Salad and Vignette

Luna sighed, flipping another page of the ledger. Nobels, a screwy idea from the start, a vestigial remnant from the time before Discord. Long ago she had butted heads with their like, sending her into a fit of learning their own devices. Now she knew their rules and traditions better that they did, or she had. A thousand years had left her a bit out of the loop. Having Blueblood counter his dismissal by equus alterius coloris, had been rather embarrassing.

Before she dived into the mind-numbing depths of procedure, she really needed to learn about the current noble families. Scanning the pages of the record of land rights, a strange entry caught her attention.

842ar.2.2.12
500 acres duchy granted to Apple family. Land to be taken adjacent to the northern border of the Everfree Forest.

Luna stifled a snicker, but the snicked became a cackle. Rolling onto her back, she laughed till she cried.

Outside the guards shared uneasy glances.

Applejack rinsed the last dish in the sink, and set it up to dry. She had the house to herself for the next week. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, but today she planned to spend by the fire with a good book and a mug of mulled cider. Quiet days to rest were far and few between; she was going to enjoy it while she could.

Looking out the window, she smiled at the sun rising over the snow-covered fields. Then frowned at the sight of a pony standing on her porch: it was too cold for somepony to be out this early.

‘Why hadn’t they knocked on the door to be let in?’

Opening the front door she opened her mouth to call him into the warmth of the house, but paused. It was a royal guard, dressed in full livery. Celestia would have only sent a guard like that if it was an emergency, but there he stood like a statue.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked

“I’m fine my lady Duchess.”

Applejack blinked. “I think you’re at the wrong house. But come inside, I don’t like you being out in the cold.”

“Yes, my lady Duchess,” the guard said, marching into the house and taking a post inside the door. Reaching into his armor, he pulled out a scroll. “I was instructed to give this to you,” he said, hoofing to her with a bow.

Twilight rose from her reading pillow to answer the door, not bothering to take the quilt from her back. Opening the door, she found Applejack standing in the snow. Her hat was absent, and she had her reading glasses on.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked.

Applejack stared into the far distance behind her, not seeming to have heard the question. The winter silence hung for a moment before Applejack pulled a scroll from her mane.

“ineedyoutoreadthisforme,” she mumbled in a voice the could barely be heard over the falling snow.

Twilight strained her ears, struggling to understand her friend. Taking the offered letter, she beckoned Applejack into the library. Applejack walked with slow even steps till she took a seat beside the table.

“I ... think there’s been some kind of mistake, Twilight.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Twilight said, placing a cup of hot tea beside her friend.

Unrolling the scroll, Twilight recognized it as being written by Luna before even reading a word.

Duchess Applejack, of the Apple family.

Forgive my intrusion, but I have taken the liberty to access your duchy’s tax records for the past one-hundred and forty-nine years. It seems that your family has failed to properly account for their tax liability. Attached is a statement to rectify the matter.

Twilight frowned, flipping over the first page, she found the second to be a letter from the Bank of Canterlot.

An account in trust of the Apple estate has been created by the Crown for the holding of 314,159,265 bits. The refund due with interest to the Apple estate from overpaid taxes.

This is a letter of credit, and may be used at any Equestrian bank.

“Applejack, why did she call you Duchess?”

“I don’t know, but apparently I have a guard assigned to the farm now.”