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// 6. Innocence 
// Story: The Name of Our Mistakes 
// by ObabScribbler 
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Posy enjoyed working in the castle grounds. As her rump mark indicated, she had an affinity for flowers in particular and enjoyed tending them, though she understood the need for more practical things like carrots, potatoes and cabbages too. She spent her days hoeing, planting and harvesting as the season required. Though tiny, she tried her best with the plough and could usually make a few gouges in the soil before needing to rest. She refused to stop until her assigned patch was done, though it took her much longer than other groundsponies.

She was taking one such break when a shadow fell across her. She looked up, nearly spitting out the mouthful of water she had just taken when she realised who was standing over her.

“P-Princess Luna!”

The princess watched as Posy whirled to bow before her, turning her face to the newly turned earth. It smelled loamy and inviting, though at that moment Posy was more concerned with not looking like a lazybones to one of the rulers of the whole country.

For a long moment Princess Luna simply stared out at the patch of half-ploughed ground. The pony in the next patch had finished nearly half an hour ago and the pony on her other side an hour before that. The sun was not yet sinking in the sky but Posy knew she had maybe an hour’s more sunlight to finish her task.

“This is thy work?” Princess Luna asked abruptly.

“Um, y-yes, Highness.”

“But thou art so scrawny.” She didn’t say it like she was railing against the injustice of it but with mild curiosity. Posy wondered what she was even doing there and how long she had been watching. 

“I, um, am stronger than I appear, Highness.”

“Verily, that doth seem to be so. Thou art a mare among stallions yet thy work is equal to theirs.”

Posy blushed. She was one of only three female groundsponies. To be complimented on her work was gratifying enough - but for the compliment to come from a princess! “My thanks, Highness.”

“Thy thanks are not that which I require,” said Princess Luna. “However, thy raised face and name wouldst be agreeable.”

“Oh!” Posy got to her hooves and tried not to stare at the ground out of habit. “Um, P-P-Posy, Highness.”

Princess Luna smiled. It was a sharp smile, with maybe more teeth than necessary. “P-P-Posy? A fitting moniker for one with a rump marked such as thine.”

Posy blushed so much she wondered if her whole body had changed from butter yellow to scarlet. “Thank you, Highness.”

“Wilt thou walk with me, P-P-Posy? I find my mind troubled by the difficulties that have afflicted our nation of late and I wouldst appreciate the company of one such as thee.”

“Um …” Posy panicked. Even as she blurted her next words, she wanted to swallow them back. “But I haven’t finished the ploughing.”

Luna laughed. “I shall speak to thy superior on thy behalf, should he squawk as the crow might over thine unfinished task. I do believe he will agree that my request for thy company doth o’ertake his need of thy skills with a plough. If not …” She shrugged. “A moment or two of the Canterlot Voice doth often convince where reason cannot.”

Posy swallowed. “C-Canterlot, Highness?”

“The place from which my sister and I heralded, long before Equestria was claimed.” Luna smiled another sharp smile. “Come and I shall talk with thee of Canterlot and more, little Posy.”