya feel to her is 100% Her swag!”

The Peasant’s frustration turned to anger. “I traveled half across Equestria in a week! I fought a dragon without sweatin’!! I should be able to resist some Prissy-Princess’s bewitchin’ attempts!!!!!“

“Yeah, but that Princess is Rarity, though…” Pinkie gave her a warm conciliating smile, a light chuckle.

Applejack exhaled, losing her manic energy, as she watched her love work. She laid on the floor, covering her flustered face with her hooves. “I had a nightmare, Pinkie. A nightmare where I left my home and family to be with her. Where I could be someone I'm not. Where I was her knight, forever. And gosh, did I like it. I liked it so much. I liked it too much.” She couldn’t help but smile slightly, at the sheer remembrance and fluster of the night before.

Pinkie laid on the floor with her, smiling empatheticaly. “Sounds like a pretty good dream…”

The Peasant dragged her hooves on the floor. “I ain’t ever seeing her again, in just a day or two. I know that in my heart. I should take that as assurance that I'll go back home to be with my family!! But why does it hurt so much? Why the hell did I hafta feel like this... I’ve never, ever felt like this…!!”

There were pieces of her heart missing. Rarity took them. “I’ve shrugged off arrows, blades, and monster claws. B-but i can’t fucking endure some… some Feelings?!” A flash of frustration towards herself.

Pinkie remained as sympathetic as she possibly could. “It’s love, AJ. Love can hurt like hell, sometimes, equal to the amount of good feelings you get outta it… This is more than just a crush, that much even I can see. It’s pretty legendary, if I do say so myself…!”

Her voice was low. No energy in her words. No desire. “My family needs the reward money, Pinkie. I need her to marry that Prince… That horrible, disgustin’, vile Prince…” She looked directly at the Princess, forlorn.

The Bard remained quiet, listening to the Farmer’s rant. “I Didn’t tell her that the Prince is a horrible disgustin’ pony cause’ I needed her to marry him. ‘Cause if she doesn’t, me and my family lose everything!! B-but how can I say I love her and just. Doom her to a life like that?! I– Oh, tarnation, how could I possibly ask her to marry that flim-flam Prince piece of garbage?!! For my monetary incentive?? Dooming her to a life bound to that bastard?! What have I become?! A-am I dishonest?? I’m no better than that royal prick!!” Applejack found herself panicking with realization after realization.

“Easy!! Easy! Calm down, breathe, girl!” The Bard calmed her down, forcing her to breathe. Pinkie attempted to speak softly. “If it makes you feel better, it is what she wants… Even if she might change her mind, once she meets him…”

Applejack felt a profound hurt pierce her like a harpoon. “If she doesn’t marry him, I lose everythin… But if she does, I lose her. Oh, consarn it, this hurts. I don’t know what to do… B-but… It’s her choice. It’s not like she’d love me back, anyways, I just… Ugh. I just couldn’t stand her bein’ unhappy. I couldn’t live with myself. If I were to hurt her in any way, I… I…” She exhaled, shaking her head, with unstable breathing.

Pinkie walked over to her and hugged her. She did not reciprocate, but appreciated it wholeheartedly.

With a few moments of silence, after another exhale, The Farmer spoke, standing up with determination. “I… It doesn’t matter. I need her to marry him. For the sake of my family. I need her to.” She spoke, through gritted teeth, in pain.

The Bard tilted her head. “Sure, that’s what you need. But what do you want?”

Applejack looked directly at her object of desire, who was currently doing her a generous favor out of the kindness of her heart. The most beautiful Unicorn in all of Equestria, doing her a favor, just because. She forced herself to turn away. How could a mere Peasant be so blinded?

She gritted her teeth, frowning, trying to convince herself, trying to move. “W-what I want don’t matter. It never did. I got a job to do. The Princess sure as hell doesn't love me, so my feelings over her don’t matter either. I’m just a Peasant. Nothin’s changed. I just need to focus, keep a level head, and–”

“You’re her Knight, AJ.” Pinkie stated earnestly.

Applejack forced herself to endure self inflicted pain. “So what. That’s just a pet name for her temporary bodyguard. It don’t mean nothin’.”

“You’re the only one she calls dear.”

“What?”

Pinkie grabbed her notebook, already shuffling for her next arguments. “She calls everyone darling. But you’re the only one she calls dear.”

“Um– What does that have to do–”

Pinkie flipped through pages, a non stop barrage of observations. “She sang a love song directed at you in a crowd full of people. She tore pieces of her dresses to heal your wounds, over and over. She gets handsy with you despite her already having demonstrated a dislike for dirt and sweat; She purposely keeps picking new and different activities to stall and take our time, to slow us down so she can spend more time with you!!! And don’t even get me STARTED on the dancing–”

Applejack forced her down. “STOP. Pinkie. Stop. It’s worse.”

The little bard was undignified. “What do you mean, it’s worse?!!”

“It’s worse if she loves me!!” She snarled.

Pinkie believed in the power of love. This was an insult to her. “How could it possibly be worse if she loves you!!!??”

Applejack was angry. This entire situation was enragifying. “I can’t be the mare that stops her from living her dreams of being a princess! I couldn’t ruin her life like that!!! If she stayed with me all of her dreams would crumble, ‘cause of ME! And if I stayed with her, my family, my home would be done!! DONE!! Because of ME! I can’t live with that!! I got nothin’ to offer her except poverty and apples! And I– I can’t even consider– It’s WRONG, for me to even consider loving her more than my family. I couldn’t. It’d be WORSE!”

Pinkie scoffed. “Girl have you looked in a mirror? You got *plenty* to offer!!”

The Farmer groaned and shook her head. “This ain’t about LOOKS pinkie! Think about this for a second; ‘Oh hi, most gorgeous Unicorn in all of Equestria! I know you’re betrothed to a Prince and you will finally have everythin’ you ever wanted in the high life, but how about you drop all that and come stay with me on a muddy farm that’s gonna be bulldozed! Stay with me please!’ Can’t you see how STUPID that is?!”

“You’re not giving her or yourself any credit!!”

“Listen!! Our lives are just… Complete opposites! Ugh. It’s like if… If we were two trains, and if we got even a bit close– CRASH! Inevitable!!” And oh, how she longed for that crash.

Pinkie frowned, pouting. “Have the days you’ve spent with her since you met her felt like a crash?! Because despite the bandits and the monsters and general misadventures, you smiled more than I had ever seen you smile before her!!!”

The two friends looked at each other angrily in silence for a moment, breathing heavily. Applejack, inside, was enraged at herself for even ever concidering that she could love something, someone more than her family. The guilt that haunted her by that mere suggestion enraged her. No matter how true it was.

“Tell her how you feel, AJ.”

“No. I ain’t, and you ain’t gonna, either.” The Farmer’s significant frame and tone was more than enough to convince.

“It’s worse if she loves me. And I ain't sayin’ this ‘cause I believe she does, not by a long shot. I’m sayin’ it’s worse if she loves me, ‘cause it means I'd have to break her heart by choosing my family over her.” She looked at the Princess, suppressing everything, using all of her considerable strength to not feel. “From now on, She ain’t my sugarcube. She ain’t my love. She’s been a massive, unervin’, annoying, generous, kind, gosh darn gorgeous, stunning distraction this entire trip. But I need her to just be a job for me. I need this to be over...”

“But it’s not what you want, is it?” The Bard felt anger and pity, trying to be understanding.

The Farmer looked down, quietly. “Like I said. What i Want and feel don't matter. It never has, never will. I’m just a Peasant, Pinkie. And it’s about time this Peasant goes home…” She exhaled, and started moving back towards the Princess, intent on just being professional for the rest of the trip.

Pinkie groaned and screamed through gritted teeth. “Applejack you are unbELIEVABLE!!! I’ve met ROCKS less stubborn than YOU!!! UGH!!!” It always hurt her to see a friend hurting, even more so if her friends were hurting themselves. The Farmer ignored her.

The Peasant was set, and she wasn’t going to back down.

Rarity beckoned her gleefully. “Yooohooo, are you two all done mingling? Because your hat is as good as new, dear!” She said, bringing the hat forward with her teeth, doing a bat of eyelashes and a flip of her mane.

Applejack was going to dedicate every ounce of her strength to stave off the Princesses charm. From now on, they were just friends at best. A job at worst. She averted eye contact as if Rarity was a gorgon.

The Farmer picked her hat back up. It was indeed good as new. “Thanks Princess, I mean it. You did a really damn good job, as usual. Let’s get goin, alright? I wanna be past that town way before nightfall. We’re closer than ever.”

Rarity could notice the change in demeanor. And she could notice how upset Pinkie looked, too. “Umm… Are you two fighting? It would be simply dreadful–”

“We’re fine.”

Applejack was a lot of things, but cold wasn’t one of them. It took an inordinate amount of effort for her to go against her nature. And yet, she forced herself to.

And Rarity could tell.

---

“Ugh, finally, the town gates. If we hustle, we can be at Prince Blueblood’s castle by tomorrow, late, but there. Let’s go.” Applejack continued heading forward steadfast, a bit faster than usual, her friends had to sprint to keep up, at times.

“Oh, but couldn’t we check some of these shops before we go, dear?” Rarity looked around at the lovely town, window shopping.

Much to her disappointment, Applejack ignored the request. “It’s late, Princess. Most shops are closed already, besides, we ain’t exactly swimmin’ in bits, and we need to set up camp, remember?” She continued to move.

The town was quite lovely, surrounded by stone walls, at the cliffside of a mountain. There seemed to be some sort of bazaar recently, as plenty of ponies still gathered their belongings and unmade their stands. Lights were already on, as the sun was setting, giving the sky a purple hue, and the streets were emptying.

But Applejack didn’t pay attention to any of it. She walked forward with single minded determination once more. The town gates had a checkpoint with guards, once they got past that, they could look for a place to set up camp for the night, and her worries for the day would be over. Nothing else mattered.

“Umm… Girls, come take a look at this…!” Pinkie’s voice had a tinge of fear, as she stopped Rarity to look at a wall. Applejack blew air from her nostrils in frustration. “Can we please not—”

“Darling. It’s you…” She picked up a poster on the wall with her magic, a wanted poster, that had Applejack’s face on it. Besides it, Rarity’s face.

The Farmer’s eye twitched. Another complication, another annoyance.

Pinkie beckoned them into an alleyway so they could examine it in private, and with some reluctance, She joined them.

WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE: THE PEASANT KNOWN AS APPLEJACK

FOR SUSPICION OF KIDNAPPING: PRINCESS RARITY BELLE

REWARD FOR CAPTURE OR DEATH WILL ONLY BEEN RELAYED IF PRINCESS RARITY BELLE IS RETURNED SAFELY

- BY THE DECREE OF PRINCE BLUEBLOOD.

REWARD: ONE MILLION BITS

Rarity gazed at the poster with wide eyed concern. “Oh no no, Applejack dear, this is bad, this is really bad…! They got your jawline all wrong!” Somehow that was on her priority list.

“Looks like your contract is open now… How come I don't get a poster?” Pinkie took a lip to her hooves, also with confusing priorities.

Applejack gritted her teeth, taking her hooves to her temples, with a mix of anger and frustration. “Goddamnit dagnabbit that razza frazzin motherfu– we took too long and now he thinks I kidnapped you!! GODDAMNIT! I knew we shoulda moved faster, ugh—” The Princess brought a hoof to her cheek, instantly halting her from speaking.

“We will deal with this, dear. You rescued me from that tower, you’ve kept me safe all this time, that reward is yours, and yours alone.” She spoke gently, yet sternly, assuring her. The Farmers cheeks went red as she averted her eyes. “Thanks, Princess. We gotta think of—”

“Halt, you three!” the three of them flinched, as two guards entered the alleyway. One looked at the other. “What did I tell ya?! It's them!”

The three friends froze up. The guards beckoned their prize. “You there, princess Rarity, you may step away from the criminal, you are free now! We are here to take you to safety! And as for you, Peasant, we are bringing you in! We’d prefer to do so Peacefully rather than violently. But we’ll do it violently if we must.” In response to this, Rarity only got closer to her.

“Ya ain’t cuffin’ me.” The Peasant snarled, blowing air from her nostrils, ready for a fight. Pinkie was already hiding behind her.

The Princess attempted appealing to them, as she leaned on the Farmer. “Please, guards. There has been a terrible mixup. Applejack here is my rescuer, not my kidnapper! I owe her my life!”

The two guards looked at eachother with confused looks, “She’s a wanted criminal. And the reward for your rescue is high. We’re taking you in.”

Rarity got frustrated. “You don’t understand!--” Applejack stepped in front of her, addressing her friends, while narrowing her eyes, measuring her opponents.. “They don't care for us or the truth in the slightest, Princess. They’re just in it for the reward.”

Rarity scoffed at them, disgusted by their greed. The guards shrugged. “One million bits is a lot to pass up. We can’t afford to care about semantics. Last chance. Are you coming quietly or will we have to call the others? I assure you neither of us will mind seeing the Peasant hanged for her crimes, whether or not she is innocent; Not with a prize that big on the line.”

The visual that manifested in Rarity’s head was unpleasant. She shivered in anger.

Pinkie snickered mischievously from behind her friends. “If they’re just in it for the reward, they won’t call for backup, ‘cause they’d have to share it.”

The guards started sweating, due to the Farmer towering over them confidently. “Ain’t that somethin’...!” She said, smiling at them menacingly.

Rarity frowned at the guards, rageful at their lack of integrity. “Go get 'em, handsome.” And with that command, Applejack pounced.

Two guards knocked out with extreme prejudice and stuffed in a trashcan later, the three friends peeked out of the alleyway and into the town exit, the checkpoint they needed to get through. It was indeed swarmed with city guards, preparing for their night shift.

Applejack stepped forward, getting ready to charge like a bull, angrily dragging her hooves on the ground.. “Princess, climb on. We’re goin through, I don’t care if they try to–”

“STOP. Applejack dear, slow down. Let’s think about this.” Rarity stopped her on her tracks.

The Peasant exhaled in frustration, following her command. “Princess, we’ve gotta go through here. I ain’t slowin’ down after discovering I'm a criminal!!”

Rarity was not having it, placing a hoof in her chest, which although added no weight, froze her in place. “Darling, that is exactly why I am not interested in seeing the unfair price on your head raise any further! You are not a criminal, so let us think of another way!”

The Bard pondered, observing the town’s walls. “Maybe we could sneak back the way we came and go around the walls? Or further away…?”

The Farmer shook her head. “Too big of a detour, Pinkie! The sun’s already setting, we can’t go wastin’ any more time walkin’ around rocky hills in the dark!”

The Princess looked around, lost in thought, formulating a plan. The gears in her head turned swiftly. “Disguises. Follow me, darlings, I've got an idea!”

---

“This really ain’t necessary, I could just break through those gates… And I don’t see how this ain’t gonna make us criminals, either!” Applejack nervously glanced around as they approached a boutique that had already closed for the day.

The streets were already clear, with very few ponies walking around at night, but they still had ample reason to be cautious.

Rarity was already scanning the clothing store’s exteriors, judging it from top to bottom with an excited smile. She was about to be in her element.

As they found a more secluded backdoor into the building, Applejack got ready to buck it down. “Alright, stand back, y’all.”

Rarity commanded her to stop, which the Farmer obeyed implicitly. “Stand down, dear! We can use a bit more decorum for this, don’t you think?” She said, getting in between her and the door, preparing something else.

She removed a bobby pin from her hair, and with magic, started lockpicking.

“Since when can ya pick locks??” The Peasant was in disbelief.

The Princess smiled as she fidgeted with the lock, reliving old skills.“There’s lots of things I could do before I became high class, darling. And I make it a habit to not forget anything I've learned!”

The Bard giggled. “Wow, you’re pretty awesome, Rarity! I was just gonna toss a rock through the window, hihihi.”

The Farmer was still in slight shock. “Well I’m just–” And with a Click, she stopped talking. The door was open, and The Princess made her way inside.

She moved as if she had considered every motion in advance, with a gentleness, and yet, efficiency. First order of business, making sure every window and door was shut and covered, and then, with the light of her horn, she summoned her suitcase, and already started picking several items from the stands all around them, humming to herself. The two friends, on the other hand, were apprehensive. Especially the Farmer, who found herself having to measure her steps carefully due to her size; fearing that the entire shop was made of glass and she could knock everything down with a single misstep; alerting the whole town.

The Bard, pinkiely, yet quietly, skipped about, looking around. “Oh man!! I wonder what kind of disguise I should wear!!”

Applejack looked around concerned, feeling completely out of her element. “Pinkie, ya don’t need a disguise. Me and the Princess are the only ones with our faces plastered around!”
Rarity chuckled, as she already prepared her work and ideas diligently. “She has a point, darling! Let us not dawdle!”

The Bard gave them the biggest pout of sadness, which was, unfortunately for her, not enough to convince either of them. She counted her losses and simply looked around, finding anything to entertain herself while being quiet.

The Peasant glanced over at the Unicorn from a distance, unsure. “So whatcha thinkin, Princess? ‘Cause I have no idea what i’m doin’ here…”

Rarity giggled, as she took some items from her suitcase, already moving some articles of clothing into a folded bundle, and even leaving some bits on the counter that equated to the amounts that they were ‘borrowing.’ “Don’t worry darling, I'll take care of everything. And speaking of which, time to do something I've been meaning to for a long time!” as she spoke, she conjured a bundle of measuring tapes from the suitcase. The Farmer recoiled slightly, putting two and two together.

The Princess approached her once more with the same sway on her step, the same bounce on her mane, and the same confident smile; She was the only source of pale blue light inside the store, making her the center of everything. “Stand still dear, this will only take a moment!” And so, with that command, her Knight froze implicitly.

Rarity had been waiting to have a reason to do this. To wrap measuring tape around her Knight’s sturdy limbs and flank, to get very much closer, studying her from top to bottom, as if to memorize every freckle in her fur. Joyfully and mischievously ‘accidentally’ rubbing herself on her, or perhaps even dragging her tail along her flank.

All while Applejack stood completely and utterly still. Unable to force her mind to be elsewhere, she could at least simply keep reactions to a minimum, hoping the Princess would not notice how flustered she was, or how she was sweating more than the normal amount for a pony to be inside a cold boutique at night.

The Princess diligently memorized all she needed, and with a smile and a last tail whip, started heading for the changing rooms, taking some clothes with her. “Alright darlings, be a dear and watch for any possible intrusions while I prepare my disguise! And I’ll do you later, dear.”

“Do me what? Huh?” Applejack’s ears flicked in confusion.

“Shh. Just stand guard, I will prepare my outfit, then I’ll prepare yours!” The Princess smiled, before closing the blinds of the changing room. The only source of light for the boutique came from the narrow strips of moonlight that were starting to peek from below the curtains of the windows, and from the reflections of Rarity’s horn, inside the changing room, in which she was already gleefully humming while working on.

As Pinkie walked around the shop quietly, looking around with curiosity, Applejack found herself standing outside of the changing room at a respectable distance, unsure what she was waiting for. Seconds ticked away as she felt a tinge of anxiety over more time wasted. And furthermore, she was getting a flashback to the last time the Princess prepared an outfit; How much her beauty shocked her, again, again, again……

Her nervousness commanded her to say something, anything. “Princess, how much longer you gonna be on there? Night’s fallin, and i don’t reckon–”

“Down, girl. Beauty demands patience.” Rarity stated simply, and much to Applejack's frustration, she found herself sitting down instinctively. As a nervous reaction, she considered standing up, realizing how much of a fool she looked; but then, a secondary realization, that Pinkie would definitely notice her standing up right after sitting down for ‘no reason’.

And so, to her own frustration, she sat patiently, awaiting her Princess, shutting her eyes in an attempt to not think of what would come next.

After more moments of strange reserved silence, with the only sounds coming from inside the changing room, the blinds finally opened, revealing Rarity. The only light in the room came from her, and it reflected on the mirror behind her, almost giving her a halo. “How do I look? Inconspicuous, don’t you think?”

To no one’s surprise, least of all Applejack’s, she looked beautiful. She had a spring dress adorned with subtle silhouettes of red roses, while wearing a simple gardening hat that adorned decorations of red roses within it; and a scarf tied neatly around her neck. What stood out the most was that she chose to wear her sewing glasses as part of her disguise, but also her hair was loosely tied in a bob behind her head, leaving a couple strands of it to flow on the right side of her face, curling up.

To Applejack, nothing about this was inconspicuous. Certainly, some could say Rarity was adorning a more ordinary look, but, were they in a crowd, Applejack could spot her in it easily.

The Peasant forgot to comment, using all her energy to suppress the surprise of how beautiful she was. “Go on, dear, don’t be shy!”

The Farmer blinked a couple times. This wasn’t the time for swooning or complimenting or anything in between. This was just a job, and they needed to get a move on. “It’s nice. This’ll probably work. So what are we doin’ for me?”

A brief moment where Rarity narrowed her eyes, having once again noticed her Knight’s different demeanor. She chose to not comment on it, instead moving things forward. “What happens now, darling, is that you come in here so that I may dress you up.” She gave her a mischievous smile, with a tilt of her head and a raise of an eyebrow.

Applejack’s eyes widened as her heart beat faster. The Princess was beckoning her into a very tight space, with a brush at the ready and multiple clothes already sorted.

Something, anything to escape being on this tight spot with her. “Um– Princess, I don't think we’ll both fit in there, I'm a bit too big--”

“Nonsense, darling. I don’t mind the tight fit. Come along now, there’s no time to lose!” She declared with a smile on her face.

The Peasant stood firmly, as her limbs begged her to move, and she considered if there was any other form of escape. From across the shop, Pinkie whispered to the two. “Have fun, you two! Enjoy the tight space! I’m gonna be all the way over here where I won't hear anything you both might do in there!” She giggled, fully aware of how Applejack might be feeling at the moment. Divine payback.

The Farmer grumbled, annoyed at how much Pinkie would enjoy this moment, and how there might be no escape.

“Applejack.” Rarity garnered her attention immediately. With a swift tap of her hoof on the floor, and a simple nod, she commanded her Knight to come, and was obeyed implicitly. In the few seconds that followed as she walked over to her, a part of her screamed to get away from this distraction, but the other part couldn’t help but feel excitement over being in a tight space with her princess.

Rarity positioned her Knight with a back turned to the mirror, so she couldn’t see the dressing process, but instead had to focus primarily on her. Applejack’s large frame was indeed squeezing against the corners of the changing room, recoiling from the touch of the Princess, with an occasional thud that would shake the foundations of the flimsy wooden cubicle, backed into a corner, one she was not allowed to escape from. She was flustered through the whole thing, while Rarity only smiled at the proximity.

Obviously, Rarity could tell that Applejack's demeanor was not what it usually was. "honestly, I don't know why you're giving me your frowny eyebrows..."

Almost with a slight cough of someone trying not to bring attention to themselves, the Farmer looked away. "I, Um, dunno what you mean. so what's this makeover about?" She deflected.

“I’m going to change up your hair, and give you a proper outfit, and then we’ll be done. Don’t worry, you’re in good hooves, dear. And no peeking at the mirror! You wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, would you?” The Princess almost whispered, with an extra silky tone of sweetness that dripped on her Knight like honey. Even her own face was getting a bit redder, being so close. The Peasant’s breathing was a bit unsteady, as she used all her concentration not to think about all the unspeakable things they could do to each other in such a tight space. She mustered all of her mental defenses so as to allow this moment to pass as fast as possible; And still, unable to escape the mental images of her dream from the night before.

Rarity started preparing a bit of makeup, which Applejack naturally recoiled from. “P-princess, I ain’t never wore makeup before; I could be allergic for all we know, ya sure about this?”

In response, the Princess only giggled. “Relax, darling. I’ll go easy on the makeup, you’re not ready to be that far yet, and besides, I hardly think you need much of it. It is only a cherry on top for the disguise!” The response reassured her Knight, if only a little bit.

Rarity’s magic danced lovingly around the tight space, reflecting on the mirror behind them, as she grinned flirtatiously, undoing Applejack’s braid and brushing her hair, removing her hat and giving her new articles of clothing to wear, all while her Knight obeyed quietly.

Only when Rarity started tidying up her hair and changing how it was bound is that Applejack attempted to glance at the mirror behind them, to get a glimpse of how she was looking.

A mistake that was swiftly reprimanded, as Rarity brought her face forward with a single hoof tug, and whispered those sweet, haunting words: “Eyes on me, darling.”

There it was, once more. The command. Applejack had wondered before, how she would feel if those words were whispered to her once more, after the dream, and at this moment, she found out.

Her entire hide shivered as she felt as if she was melting. Her entire body felt warm, and she let out a sigh unlike any she had before, with her gaze fixed on the Princess’s azure eyes, and Rarity’s hoof resting gently on her cheek; For a brief moment, she belonged to Rarity completely, heart, mind and body. And the Princess could notice the change in demeanor, coming even closer with a mischievous smile.

Applejack blinked, and as her guilt took over, she wrestled for control desperately, clumsily attempting to back up; shaking the walls of the changing room violently; and then freezing completely, with unstable breathing.

“Applejack, what’s wrong?” The Princess tilted her head in concern, resting a hoof on her Knight’s fuzzy chest, which she flinched from.

The Farmer didn’t answer, as she attempted to break out of that entranced state, shaking her head, blinking multiple times, turning her head away from her.

Rarity approached and hugged her sweetly, rubbing her mane on Applejack’s neck, whispering reassurances. “It’s okay. We’re almost done. It’s okay.” The Peasant’s breathing steadied, as she suppressed the urge, the need, the want, to hug back tightly.

“S-sorry, Princess. I’m just uh— I just got a l-little claustrophobic.” The Farmer muttered clumsily, attempting to rebuild her mental defenses that had been so swiftly demolished.

Rarity changed her demeanor as well, backing up from her a bit and putting on a more serious face, after muttering another “It’s okay.” She continued to brush Applejack’s mane quietly, frustrated that their eyes weren’t meeting once more.

Applejack gritted her teeth, angry at herself for having succumbed so easily. She allowed herself to be dressed fully, without words, attempting to finalize the reconstruction of her mental defenses again. Why, why, why did it feel, yet again, like Rarity was plucking pieces of her heart with ease? And why did she like it so much?

The quiet continued, until Rarity inhaled, with a stern look that could almost resemble a frown, looking deep into Applejack’s green eyes. She spoke up simply and plainly.

“Why haven’t you called me sugarcube today?”

And with that simple question, all of the Farmer’s mental defenses collapsed swiftly once more.

The implications of the question were many, despite being clear. The implications of any response she gave would also be quite clear, despite being many.

Her first instinct: Tell the truth. State that she is trying, with all her considerable strength, to not be in love with Rarity. And that this meant pulling away from any and all of her sweet affections, no matter how much this might hurt; And what's more, it meant attempting to be as professional as they could together, no more cute little nicknames or familiarities, she needed to keep Rarity outside of arm's length, no matter how much she desired to be closer than ever before.

Her second instinct: Deny it. Chock it up to being a coincidence, that she was imagining things. There was absolutely no way that Rarity would buy it. It was clear that her observational and analytical skills were too strong to simply let a little lie pass by, especially considering how bad Applejack was at lying.

Her third instinct: Get confrontational. Say that it was just a nickname, that it didn’t mean anything, and that she wasn’t owed it, all of which would be an incredibly poorly constructed lie, and even more importantly, Applejack would rather throw herself into a thousand manticores than hurt Rarity’s feelings.

Her fourth, and final instinct: Fold. The Princess requested this affection. And so, she would have it. Nothing good would come from lying, and it wouldn’t even work, given how bad Applejack was at it. Parts of the truth would have to do.

All of Applejack’s plans and instincts changed in nearly an instant. Being cold wasn’t working. It was extremely outside of her area of expertise, and the Princess could read her like a book. Rarity tilted her head, raising an eyebrow, awaiting for her knight’s response, with a stern look.

For a moment, she considered her options, and came to the realization that acting like it was business as usual, wouldn't be the worst choice; after all, if her feelings didn’t matter, and the Princess didn’t love her, all of their affections were platonic. As long as she could control herself, there was no danger.

The Peasant cleared her throat, keeping her heart in check, as she formulated a response that wouldn't give much away, but was also truthful.

“I’m… I’m sorry, sugarcube. I had a pretty… strange dream tonight, and it… It left me in a real bad mood. I shouldn’t have let it frazzle me. It’s my fault. You got nothin’ to worry about. I’m sorry….” She hung her head low, shamefully, embarrassed at her way of acting the whole day.

Rarity sighed, with a slight smile appearing in her lips, and she went back to her diligent brushing. “It’s quite alright, dear. It hurts me to see you upset, you know? Would you like to talk about your dream?”

Applejack looked away, reliving flashes of being intertwined with her in the dream of the night before. “I’m, uh, I think it’s best I didn't, I just want to forget it.” She lied.

The Princess nodded, agreeing to do whatever comforted her knight best. She continued her work quietly for a little while longer, both of them smiling sheepishly.

Rarity got a little closer to her, not making eye contact, as she muttered softly. “For a moment, it almost felt as if you wanted to get rid of me faster. Such a ridiculous notion… Unbecoming of my knight. After all… I am not done with you yet.” Then and only then, she stopped her work, she smiled, making direct eye contact, as they remained quiet for a few moments.

With a final brush stroke, she smiled even harder, proud of her work. “Now I'm done!”

Applejack, taken back, was unsure of whether she could look at her reflection or not. Only when her Princess led her gaze to the mirror did she dare to look.

It was entirely different. Once again, it felt as if she was adorning new skin. She wore a lovely dress adorned with white roses, and the first thing she could notice about it, is that it complemented her large frame so well, that it almost made her look smaller, more feminine, almost like a completely different pony, despite still towering over the Princess.

She wore a red scarf that contrasted the white dress, but matched the one that Rarity wore; who in itself was white. That’s when she noticed the theming. Red roses for Rarity, White roses for Applejack; even their hats matched.

The final and most important detail. Her mane. It was significantly smoother, yet curlier, in similar fashion to the Princess, it was on a bob at the back of her head, With several loose strands decorating the sides of her face. That, coupled with the make up, made her look… Almost comfortable. As if she lived a life different to hers, one where she wasn’t doing extreme amounts of physical labor everyday.

As she tilted her head, analyzing her every freckle, Rarity giggled a bit. It was as if for once, Applejack was the one obsessed with her appearance.

A memory manifested in her mind. A sepia picture of a younger Granny Smith, enjoying herself at a fair.

Applejack chuckled, making light of it. “I look ridicu-”

And then she stopped. Her eyes widened. It wasn’t just a picture of her grandmother that manifested, but another memory appeared even stronger.

Her mother, Pear Butter, wore a lovely white flower dress as the Apple family rested from a hard day’s work, and she wore her hair the same way. Her gentle smile, her kindness, A younger Applejack wondered if she would ever be capable of inheriting her comforting presence.

“I-I, um, I look…” Her words failed her. She felt a bit choked up, as she managed to look away from her own reflection, exhaling.

“Applejack dear, are you okay? I think you look rather fabulous…” Rarity, concerned, gently placed a hoof on her Knights back.

A smile appeared on the Farmer’s face, she even suppressed a chuckle, as she turned to the Princess. “I look lovely. Thanks, sugarcube. You were right, this is gonna work.”

They left the changing room together, smiling at eachother, being met with Pinkie quietly clapping her hooves. “Wowza!! Talk about a makeover! Nice look, AJ! Alright girls, what's next?”

The Farmer turned to her Princess, knowing the plan was hers, eagerly expecting the next part of it.

The Princess smiled. “Just follow my lead, you two. I’ll do the talking.”

---

They approached the gates that led outside the town walls, Rarity the most confident among them, but neither of the other two felt that nervous. The only reason that Applejack had to feel concerned is that she was a bad liar, and playing a part would be hard for her, if it meant going against her nature.

The Princess greeted the guards as she passed, only being halted by the ones at the gates. “Halt, you three. What are three ladies like you doing, going out into the forest at night?” He questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Rarity smiled, her demeanor less fancy, more friendly, she rubbed herself on Applejack's neck affectionately, and stated, almost rehearsed; “Oh, good evening, darling. Me and my girlfriend just simply loooove taking nightly walks across the forest! We are just passing through. It is such a romantic starry night for a walk, don’t you think?” She said those words, while rubbing herself all over her Knight gleefully.

Applejack froze in place, flustered to oblivion, as the word ‘girlfriend’ bounced around in her head, and oh, she was not ready to act. She was completely unprepared for this.

She wondered how in the world a girlfriend would even act. If she should say or do something. If she should not just stand there, gawking, unable to move.

Then, she came to a simple yet obvious answer, one that she would delight in losing herself to. Applejack’s heart spoke for her. And like it always did, it spoke honestly. There was no hesitation.

“I love you more than anything, sugarcube.” The words flowed out of her smoothly, naturally, without a fuss, as she smiled earnestly, cheeks red, and returned the same nuzzling that Rarity gave her, who responded by giggling and returning the affections even more, kissing her on the cheek a couple times, even. Being told those words by her Knight sent her on an involuntary loving frenzy of cuddles and nuzzles.

Even Pinkie couldn’t help but snicker at the sight. The guard shrugged, and addressed the bard. “And how about you?”

Pinkie took out her guitar and strummed on it, also speaking honestly. “I am the Bard who’s in charge of retelling the beautiful love story of these two!! And what a wonderful story it has been, let me tell ya–”

“Whatever. You may pass, have a good night, ladies.” The guard waved them away, opening the gates, and Pinkie trotted along, as the other two stood still, eye to eye, muzzle to muzzle, with silly grins on their faces.

Once again, Applejack had played a part different from her normal life. And once again she enjoyed it, way too much. And getting to say exactly how she felt, even with just playing a part, it felt good.

Really damn good.

“Told you it would work, handsome.” Rarity whispered with a loving smile, and then simply moved forward, dragging her tail across her Knight’s flank; Once more, taking a piece of Applejack with her.

The Farmer only stood there for a few more moments, gathering herself, before snapping out of it and moving forward with them, into the night.

---

If there was one thing that Applejack was thankful for on this trip, was being able to stargaze again. On her farm, she would often have to be awake early to work hard, which meant going to sleep without considering such sweet small personal joys.

They had found a comfortable cave to rest in for the night, one by a cliffside, and she had chosen to stay outside of it alone, laying on her back, looking at the gorgeous night sky, with a moon that hung low, attempting to rest her thoughts; Testing her constellation knowledge.

She had already gone back to wearing her old hat and gotten out of her dress, but hadn’t yet changed the way her hair looked. The night was indeed beautiful, the lights of the town they had passed were distant, but it was possible to see a couple scintillating shines of cabins here and there, accentuating the woods. Nonetheless, as she heard distant owls and crickets singing about, and even the strum of Pinkie’s harp from inside the cave, she felt rather peaceful; certainly more so and earlier that day.

“Do you mind if I watch the stars with you?” Rarity approached her quietly, and Applejack scooted to give her some room. “Not at all!” For a brief moment, The Farmer was amused at the prospect of a princess laying on the rock, gravel and dirt, but at this point, Rarity seemed to be well adjusted to things like this. She had already removed her disguise, wearing her hair normally.

For a moment, they laid quietly together, looking up. Both of them secretly wishing they might see a shooting star.

“Know any fun constellations?” The Princess egged her on, trying to break the ice.

“Well, I do know one…” Rarity scooted a bit closer, to see where Applejack’s hoof was pointing, neither of the two minded the proximity. “Okay, see those five stars there? Kinda shaped like an upside-down house? Follow the star’s that come from the gap in middle; That’s Rockhoof’s shovel! He was one the legendary heroes of ancient Equestria. Don’t ask me to point out the others, I did not memorize 'em, heh.”

Rarity fidgeted with her mane in slight nerves. She came here to talk about something else, but was still interested in hearing anything Applejack had to say. “Ohh one of the Pillars of Equestria, right?”

The Farmer smiled, reminiscing. “Eyup! My dad used to tell me he was the strongest Earth Pony of all. That he was a reliable, honest and strong pony that many counted on for help. That he saved his entire village from a volcanic eruption with only a shovel! Now that’s a legend!”

Rarity couldn’t help but giggle. “Sounds kind of like you, dear.”

Applejack giggled too. “Pff, sure, but don’t you go tootin’ my horn too, Pinkie did plenty of that when she tried writing songs about me bein’ ‘legendary’ or whatever. How bout’ you, ya know any fun constellations?”

The Princess seemed a bit hesitant and uneasy, as she found the words she needed. “Umm, yes, I do, but Applejack, dear… I have some questions for you, if you don’t mind.”

The Peasant scratched her face with her hoof. Stargazing and quizzes were normal friend things. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to fluster about. This was normal. She was normal. “Is this some sorta quiz, or somethin’?”

Rarity chuckled instinctively, in slight nervousness. “No, no, nothing like that.”

“Ok, then… shoot.”

Only a brief moment of hesitation before the question was asked. “When do we get to the castle of Prince Blueblood?” The Princess averted her eyes from the stars to peek at how Applejack might react.

She only sighed, in minor disappointment over hearing his name. “Tomorrow. Probably when night falls, but we’re nearly there. Don’t worry, you’ll be with your Prince soon enough.”

The Princess remained quiet for a little bit, as she fidgeted with her mane, thinking, wondering if there was any way to slow them down, to take a detour, anything.

She hesitated. Wanting to make the best of each moment. “What will you do once you get the reward?”

Applejack blinked, having forgotten there even was a reward, for a moment. “Well… First thing, gotta return to my farm. We’d have to replace a buncha broken old stuff; getting some new tools might definitely help us around the farm better as well. Maybe use the bits to ensure our business is secured; So we don’t ever have to worry about money again, but otherwise, we’d just sit on it. We ain’t big spenders, y’know? I just wanna know my family will be okay, that my lil sis has a future, where she can enroll in whatever school she wants… Stuff like that. And after… Life’s back to normal, I guess…” She sighed, realising how little she wanted to return to her normal, compared to being with her Princess.

Rarity smiled as she regarded her with adoration. “It’s lovely, seeing how much you care about them…”

Applejack let out another sigh. “That’s family! We don’t leave anyone behind. I… I just need our troubles to be over.” But her want, instead, was another, and she was laying right beside her.

The Princess turned her gaze to the stars. “You know, if I become a Princess, I wouldn't mind endorsing your business. Spreading the name of Sweet Apple Acres…?”

The Peasant let out a chuckle. “That’s real nice of you, but don’t feel like ya owe me for anythin…!”

Rarity scoffed, then placed a hoof on her Knights shoulder. “Oh please, darling. You have done so much for me these past weeks. I hardly imagine one million bits is enough. You deserve more of a reward, don’t you think…? My, you deserve anything you desire.”

The way she said the last part was almost flirtatious. Applejack blinked, averting her eyes from her, she was too close. A small bit of silence passed before she spoke. “Well… If ya ever wanna visit Sweet Apple Acres, i’d be more than happy to show ya around… The others would love to meetcha, I just know it.”

The Princess grinned from ear to ear. “That sounds absolutely delightful, dear.”

Another period of pleasant silence, as they could also hear the sounds of Pinkie playing her harp from inside the cave. If Applejack didn’t know better, she’d think that the Bard was purposely attempting to play romantic ballads. Which she was.

After another period of quiet, the Princess spoke up once more. “I have another question–”

“--Okay, if this is gonna be a quiz, I'd like to ask ya some stuff too. You owe me two, so far!”

With a giggle, Rarity conceded, allowing Applejack to ask whatever she liked.

The Peasant scratched her face with her hoof, considering what she wanted to know. A handful of things certainly came to mind, but she picked one.

“Well… We don’t talk about it much, but I certainly noticed, and I'm curious… Why do ya wanna be an Alicorn? Y’know, a proper Princess?”

Rarity was a bit taken back by the question, as she looked up at the stars.

She took a bit of time ruminating, before replying. “...Well, Hm… Have you ever dominated a room? Had everyone there with their eyes on you, hanging onto every word that you say with respect and admiration? Looking up to you?”

“Can’t say that I have…? But I think I might know what ya mean.”

Rarity danced on her words, as if this was something she thought of daily, and she absolutely did. “Well darling, I can say that I have. More than a couple times. And let me tell you… It is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. I came from nothing, you know? A very small town named Ponyville. Started as a seamstress, then became a tailor… And with that, I started taking care of my family, and then myself. I saw myself shine– how much I could shine. Once I was in high establishments, even in the lower class, I started feeling that desire… And I worked so hard, diligently, day after day, to spread my fame, for more people to know me, for them to hang onto every word that I speak, for them to know my face, what I stand for. For everyone to know of my generosity, kindness, beauty… For everyone to know ‘Princess’ Rarity Belle…”

Applejack nodded respectfully. “I can definitely say I see it. You’re captivatin; And I don’t even know half of what yer capable of. So yer saying you’d want wings cause they’d make you famous?”

Rarity chuckled a bit. “Oh darling, it’s a lot more than fame that I'm after. I suppose it sounds silly, from someone that started so low, but… If I could make myself into a legend through sheer will and hard work, or even if it was also helped by marrying a powerful royal, that would be… That would be everything. It’s almost everything I ever wished for. My, I would be the type of pony everypony should know! I know, it sounds silly…”

The Peasant looked at her, earnestly. “No no no, I don't think it sounds silly at all. You’re incredible, Rarity! I can definitely see that! If anything, I'm surprised yer not sportin’ wings already!”

Her chuckle was more reserved, as her face grew redder, she fidgeted with her mane, and she couldn’t help but smile, and the Farmer thought this was the cutest sight in the world.. “Aw, please darling, you’re just saying that...”

Applejack faked outrage to make light of the situation. “Gasp, Princess Rarity Belle, callin’ me a liar! Unbelievable! Not trustin’ me, Applejack, when I give her a compliment… Scandalous!” Both of them snickered over it.

After a short moment of silence, Rarity spoke up once more, a bit sadly. “It’s always been hard, you know? I’m just a Unicorn. And it’s true, I trained day after day with my magic to make me as dazzling as possible; I’m sure you know what I mean. But having to go meet so many different ponies at galas and parties, more often than not, they thought lowly of me just because of where I came from… A lot of royals and plenty of crystal ponies have disrespected me to my face, spat on my business and dreams, because they didn’t think I was worthy… In a way, having wings would be proof, you know? It’d be proof that they’re all wrong.”

The Farmer felt anger, internally, over the simple idea of others disrespecting Rarity. She blew air from her nostrils and spoke honestly, as she always did. “Oh please. Sure, ya ain’t got wings, yer not made of crystal, and you don’t come from royalty– But in my view, all those prissy ponies were just jealous of ya! ‘Cause despite lackin’ those things, and comin’ from nothing, ya still manage to outshine every single one of them, and ya make it look easy, too!!!”

A brief moment of silence, after Applejack fussed, and she realized the quiet was strange. “Sugarcube?”

She turned, and was surprised; Rarity was staring directly at her, fully turned, with eyes widened that almost seemed to shine as she covered her mouth with a hoof, with a mixture of surprise and adoration, quietly gazing at her Knight like she was everything, which in that moment, she was.

“Um… Rarity?” Applejack tilted her head, getting a little flustered herself, in confusion.

The Princess smiled sheepishly, covering her muzzle with her hair. She spoke quietly, hiding what she felt poorly, as her heart fluttered. “I… no one’s ever said that about m-me before…”

Eye to eye, nearly muzzle to muzzle. Applejack scoffed at the mere idea that people wouldn’t know how good Rarity is. “Well that’s crazy, sugarcube. I’ve literally, in all my life, never seen anypony shine like you.” She turned to the stars, tilting her hat, while Rarity giggled quietly to herself, more flustered than she had ever been.

They stayed a bit longer, in comfortable, yet flustered silence.

The Princess whispered eagerly; As if she simply wanted to hear her Knight’s voice once more. “Y-you still have another question for me, before I ask another to you, dear.”

“Oh! Um..” Applejack gave it some thought, knowing her next question might be a bit too open, or just come off as strange. But after thinking enough about it, she realized she was better off knowing, no matter what.

Despite the hesitation, she spoke. “Well… This might sound like a weird question, but it did bug me for a while. We even had a bet over it, see– well. So here’s the question: Why did you accept it so easily, when we first met… You and me?”

Rarity tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean, darling?”

Applejack sighed, embarrassed about having to explain herself more. “Look, when I first saved you from that tower, and showed you I was a Peasant, me and Pinkie had a bet, you see… I was expecting you to be at the very least disgusted. But… ya weren’t. Q-quite the opposite, actually… And I just wanna know. Why?”

The Princess flustered a bit as she giggled. “Ah, yes. You want to know why I made advances on you even knowing you were a peasant.”

Applejack only nodded quietly, suppressing her awkwardness.

With a sigh and a smile, Rarity decided to explain it in a bit more complicated manners. “You know, I've always been a planner. Making it from poverty to high society was a constant challenge, where I had to frequently plan out the next steps of my life as I lived the stresses of the present. And of course, things didn’t always go as planned… Don’t get me wrong, my plans were often brilliant, but there’s always inconveniences.”

Applejack listened attentively as the Princess spoke. “And you see, I always loved fairy tales; stories of true love and romance. And indeed, one of the best plans for me to rise even further to stardom, was to marry a powerful Prince (or Princess!) that would elevate me, so to speak. It would cross out two dreams with one stone! I would find a powerful love, and my process into being elevated as a true Alicorn Princess would further itself hugely.”

Only a brief pause, for both of their eyes to meet, as she spoke. “But when I met you, well… You simply filled every quota I had for a fairytale true love romance. A valiant Knight that saved me from a dragon and life in captivity… My, I was positively taken back. I was swooning! And that’s the thing too, when you revealed yourself to be a Peasant, i did have my second thoughts; strongly so. After all, this wouldn’t help me in the slightest to further my dream of being a legendary Princess… But it fulfilled my dream of love. Besides, it couldn't get much better than a mare that could literally make a dragon fly away scared with a roar… So at that moment, I realized I wouldn't mind. Like I said, I’ve always been a planner. In mere moments, I considered that a love story this bizarre would garner a lot of attention, and even bad press is good press, if you want to be known… you know?”

Applejack chuckled nervously. “Haha… yeah, a Princess and a Peasant falling in love would indeed be very bizarre…”

Rarity spoke softly. “Yes, indeed, but… there’s a first time for everything.”

They shared a wide eyed flustered silence, for a bit longer, glancing at each other, not sure what to say.

Applejack cleared her throat, attempting to break the awkwardness. “W-well, i’m just about ready to turn in. But if ya’d like to ask me one last thing, I wouldn't mind!”

A brief moment of quiet, as Rarity considered what the most valuable question to ask would be, to end the night.

She did not want this night to end.

She spoke, in a soft whisper of curiosity.

“Applejack. How did you get to be so strong…?”

Upon hearing the question her eyes instinctively widened, and she fidgeted with her hat. “Um… Well, sugarcube, you see… It’s kind of a long story, and it ain’t exactly a happy one, too…”

The Princess simply made herself comfortable, turning to her Knight, wanting to hear everything, pleased that the story would take its time.

With a contemplative sigh, Applejack looked up at the stars, and spoke. “Alright, well… You know… My parents died when I was real young. I still remember their faces, and a bit of their voices, but… Sometimes I forget. It’s hard to… It’s hard to hold onto someone that’s gone, y’know?”

She took a pause to breathe, And Rarity did not interrupt her.

“Well, they loved us so much. Sweet Apple Acres was just… Alive, with all of us together. Hell, rain, shine, and even through poverty– We were always smilin’, y’know? Our love kept us warm. And after they died, well… It was as if pieces of them were with us. T-this hat, it belonged to my father, see? It’s the reason I wear it everywhere. It was a gift. One of his last… A-and earlier tonight, when you prettied me up, I looked in the mirror, and I coulda sworn I saw my mother…!”

The Princess regarded her with pity, as she exhaled before continuing.

“Well, either way. The thing is, they were running Apple Acres. They were holdin’ us strong. And without them, well… My Granny was gettin’ old. My big brother is incredibly reliable, but he ain’t a leader, or a business pony. And my lil sis, Applebloom– I couldn’t bear to have her shoulder so much responsibility. So I knew. I knew, not a day after my parents died, that it would have to be me. I’d have to hold our family strong, just like they did. I couldn’t bear to see my family sad… To see them cryin’, or hurtin’. I’d do anythin’ in the world so that we’d be okay… So ever since I was a filly, that’s all I focussed on. With every fiber of my being.”

Rarity’s gaze was a mix of adoration and pity, as she listened attentively, only with a whisper for commentary, one that was not about physical strength. “...You’re so... strong…”

“So I got up, every single day after that, since I was young, and I worked. I worked hard, day and night, pushing myself to make sure Apple Acres stood tall. To make sure my family was still smiling. I worked, so damn hard, every single darn day, Rarity. Every single day… And as I did, somethin’ inside me musta’ snapped. It ain’t just Earth Pony strength, it’s… Even I don’t get it, not really, but… I’m like this ‘cause I needed to be. For the sake of the people I love, I had to be. I wouldn’t fear anythin. I would fight anythin– I would never let myself be distracted! Hell– Fear is a luxury I just couldn’t afford.”

The Princess fidgeted with her hooves on the ground, almost whispering her thoughts. “You fought a dragon, without fear…”

“Hell, I'd fight ten dragons if I needed to! Of course I wasn't scared of a dragon; or bandits, or a manticore, or whatever. Cause none of those things compared to how terrified I am, everyday, of losing more of my family, my home, just… The people I love.”

Rarity gazed at her with a smile, of pity and adoration. “It’s… It’s so hard to imagine you being afraid of anything…”

Applejack sighed, “Well, now ya know… And the list of people I care about just keeps gettin’ longer…” That last part was almost a whisper. It was an admission of sorrow for what would happen between them.

Rarity reassured her with a smile. “I’m not going anywhere, dear…”

Applejack smiled back, but not out of joy. “But you are… Your Prince, your dreams, remember? Don’t worry, sugarcube. Soon, you’ll have it all. I bet you’ll make a fantastic Alicorn. We’ll both get what we need…”

But not what they want.

“...O-oh. Right, yes.” The Princess couldn’t help but be shocked, considering that this night might be over, and that it might be their last. She didn’t understand fully why she felt so hollow over it.

The Peasant stood up, with a stretch and a yawn, and not much enthusiasm. “Welp, now you know the strange story of Applejack the Peasant, hope ya liked it. I oughta hit the hay… Goodnight, sugarcube.”

Rarity’s first instinct was to beg Applejack to stay.

And her second instinct was to wonder, why the first instinct was as it was.

And her third instinct was to intertwine herself with her Knight and never let go.

She laid there, stargazing for a little while longer, worrying about herself and her Knight. And about what she might want. What she might really want.

---

‘Nightmare’ was an understatement.

There were no words Rarity could use to describe this incredibly vivid dream she was having, and even if she had the words, she couldn't speak them. Her muzzle felt sealed shut, her body stiff, her hooves stuck in place.

She had wondered before, in a simple manner of curiosity, what would it take to bring down her Knight. Not in any desire to wish to see this happen, but simply as an involuntary question asked when seeing Applejack’s boundless feats of strength.

This nightmare gave her that answer.

Applejack laid on the floor, twitching slightly, breathing raggedly, impaled by dozens upon dozens of blades, spears and all manners of sharp objects. Her eyes stared at nothing, but they searched for Rarity.

Her blood stained the floor, it stained the Princess’s dress, and it stained the Princess’s face.

Rarity wanted to scream. She wanted to rush to her Knights side, look her in the eyes, do anything, but she was fixed in place like a statue, only this statue could feel.

Voices, whispers, echoing around her, silhouettes of party gowns and fancy hats, ponies in some sort of gala, no distinctly recognizable shape of familiarity.

“Oh dear. Is that Peasant dead?”

“Someone will have to come clean this up.”

“Shall we have more Oeur D'oeuvres?”

“Oh, I simply cannot wait for Princess Rarity’s next fashion line.”

“She must be itching to get back to work.”

“You’re not one to usually be distracted…”

“Aren’t you happy to be going back to your work?”

Tears. She could not blink but her eyes begged her to. The farmer’s eyes finally met hers, with the haggard, sharp inhale of a dying Peasant.

“Sugar…cube…”

The rug below her moved, pulling her away. She helplessly watched as her dying knight faded in the distance. Then, and only then, she could scream, trash, cry.

She screamed as loudly as she could, no words, a primal, raging scream, begging, pleading, anything, please wake me up.

The endless carpet stopped pulling her, and all around her faded; even the blood that stained her.

“Hush now, Let your troubles now be over, Rarity Belle.” A soothing voice came from above.

With eyes covered in tears, she could barely distinguish the dark shape of the Alicorn Queen of the Night, Luna, as she landed gracefully in front of her, changing the layout of her dream.

Rarity felt as if she could breathe again, but it did not change how she felt. Anxious, grief stricken, quick breaths, with stuttering and sniffling. “Wh-what… What was that… That was dreadful, I… I, losing her, I… I never…!!”

Queen Luna nodded quietly. “It was simply a nightmare. It is over now.” Her horn glowed, and the layout of the dream changed, unstable, much to Rarity’s dismay. She looked around frantically, searching for anything to latch onto, but nothing was fixated, a location was arranging itself.

Rarity remembered she was in the presence of a queen, and attempted to gather her composure, with questionable results, as her voice was weak and frail. “Q-queen L-luna, it is a wonderful honor to m-meet you…” She bowed, meekly.

Luna tilted her head, taking into account how unstable the Unicorn still was. “It is quite alright. You are a friend of Twilight’s, are you not? The one that desperately wishes to be a Princess?”

Rarity couldn’t muster a coherent response. She attempted to, but the words failed her, as the tears still ran down her cheeks.

“You require comfort. Let us bring you to a place with it.” Luna once again waved her horn effortlessly, and the dream changed, but not in the way she expected. When she changed dreams to bring comfort to the sore dreamer, they were usually brought to a different place, or even surrounded by objects of comfort.

For Rarity, only one thing changed. Applejack appeared from the darkness and smiled at her, warmly. “Heya, sugarcube.”

The Princess's eyes widened, for a split second, examining her Knight, who was perfectly fine, no wounds, no hurt. Applejack sat down near her, smiling kindly as she always did.

In a mere moment, Rarity threw herself in the arms of her Knight, desperately nuzzling against her chest, clinging to her tightly. “Y-you’re okay!! You’re okay, you’re okay. Oh, Applejack…” She mumbled, with a tidal wave of relief and still attempting to contain her tears.

The Peasant embraced her, warming her up and keeping her safe as she always did. “‘Course I am, sugarcube. And so are you. It’s okay. We’re okay.” Rarity dared not speak, she simply rubbed her cheeks on her knights fuzzy chest, inhaling weakly, staining her with her tears. Although she still felt like she was underwater, being able to feel Applejack in her arms, being able to smell and see her, it helped her steady her breathing.

Luna observed the scene analytically, and with another slight wave of her horn, the scenery around them changed to a beautiful night on a balcony in canterlot. “Interesting. A would-be Princess and a Peasant. It seems she is your object of comfort...”

Rarity did not let go of her knight, but she raised her head, looking at her green eyes, and touching her with her hooves. “Is this… Am I still dreaming? Is this really you, Applejack?”

Luna nested her wings, lounging. “She is a part of your dream.”

Applejack smiled, tilting her hat. “That’s right, sugarcube. I’m a projection of yer subconconshious– subcomscious? Yer Sub–”

Rarity did not wait for her to finish. If this was just a dream, then she had no reason to hesitate. She threw her arms around Applejack’s neck and kissed her, Desperately, savagely, as if moments from now she would fade away. The Peasant reciprocated, holding her, until she recoiled with an awkward smile. “Woah, there! Easy, girl!”

Luna’s eyes twitched nigh imperceptibly. “This is highly unusual. Unbecoming of–”

Rarity once again lunged at her Knight, a storm of primal desire and desperation, kissing like her life depended on it, resulting on them both tumbling on the floor, with her on top, nuzzling, kissing, she couldn’t yet bear to smile, but she was having exactly what she desired. “Oh, my Knight…”

Queen Luna brought a hoof to cover her face in exhaustion. “Twilight’s taste in friends is… It is something. Ugh.”

She approached the Princess and the Peasant who were stopping at nothing from getting a taste of each other. “Ahem.” She cleared her throat, to no reaction from either.

Applejack attempted to separate, and muttered “Sugarcube, there’s a Queen watchin…!” Which was absolutely not enough to deter Rarity as she passionately lunged at her once more, mumbling something akin to “Just let me have this, handsome…!” muzzle to muzzle, flank to flank.

The Night Queen’s nerves were tested. “Ahem. You have had enough comfort for now, don’t you think?” Her horn glowed, and that’s when Rarity stopped.

The Princess desperately clinged to her Knight, begging, panicked. “No no no no no!! Please don’t take her from me!!” Her terrified scream was enough to get Luna to halt. She sat back down, with an exhale.

“Sit. both of you.” The Queen of the night frowned.

Applejack helped her Princess up, nuzzling her slightly. Rarity was dizzy, her face completely red, partially on the realization of how much she had just embarrassed herself in front of a Queen, but also due to the incredibly passionate dream makeout she had just had, and did not want to stop. If she did not lean on her Knight, she felt as if she would topple over.

The Queen rubbed her temples, while Rarity mumbled apologies, without any regrets. “Ugh, what would Cadance do? This is clearly a case for her...” Luna gazed into the distance with a cringe as she realized that Cadance would have simply let this play out, or encouraged it, even.

Luna tilted her head, looking through the dreamer with eyes that shined like the pale moonlight. “Rarity Belle. You wish to be a Princess, yet you are in love with a Peasant. Is this correct?”

Rarity looked down, embarrassed, covering her lips with her hooves, failing to lie properly. “W-well I wouldn’t say I’m in love per-se…”

Her dreamy Knight gave a hearty chuckle, and spoke sarcastically. “Ah, yes, don’t worry Queen Luna, she was macking on me ‘cause there was somethin on my teeth, you see!” She finished looking at Rarity eye to eye with a smile, and their proximity just made the Princess want to, once again desperately, resume what they had been so hastingly interrupted.

The Queen sighed in slight annoyance. “Rarity Belle, you are struggling to properly choose what you want, something that will only bring more hurt down the line. And yet, here, with nothing at stake, you choose it. Most desperately, if I may add.”

Rarity fidgeted with her hooves on the floor, not managing eye contact, still embarrassed. “W-well, you see…” She couldn’t manage to formulate a proper response, resting her head on the Farmer’s oversized fuzzy chest.

The dreamy Applejack, however, stepped in. “It ain’t her fault, Queen Luna. Out there, she’s being pulled in every direction, and she wants everythin'. The real me is the only anchor she has right now, and even that is somethin' she knows she’ll lose if she chooses… Besides, Applejack needs the money and the ownership of her land, neither of which she will have, if Rares doesn’t marry the Prince… ” Her dream Knight looked at her in the eye with pity.

As Rarity leaned on her chest, the vibrations of Applejack’s voice ran through her with a shiver. She clinged tighter.

The Farmer continued. “She’s afraid. Afraid that she'd love me too much, and that she’d lose me. She already knows how much losin me would hurt. And it’s somethin' that might be inevitable...” The Princess, still leaning on her, had frail breaths.

Luna exhaled, considering how little love was her area of expertise. But then she looked upon the Princess, decisively. “If you do not choose, Rarity Belle, it may be chosen for you, much to your dismay. Now, I do not understand your experiences or feelings, but you may want to honor them, before you lose her.“ She turned around, and stepped into the night sky, as if climbing a staircase into the moon.

The Princess looked down, mumbling to herself. “I-I-I can’t just choose… It’s not my choice to make. It’s hers. It has to be hers…”

The queen exhaled, with a tired smile. “You know she would value honesty. The choice is not only hers. It is also yours.”

Applejack brought Rarity a bit closer, warming her up further. She let out a weary, but comfortable sigh.

“This is the moment where I would usually wake the dreamer... But I believe you might need this. Good night, Rarity Belle.” Luna turned back with a smile, before stepping through a threshold, and with her horn alight, she changed the layout of the dream one last time, before vanishing.

Rarity found herself back in her room at the dragon keep, back to wearing the beautiful makeshift dress she had crafted. And besides her, Applejack wore the same armor as the day she was rescued, a mighty collection of different pieces that covered her imperfectly, and a fitting paladin helmet. They were alone, besides her bed.

“Well, this is nostalgic, ain’t it?” The Peasant tilted her head, with a warm smile and a kind gaze.

Rarity followed the motion of her Knight, but her own eyes were tired, and filled with sorrow. “Oh, my Knight… If only it were this easy, out there…” She gently placed a hoof on Applejack’s chestplate, getting closer.

Her Knight maintained direct close eye contact, and spoke softly. “I can’t speak for the real Applejack. But you know the way she protects you. The way she looks at you. The way she follows your commands, unthinkingly, at times... Don’t ya believe she would do anything for you?”

The Princess looked away, pouting, thinking of the last few days. “I don’t know, dear… I’m still just a job to her, at the end of the day… Plus, her family… I just don’t know what to do...”

Applejack exhaled, bringing Rarity’s chin closer with a hoof. “Well… Whadaya want to do?”

The Princess had little need to ponder about that. Her gaze landed in the bed near them, and then back to her Knight. She batted her eyelashes.

“Oh.”

Rarity removed her Knight’s helmet, gazing at her handsome face. “You never needed this, you know…? You’re more than enough, all on your own, Applejack.” She used her magic to remove all of the armor from her lover, gently. The Peasant did not respond, simply regarded her with adoration.

Applejack, as she were, as she had always been.

The Farmer approached the Princess with a mischievous glint. With a bite, and a tear of two hooves, she ripped Rarity’s dress clean off of her, much to her fluster.

Rarity stared wide eyed, biting her lips, as her knight climbed onto bed, beckoning her.

“Queen Luna, you are the best Queen, best Princess, best anything ever…!” The Unicorn muttered, before leaping onto the bed, and the embrace of her lover.

She felt only a slight tinge of guilt in her heart that night, and she knew what it meant.

It meant she wanted the real deal, too.

---

“Rarity was making weird sounds last night.” Pinkie’s voice was tinged with something Applejack hadn’t heard from her much. Irritation, and exhaustion.

“Huh. Good to know? I sure slept like a rock.” The Farmer yawned, stretching.

“She was hard to ignore, AJ.” Pinkie stared into her, with bloodshot eyes. Applejack had never seen a more sleep deprived Pinkie Pie, and it was kind of disturbing.

“Uhm… Okay?” The Peasant tilted her head, in confusion.

“She was saying your name, Applejack. A lot.” Pinkie narrowed her eyes, with a piercing dagger-like gaze.

“O-oh. Okay.” The Farmer looked away, scratching her cheeks, unsure of what to make of it.

Pinkie brought her hooves to her eyes and temples, alternating, with an exasperated, growly voice. “And there was also the ‘Oh, my Knight…’ she wouldn't friggin stop saying that.”

Applejack’s eyes widened, and she almost choked on her own spit, the meaning behind this was very clear, even if it was easy to deny. “Ahem– Well– What am I supposed to do with this information, Pinkie?!?!”

Pinkie approached her with an exhausted and angry gaze. “First of all, you can be thankful you got to sleep, and second of all, stop pussyfooting around and confess to her already!!–”

“Good morning…!” Rarity’s voice was quiet and reserved, akin to someone who wanted to pass by unnoticed at a gathering, as she joined her friends.

She walked at a brisk pace and immediately nuzzled Applejack’s chest, with a concerned and tired look, and with a face slightly tinged with red. It was as if she wanted to hug her, but instead chose to lay her head on the Farmer’s fuzzy chest, breathing quickly and shortly.

Applejack stood there, unsure of what to do, flustering. “You’re okay.” Rarity whispered.

The Farmer put an arm around her, unsure of what this meant.“‘Course i’m okay, sugarcube… Are you okay yerself?”

“I am now.” A small, relieved smile appeared in Rarity’s muzzle.

And as she felt fur on fur with her knight, being able to touch, see, and smell the real thing, she arrived to a fully formed realization.

The realization that she was desperately, completely, entirely, without hesitation or shadow of doubt, in love with the Peasant, Applejack.

Author's Note:

This has been, so far, easily my favorite chapter to write. what a SHAME that it's so damn LONG!!!! The friggin LONGEST so far!!! i Promise i'll try my absolute damnest to make them shorter lmao. Maybe. Not really.

Those dream sequences, man-- they were a fucking DELIGHT to put together. This is the defacto chapter for both of these characters, on their own, to realise just how deep their feelings for eachother run. and its a BLAST

you got a luna cameo, you got dream sex, TWO of it, and you got insane amounts of backstory and flustering. What more could you need?

Also, relevant as well. When Luna concidered what cadance would do on her position, and cringed, this is what i thought, lmao:

I made a comic about it actually and it's one of my faves lmaoooo

Something i should state, too; everytime i draw an applejack anthro, i make her trans, and that could easily apply to the themes presented on the stargazing section; another explaination as to why she's so strong, but more importantly, an easy look into her femininity or lack-there-of; having spent her entire life working hard with the single intent of uplifting her family, she just never had time for herself; For considering herself, what she wanted to look like, what she wanted to do outside of this.

And certainly it wouldnt come from a place of shame or sorrow, but rather a listlessness of hanging on to the memory or ideal that her parents held of her, or that she held of them, etc etc. Though it felt a tad like meandering, so i decided not to include it; Specially because I never imagined Applejack would ever be unhappy with not being feminine, on the contrary, she has endless confidence on her lack of need for looks, Rarity would just show her these different facets of herself she never would have considered otherwise, and that would be just another reason for them to be captivated by each other!

Though this is just some insight on how i could easily use this story structure for a videogame storyline, where all the characters are anthros and the combat is glorious beatdowns. God i wish. It'd be like last of us but with gay sex instead of long winded cutscenes.

but I digress, I considered adding trans applejack into this narrative, but it felt a bit like a waste of time, (and the chapters are long as it is), so decided not to. Regardless, I still very much conciser it as canon as not. I love this character in many of her versions =v=

Next chapter: Princess Rarity commands her Knight to take a detour. A substantial one, at that.

and knowing her Knight, of course they take it.

A completely normal and simple day with no eventualities occur!

Comments

[Dimbulb]

These chapters keep getting longer and longer, not that I mind. I like it. A lot.

Also, those dream sequences:
encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSurMEZkN9UPHY2wtbHelOsp7a7hBywEejZTYJn71b0Tgclh742WFA40RM&s=10

[DapperLilArts]

11861502
YEAH THINGS ARE GETTING STEAMY ON THEIR SUBCONCIOUS

i only halfway promise that these chapters will not continue to get even longer lmao. Hopefully i can reach some sort of average word count x3

glad to see you're enjoying it!

[Dimbulb]

11861577
I wonder if things would get steamy when they're conscious

[DapperLilArts]

11861649
The answer may come sooner than expected heheheh >:3c

[Swank]

This just keeps getting better and better!! It's driving me crazy in the best of ways and I can't remember the last time I was so excited to read the next chapter of anything just as I am for this.

I don't know if I've mentioned it before but I wanna praise how the conflict hasn't felt so much forced on to the narrative here. Both Applejack and Rarity have so much riding on this quest's completion and its got me VERY much hooked on the question of how it'll all resolve.