As The Queen Reigns...

~You hear the baby cryin’

Don’t worry child

I know a good place for a hidin’

A place where the river flows

And you wonder

Where does it go?

An adventure awaits

Just outside the woods~

I woke up with beads of sweat dripping down my forehead. Again....that song. That song that sent shivers down my spine, but it wasn't the good kind of shivers. There were the ones that didn't allow you to breath fresh air because you felt you were being swallowed by your own body. Still though, the haunting melody that kept coming back in my dreams, it was as if...I somehow predict it. The voice in particular, was misleading. I can't place a pony which it would belong to. Smooth, intriguing, and caring would be he words to describe it, yet I can never finish the dream.  But then a thought comes to my mind. I get married today. Surely you would think I would be jumping all over the place, counting down the milliseconds until I bind my love to the one I yearn for. But that's not my case. Mine is one of the saddest love stories...even if it barely begun. Today I get married to the one I hate. Ponies from all over Equestria, come just to meet her and bow down. She wasn't always like this. There was a time when she was the one bowing down before royalty. Now that she is royalty, there's no predicting her next move.

First, was the kingdom. She befriended Princess Celestia, her mentor, just to get her hooves on the throne. Everypony knew she was clever, but no one knew what she was capable of. That in that big heart she shared with everypony who needed it...there was no heart. Everypony comes up to me and pats me in the back saying "You surely made a wonderful choice in choosing the Queen as your wife", but of those are lies. They're not happy for me, they're afraid. They must think that I will turn just like her after I marry her. But I know that I wouldn't do it. Unlike her, I have a heart. A big one that I truly share with everypony, yet a half of it is missing. Ponies know me as the Applejack that wouldn't let anything bring her down, strong, and brave, those are the words that used to describe me. Now, I feel like a damsel in distress, waiting for my prince charming to come and take me away. But today, I will marry someone who I'm forced to be with. Not by money nor fame, but because the mare herself is forcing me. Alone, I wouldn't oblige, but there are lives at stake. I-

"Your highness?" a voice emerged from behind the golden door. Angel Delight entered carrying a tray with breakfast on her back, and closed the door as she came closer. Angel was much like her name, she was sweet, kind, caring,and loyal. She was the first pony I ever talked to when I came to live in this prison, and I knew I could trust her since that first day. There was that immediate connection, and it wasn't just because she was an earth pony like me, but because of the way she introduced herself. Her soft caramel coat, and her long brown hair, went perfect with her emerald eyes. She was extremely beautiful, yet she was so shy. She kind of reminded me of Fluttershy, but she wasn't that shy.

"Good morning, your highness. Did you sleep well?"

"Angel, Ah told ya already you don't have to be all formal with me, you can just call me Applejack" I said smiling at her. She blushed a little, while carefully placing the tray in my lap. I began by drinking my orange juice, while she went to the closet to take out my wedding dress.

"Yes,well...it's my job...and Queen T-ah!-wilight would get angry at me" she said, while she took out the dress that was on top of a few boxes, and had almost hit her as one of the boxes fell. I laughed at her clumsiness, and she came out with the white and gold dress on her back,placing it at the end of the bed.

"Are you helpin' me change and get ready for today?" I asked. I knew the answer of course, but I just wanted to keep the conversation going before I started thinking about the negative things after today.

"Yes, I will be all yours today" I had to hold back a snicker at that, sometimes I was just to childish. But that emphasis...

"Careful partner... Ah get married today" the regret was evident in my voice but I still played along. But Angel was quick to catch it.

"Oh...Applejack don't start crying again, please. I know you don't love her, but think,it's a possibility that Rainbow won't be here for the wedding" she said moving over, and placing a comforting hoof on my shoulder.

"An' that makes it worse! Knowing that she's over there thinkin' Ah'm havin' the time of my life, when deep inside I'm just as heartbroken as her" I said, my voice quivering slightly.

She sighed, moving her hoof under my chin and forcing me to look her in the eyes. Her eyes shifted back and forth between my eyes, making me uncomfortable, but I quickly brushed the feeling off.

"It's hard I know... trust me on that. But you don't have a choice, Queen Twilight is making sure of that" that got my attention. Did she overhear something important that could help me get out of this?

"Did you hear anythin'?"

"Well, no...not exactly"

"What do ya mean?" I asked now intrigued.

Angel shrugged "This morning while I was preparing your breakfast, she called me to her office. She just said to make sure you look "flawless", as she pointed out, but as I was exiting out, she mumbled something about Rainbow Dash"

I sighed. Of course she would. I finished my toast, and put my tray away, getting up to stretch. Angel made my bed, while I went to the bathroom to take a nice, warm shower. I quickly finished feeling less tense, but I was still nervous.

Angel was quick into helping me get on the dress, which was surprisingly comfortable, but I'm probably speaking too soon. She carefully combed my hair, undoing the knots that didn't allow her to go any further. There was this awkward silence, Angel must have thought I was thinking of my disgrace. Which I wasn't. I caught myself realizing I was too calm for all this, I should've been screaming, crying my eyes out. It was probably because I had done that every night, for the past three months, I felt I had no tears left. And I felt tired.Finally, Angel finished. I looked at my reflection, and I was taken aback by the results. I had not noticed she had done my makeup, and I was agape at how it turned out. The gold eye shadow matched perfectly with my eyes, with the help of the layer of top eyeliner that made my eyes look bigger. My cheeks were a faint shade of pink, and the finishing touch was a small amount of lip gloss.

"Wow" was all I said as I looked at myself.

"I tried to make it as simple as possible, I know how much you hate all that fancy stuff" she chuckled as she put the makeup pallets back in the container.

"Ah appreciate it, sugarcube" I smiled turning around to look at her. "How much time do we have till' we head off?"

"Uhh..." she said looking at the clock on the wall." About... fifteen minutes, considering we've already spent three hours"

I went back to my bed, sitting down at the edge, looking down at the ground. I sighed. There's no turning back after today.

"Angel...ya know you're my only company here. My so-called friends never come to visit, only cause they're afraid of Twilight, and Ah don't wanna be alone. Ah want to have Rainbow here with me" I said looking at her as she came closer, and sat down next to me.

She didn't respond at first, glancing out at the window.

"I know how hard it is to love somepony,and suddenly leaving them"

"But it wasn't my choice" I mumbled.

"And for that same reason, you have to be strong, Applejack" she said running a hoof through my cheek.

"That word doesn't define me anymore. Now, everypony thinks Ah'm weak" I said my voice quivering. "Sometimes Ah like lookin' out the window to look at the sky, for a sign of hope. That one day, Princess Celestia will come, and this nightmare will go away"

"How did she defeat her?" Angel asked curiously.

"Ah don't know"

"Do you think one day you will love her?"

Her question surprised me a little because she already knew the answer "No"

"So there's no hope?"

"None. How can Ah love someone who took everythin' away?" I said looking at her. She didn't have an answer for that. "Where will ya be today?" I said changing the topic.

"The Queen said I have to escort you everywhere for today"

"Like that ever changes" I chuckled.

She chuckled "Well I have to be everywhere with you"

"Everywhere?"

"Everywhere."

I gulped "Shit, so there's no chance for me to escape?"

"Not on my account" she said jokingly. I looked at the clock. 10:30.

"Dear, we better get going I don't want to deal with all the shouting" she said as we headed out. We walked across the long hall, and I held my breath as we made it pass Twilight's room. We made it all the way until we reached the end of the hall, making a left to the "living room".

The guards were all gathered, listening to the instructions for their schedule today. A guard glanced my way and cleared his throat, making my presence obvious. All the guards got on their hooves, bowing down. Gosh, I hated that. I nodded, and they all went back to their spots. The captain of the Royal Guard approached me, which after everything was still indeed, Shining Armor. In his eyes, I was the happiest mare alive, having the honor in marrying his sister. Little did he know. He was still the same as always though, he still treated me the same way.

"AJ!" he excitedly said, giving me a warm hug. I always appreciated that he still called me like that,even after nopony else did. "Are you excited?! Cause I'm excited! I'm ready to jump in!"

I chuckled at his excitement "Gee Shining Armor, Ah wouldn't have guessed it if you hadn't told me"

"I just can't help it. This Twily's dream were talking about, what kind of big brother would I be if I wasn't excited for her?" he said, smiling the whole time. "And... I can finally call you sister-in-law!"

"Well it's not like you haven't been callin' me that since... well...you know...our engagement" I said gritting my teeth at the last words. Shining didn't seem to notice though.

"You know Applejack..." he begun. Uh-Oh. No, AJ. I better brace myself. "This may not be the most appropriate time to ask you this, but... I wanted to ask you if you ever had any... affairs...with...the other elements?" he said clearing his throat afterwards. Wow...this was really,really awkward.

"Uh...why do you ask?" Yes, answering with a question. Perfect.

He cleared his throat once again "I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you this...but if you did, you guys are in big trouble"

*Gulp* "What do ya mean?"

"There's this ancient prophecy that-"

"YOUR HIGHNESS! YOUR CARRIAGE IS AWAITING!" Geez

I turned back to look at Shining "Ah'm mighty sorry, Shining. Ah'll make it up to ya!" I shouted as I was dragged away...off to my weeding.