I have never been more nervous in my life then when I made my through the Everfree Forest that night. My heart pumped fast and my muscles twitched, but none of it had to do with the fact that the Everfree Forest was scary at night or that I could feel the eyes of strange creatures watching me as I walked through the forest. Nope. I was on my way to do something I had completely renounced with all certainty not one year earlier. On top of that, it wasn’t even with one of my own kind. Still, I knew what was in my heart, and I was going to remain honest to myself and to the one who took it.  

I trekked through the forest until I heard the sound of gentle rushing water from nearby, and I pushed aside the branches and saw the familiar beautiful waterfall that Applejack and I had played at together. The stars and the moon twinkled in the sky and in the reflection of the pool, and it was quite the setting. I looked around for Applejack, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. I was about to call for her when a regal pink alicorn with a multicolored mane emerged from the trees and walked towards me with a very friendly smile. I was a little scared, and I recall instinctively getting on my knees as she walked up to me. I bowed my head towards the ground before I heard her soft voice speak to me.

“You must be AJ,” she said, and I lifted my head.

“You must be Princess Cadence.”  

“It’s so nice to meet you! I’ve been great friends with Applejack since she cooked for my wedding six months ago. She’s a wonderful mare. I trust her completely, and so I trust you completely,” she said, in a very kind and respective manner. Still, I felt somewhat weird around her; I had never even met her, and here she was doing this incredibly unorthodox thing for me. I desperately wanted Applejack to be at my side.

“Where’s Applejack?” I said, moving my left foot around in anxiousness.

“She’s almost ready,” she said, with a compassionate smile.

My heart was pumping so fast I thought it was going to jump right out my chest. I was having trouble looking Cadence in the eye since I was so nervous, even though I wanted to say something to her so badly. She’s a friend of Applejack’s. What more do I need to trust her? She’s doing us a wonderful thing that for all I know could potentially get her in trouble, and here I am being too awkward to even say anything. I straightened myself up and forced myself to look in her in the eye. The words I was looking for finally came out of my mouth.

“Princess,  I –I can’t thank you enough for what you’re doing. I-I just… I just have one question. Why?” Princess Cadence looked at me as though I were a small foal.

“Applejack is one of the kindest, purest ponies I know. I’m not going to deny the powerful love between you two because you are different creatures. We are all beautiful creatures on the outside, but true beauty is on the inside,” said the princess. I smiled for the first time that night at her words of consolation. I realized that Cadence must’ve been just a really, really nice pony, and she was doing this because she loved Applejack.

The end of Cadence’s horn lit up with magic, and I felt the bow tie on my tuxedo being slightly adjusted. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw some movement from the trees. My heart stopped beating and time seemed to slow down as I saw half of Applejack’s smiling, veiled face, the other half behind a tree as she moved out ever so slowly. She had a crown of white roses that matched a gorgeous white wedding dress that covered her entire body. Her mane was done in beautiful curls that flowed freely down the right side her neck. She walked forward slowly as I stood there, looking on in breathless awe. The sight of her alone was enough to drive my anxiety away in an instant, causing my heart to burst with affection.

She walked up to me and I gazed right through the veil into those green eyes, and she stared right back into mine. The words that I heard from deep within my heart were as true as the night. You are the light of my life, Applejack. I would live forever only if I could be with you. Our moment of eyes ended with a cough from Cadence.

“Shall we begin?” she said.

“We shall,” said Applejack, turning with me toward our host.

“We are gathered here today to witness the union of two hearts, Applejack and AJ. Their hearts are overflowing with love for the other, and the strength of their commitment is clear,” said the Princess, now turning to Applejack. “Applejack, do you take AJ to be your most chaste spouse?” Applejack turned me with the familiar look of love, but it was somehow even happier.

“Ah’ do.”

“AJ, do you take Applejack to be your most chaste spouse?” It was too good to be true. I smiled brightly at Applejack and picked up her right hoof off the ground, setting my other hand on top.

“I do.”

“May I have the items to be blessed?” said Cadence.  

When an Earth pony gets married, instead of using rings, the pony’s spouse brings an item, usually a trinket or a piece of special clothing, that the alicorn “blesses” and gives to the Earth pony to keep at all times. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my item, placing it in Applejack’s hoof and covering it with my hand. When I took off my hand, it revealed a red, apple-shaped locket that had a picture of Applejack and I playing together in her front yard, with the words “You Lasso My Heart” inscribed in a fancy cursive at the bottom.

Applejack teared up smiling, and held it against her chest before she reached behind her and pulled out a white cloth neatly folded, and placed into my hands. I unfolded the embroidered cloth, and brilliantly stitched in was a silhouette of Applejack and me facing each other, with apple trees and a setting sun around us. At the top were green vines with red apples, and at the bottom was an apple in the shape of a heart. The middle of the heart read “AJ + AJ” with an arrow going through the apple. It was truthfully the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life except for what made it. Beautiful enough to get me to start shedding tears.

Princess Cadence held out her hoof for us to place the items. She bent her head forward, and two small pink hearts shot out of her horn and into our items, causing them to temporarily glow. Cadence used her magic to return her items to us, smiled broadly and spread her wings elegantly.

“Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you mare and… husband,” she said, pausing midsentence. She had to think of something, because "mare and colt" didn't work. It was more funny than awkward, as we both laughed.

And following that, Applejack turned towards me, and once we again looked into each other’s eyes so deeply, so gently, and happily. We finally leaned in and gave the world’s most gentle kiss. When our lips met so delicately, rays of magic began pouring out of our hearts and meeting each other in midair between us. Rays of magic from Applejack’s heart made their way into mine, and rays from my heart made their way into hers. My heart had been joined with the nicest, purest, most-hardworking, most beautiful creature I had ever met. It was the happiest moment of my life.