Her Prince
A red hoof ran through a styled purple mane as lips met, moving in a familiar pattern. The two broke apart, and she leaned against him, sighing contently. A warm fire blazed as the couple sat in a comfortable silence. Snow was falling outside, but they payed the weather no mind.
Rarity looked up at Big Macintosh with a smile. "Today has just been perfect, darling."
"Eeyup," he replied, placing his chin on her head. She took in a deep breath, reveling in his scent. Most mares imagined he would smell of apples, but in reality, he smelled so much better. He smelled of soap and wood with only a trace of apple.
"I'm so happy, Mac. I could stay here forever." She nuzzled his chest, closing her eyes. "I love you."
"Ah love you, too." He stroked her mane gently. "Actually, Ah've been thinking about that. How would you like it if we got our own place?"
Rarity froze for a moment, sitting up and staring at him. "What?"
Big Mac grinned. "Ah thought you'd like it if we had our own house. That way you wouldn't have to come out here all the way from town jus' to see me."
"I... Mac, we can't just move in together. It isn't proper."
His grin never faltered. "So, that's a no?"
Rarity wrinkled her brow in confusion. "It isn't that I don't like the idea, dear, but imagine what ponies would say. Unmarried ponies living together..." Rarity trailed off, sighing.
"Who said we'd be unmarried?"
Rarity's eyes widened, her eyebrows nearly jumping off her face. "Wh-What?"
"Rarity, we've been together for over a year now. Ah love you, and Ah want you to be my wife." Mac reached into a drawer on the coffee table and pulled out a small velvet purple box. He opened it, revealing a golden horn-ring, with a sparkling diamond. "Will you marry me?
"Oh my," Rarity breathed, looking from the ring into Big Mac's eyes. "Of course I will marry you." She blinked back tears, throwing her hooves around his neck. He hugged her back tightly, taking a deep breath.
Laughter from outside reached the couple's ears, causing them to pull apart. Apple Bloom walked in with a huge grin on her face and snow falling off her winter wear, as she was followed by her two best friends and older sister.
"Hiya Miss Rarity, Big Mac," she greeted. Sweetie Belle grinned at her sister, but said nothing as she and Scootaloo followed Apple Bloom to her room.
Applejack watched the fillies go down the hall and into the bedroom before turning to the couple with an expectant grin.
Rarity and Big Mac looked at Applejack, and she looked back, the grin never leaving her face. After a moment, the orange mare finally broke. "Oh, come on. Well?"
Rarity smiled. "Well what, darling? Mac and I were simply enjoying the fire, drinking hot chocolate. Do you want to join?" Rarity said as sweetly as she could, fluttering her eyelids for emphasis.
"Uh... Ah mean..."
After letting Applejack squirm for a second, Big Mac laughed. "She said yes, AJ."
Applejack's eyes sparkled as she looked at them. "Ya did, really? You're gonna be an Apple?"
Big Mac chuckled again. "Ah thought you said Rarity wasn't cut out to be an Apple?"
Applejack blushed, pulling her hat slightly lower on her head. "Yeah, well, that was... Ah was wrong. Ah can't wait for the weddin'."
"But you didn't take well with the idea of your brother and I being together initially."
Her blush deepening, Applejack smiled. "Ah know. Ah thought y'all were too different."
"I believe your exact words were, 'You're more different than oil and water. You'll never make it."
Rarity walked into Sugar Cube Corner acting more like a certain employee of the shop than herself. Her five best friends were seated in a booth for their normal weekly get together, and she was the last to arrive, as she had planned. "You seem very happy," Twilight commented. "Want to share?"
Rarity looked around at her friends, her face breaking into a grin to rival that of a cheshire cat. "I have found a coltfriend."
Everypony sat in shocked silence for a moment before a canophy of questions barraged her.
"Is it anyone we know?" "What does he look like?" "Is he a hard worker?" "Is he a unicorn too?" "Are you gonna eat your cupcake?"
"I will tell you," Rarity said, waving a hoof to calm her friends down. She handed Pinkie her cupcake, as was tradition, as she began her tell. "Yes, I dare say you all know him. He is an earth pony, very rugged and handsome. He is a family stallion who has his head on straight. He only just asked me for a date." Rarity let out a squeal as a chorus of 'who is it's?' attacked her.
She found Applejack's eyes, wanting to see that friends reaction the most. After all, she had heard her friend talk of how she wanted her brother to find a nice mare to settle down with. "Big Mac."
Applejack's cupcake slipped out of her hoof. "What?"
"She said Big Mac, silly. As in Big Macintosh, your brother." Pinkie smiled cheerfully at Applejack. "That's great Rarity. He is a catch!"
Applejack looked appalled as the group began talking about her brother and Rarity. "NO!"
Every pony in Sugar Cube Corner stopped and looked at the booth, but Applejack wasn't paying any attention. Her eyes were solely trained on Rarity. "Ya ain't datin' mah brother, ya hear? It ain't right!"
Rarity's brow creased in confusion. "Whatever do you mean, dear?"
"Ah mean he don't need no city slicker like you. The two of ya are like oil and water.Ya'll never make it."
With that, the orange farm pony stormed out of the shop. The group watched as the door swung shut and she stalked off toward Sweet Apple Acers market stall.
"So...anyone think AJ will be upset if I eat her cupcake?"
"Ah said Ah was sorry for that..." Applejacks cheeks were now the color of her brother's coat. "Really, Ah'm right happy for you. Granny and 'Bloom will be too, once they're told. Ah mean, me and 'Bloom will be gaining a sister, after all."
"Y-yes, you will. And Sweetie and I shall be gaining sisters as well."
"Well, Ah'll leave you two lovebirds alone for a bit. Ah promised the girls some of that hot chocolate, and if Ah don't hurry, they'll be in the kitchen tryin' to make it themselves." All three ponies shivered involuntarily at that comment. The last time the Cutie Mark Crusaders had tried to be chefs had been an interesting day, to say the least. But you couldn't even see the scorch marks on the ceiling anymore.
"You told her you were going to ask?" Rarity smiled up at him. "That's why she's been grinning every time I've seen her this week."
Mac grinned sheepishly. "She helped with the ring."
Rarity leaned against him again, sighing contentedly. "This means so much work, you realize. We have to set a date, and pick a theme, and I'll have to make a dress, and-- Oh I must tell the girls!"
Rarity was working herself into a frenzy as she continued her monologue on what needed to be done. Mac simply shook his head and wrapped his hooves around her. "Of course all that needs doing, but it can wait."
Rarity relaxed as Big Mac stroked her mane. "Yes, it can." She sighed contentedly as she placed her head on his chest. They sat for a few moments, simply enjoying their time. They could hear Applejack and the three fillies in the kitchen, but in front of the warm fire, simply sitting together, Rarity couldn't think of a time when she had been happier.
"Course, had you married Blueblood, you wouldn't have had to bother with any of that."
Rarity opened her eyes, which she hadn't realized she had closed. "Oh, don't start that again."
"Ah'm just sayin',he's a prince, and you like them fancy types." As always when Mac said this, there was a hint of laughter in his voice.
Spring was just beginning. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and it was time for new trees to be planted on Sweet Apple Acres. Mac had told Rarity to come by and watch that day, since Apple Bloom would be planting her first apple tree.
This was a tradition in the Apple Family. On the year a foal turned thirteen, they planted their first tree. Rarity had been expecting a great fanfare, but when she arrived, all she saw were the four Apples, a shovel, and a tree sprout.
They walked out to the Gala field, where Apple Bloom had picked to plant her tree. Rarity followed suit as the three adult Apples sat and watched the filly work. It had taken well over an hour for Apple Bloom to dig the hole, and then another thirty minutes for her to properly place the plant and refill the hole.
"Ah'm naming my tree Furgo." She grinned up at the adults, sweat clearing paths through the dirt on her face. "Ah did it."
Rarity couldn't believe Applejack had tears in her eyes. "Ya did, Bloom, ya sure did. You're a proper Apple farmer now."
Then they returned to the farmhouse to celebrate. Cake and fizzy drinks were served. Apple Bloom went to the bathroom to take a quick shower before the celebration, while Granny Smith and Applejack set out the plates and cut the cake. Rarity was looking at a picture frame, when she noticed something.
Glancing around, she hissed, "Applejack."
The orange pony seemed to not notice, so she tried again.
"Applejack," she hissed, louder.
"Yeah?"
"Come. Here." Rarity pointed to the picture. "What, pray tell, are you doing with this?"
Applejack's eyes widened momentarily before she started laughing. "Ah thought everyone got a copy of those pictures. That's been there for ages."
Rarity wrinkled her nose at the picture. It showed herself, covered in mud and cake, at the Grand Galloping Gala the first year she had attended, while Prince Blueblood stood to the side.
"I burned my copy. And I would appreciate it if you did the same, before Mac sees this."
"'Fore Ah see what?"
Rarity's eyes widened as she held the picture behind her back. "Nothing," she said with a nervous laugh.
"It's that picture from the Gala. Ya know, the one you kept next to Twi's doll forever."
Mac blushed. "Nope."
Applejack looked confused. "What'd'ya mean, 'nope.'"
"Ah didn't have a picture next to a doll Ah don't have." Mac stared soundly at the floor. "Ah think Apple Bloom might be getting outta the shower now."
Shaking her head, Applejack smirked. "Oh. So this picture of Rarity and her fancy prince isn't something you kept in your room when the two of you started courtin'?"
"H-He--He isn't my prince." Again, she laughed nervously.
"Ah still can't compare to a prince, though. Ah mean, he obviously has bits and prestige and all that stuff you like. Ah ain't got none of that."
"That doesn't matter to me, Mac. You have humility and manners and...so much more."
Rarity and Mac were both suddenly interested in the floor, their faces beacons of red.
Applejack smiled. "Ah'll go tell Apple Bloom to hurry. After all, we can't wait all day to eat cake.
"Yes, I do like fancy." Rarity grinned as she leaned up to see Mac's face. "But I love rugged." The last word came out as little more than a growl as she batted her lashes. She gasped as a firm hoof gently pressed her forward.
Their lips met, moving slowly, as if the lovers wanted nothing more but to stretch out every satisfying second. The kiss ended as slowly as it had begun, and soon, Rarity found her head once again against Mac's chest. She took a moment, simply breathing in his scent, before tightening her grip around him.
She snuggled deep into his soft red fun, closing her eyes, a small content smile on her face. "You are my prince."