Blueblood always knew he hated roosters and now he knew why. At the crack of dawn, the farm’s resident alarm clock blared its wake-up call. Rolling off the wrong side of the haystack, he knocked his head against a post. The physical pain from the bump radiated a reminder of the barren horn beside it.
Rubbing his head, he stood up and took in his surroundings with some assistance from the morning sun. Glaring up at the rays cascading through the loft door above, he cursed his relation. “I always liked Luna more.” Sticking out his tongue he spat a dusty ball of half-chewed hay from his mouth. It seemed he had come to a liking of his bed after all. In the light of day, he regretfully realized his pillow wasn’t meant to snack on.
A knock at the door and a creak of the hinge signaled another intrusion on his fallen domain. Applejack stuck her head in. “Rise and shine! Take a quick breakfast and I’ll see ya in the orchard in five.” With a thud, a broad plank of wood dropped through the door.
A perfectly sliced apple with a side glass of cider seemed fitting for a royal criminal stuffed in a cage on the edge of the civilized world. Blueblood staggered over to the tray and glared down at the meager offering. I get it. I like carrots and she sends me to an apple farm. Very funny, Celestia. Very funny.
The apple went down easy. The glass, not so much. Giving up any chance at a proper sip and swallow, he took the entire cup in his mouth and shot the contents down his throat with a single flip of his neck. Spitting out the empty cup, he swore again. Apple juice, bah! Can’t a grown stallion get some morning cider?” Taking a moment to clear his head and shake off the bits of hay that clung to his body, he stepped through the door of the royal quarters and into the bright light of day.
Blueblood rubbed his eyes and twisted around for a better view of the farm. The far gate ahead led to the path heading back into town. The farmhouse and its Earth Pony inhabitants stood to his right. The orchard sat all around closing in on every side. The thought crossed his mind that this was his chance; he could make a run for it. That thought instantly vanished. Where would he go? No pony would ever take him in. The only reason Applejack let him stay came straight from Celestia’s order. He was stuck—no way out of this one.
“Over here, Blue!” Applejack yelled across the yard. “Come help me stack these baskets.”
Blueblood took a long, hard look at the gate before turning back toward Applejack and her cart. He did ask for her help, after all, and she seemed genuinely interested for some reason. Maybe I just need to play along some more and see what it gets me. He trotted over to the waiting taskmaster, hesitant to receive his next punishment.
“We got a long day ahead, and this is only the first step.” Applejack heaved a stack of empty bushel baskets onto the cart. “Grab a load and toss it on up. We gotta get out there and gather the crop before we get to the afternoon deliveries.”
Blueblood stared down at the basket in front of him. The stains from previous produce left a sour smell in the air. Reaching out a hoof, he pushed at the rim managing to transport the stack a few inches. Another shove moved it twice as far. Another half dozen taps and the basket stack was ready for lifting.
Applejack swooped in and scooped up the load tossing the stack on the cart with a swipe of her neck and shoulder. “Gotta work faster than that, Blue.” In the time he moved a single stack, she had filled the rest of the cart. “Let’s get you hitched up and out in the fields.”
“Hitched up?” Blueblood turned his head to the harness of the cart. A sinking feeling registered in his belly. “You don’t think I’m going to let you bind me to this vehicle, now do you?”
“How else are you going to pull the cart?” Applejack moved over into position and held up the harness. “Get on over here and get yourself buckled in.”
“But?” Blueblood tried to protest. Running through the gates seemed a more viable plan with every passing moment. “Why should I do that?”
“Well, I guess you could go help Big Mac. I just figured we’d start you with something easy and work our way up to that.” Applejack cocked her head to the side. “It’s your choice. I’m just trying to help.”
“I don’t believe my punishment was meant to include manual labor. Haven’t I suffered enough?” Blueblood kicked a rock aside. “Can’t I judge the Miss Ponyville contest instead? My impeccable taste and judgment is all but wasted on farming.”
“Now listen here, Blue. Celestia put me in charge of things.” She fixed her stare straight down on him. “Wouldn’t be doing you any favors if I let you off easy.”
Blueblood stomped his hoof. “And what if I refuse?”
Applejack rubbed her chin. “I guess that’s up to you. I got no problem sending you home and telling the Princess I couldn’t help fix you.”
Must… play… along… “Fine.” Blueblood heaved himself into position. The chill of the harness sent a tingle down his spine as Applejack cinched down the strap. A smirk crossed his face. “As a beast of burden, I expect double rations at the next feeding.”
Applejack chuckled. “Fine with me. In fact, you can have all the apples you want.” She hopped back and turned toward the north field. “Follow me and try to stay out of the mud.”
Lurching forward, the harness yanked the loose end of Blueblood’s mane. With a yelp, the cart followed. I hate my life. He meandered forward riding the wave of momentum from behind and mostly trying not to get run over or torn back in the sway. I should have taken the gate.
For a pony who hadn't worked a single day in his life, he caught on pretty quick. Work was hard. Bound to a cart and struggling to keep pace, he called ahead, “Applejack, I need a break. This harness is starting to chafe. Can’t we rest for a moment?”
“Buck up and deal, Blue. We've got a lot of work to do today and you ain't seen the half of it yet.” Another apple batch fell from above as Applejack launched her hindquarters at the next tree. Baskets all around filled to overflowing with the crop.
“When will lunch be served then?” he asked picking at his teeth.
“What do you mean? You haven’t stopped eating all morning.” Applejack toted away the basket sitting in front of him and tossed it on the cart.
“That was hardly a snack. They weren’t even peeled,” Blueblood protested. “Now I’ve got the little bits stuck in my teeth. I warned you this would happen.”
“And I warned you about doing some real work so you could learn a thing or two about where it all comes from.” The last of the baskets found its way to the cart stack.
“I’m not stupid. I know that apples grow on trees.” He held up a hoof for inspection. “What I wasn’t counting on is how dirty one gets in collecting them.”
“Like I said, you ain’t seen the half of it yet.” Applejack gave a knowing smile and trotted off ahead. “Try and keep up. We need to head into town to make our deliveries. If we hurry, we might make it back in time for dinner.”
“Can’t we take turns pulling the cart?” Blueblood yelled ahead.
“Don’t make me get the bridle.” Applejack’s threat, hollow or not, got him moving.