“Cobalt.”
He jumped and abruptly sat up, wincing at the aching pain in his whole body. “Gah…”
“Cobalt, where are we?”
“Wha…” he stopped when he looked over at Dahlia, staring at him with her beautifully pink eyes. “You’re alright!”
She was crying, her tears leaving streaks in the dirt and soot covering her face. “Cobalt, what happened?”
He swallowed nervously. “I saved you.”
“From the fire. I know. What happened to my tribe?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered, answering honestly. His ears folded down sadly. He thought she would be happier that he had saved her, rather than upset with him for taking her away from her tribe.
Dahlia stood up on trembling legs. “Your burns are awful, let me bring you something for that.”
“Yours are much worse, you should take care of you before me.”
She looked herself over. “I don’t feel much pain.”
“I cast a soothing spell over you.”
She stopped and stared at him. “You what?”
Cobalt held a hoof to his aching head. “A soothing spell. I didn’t want you to be in any pain.”
Dahlia sat down uncomfortably. “Don’t use magic on me.”
“I’m sorry, I thought it would help…”
“It did, I just don’t like magic.”
“Oh.” He looked away, ashamed.
“Cobalt, you risked your life to save mine.”
“Like I said, you’re my friend.”
“Amaryllis wouldn’t have done that for me.”
He laid his head down on the smooth stone floor of the cave. “I couldn’t bear the thought of you dying in that fire. I had to save you.”
Dahlia turned away from him. “Thank you.” She trotted out of the cave and looked back. “Not all unicorns are stuck up after all.” Then she trotted off into the trees to look for something to help with their burns.
Cobalt laughed, then curled up in pain. She wasn’t a unicorn, but there was something magical about her that he was drawn to. He didn’t regret jumping into that burning building, and he didn’t think he ever would. If only his family could see that earth ponies were not any lesser than they were.
She returned not long after, carrying leaves in her mouth. Before he could ask what she meant to do with some random leaves, she laid them on floor of the cave and starting squishing them under her hooves. After a few minutes of this, she was left with a pile of mushy green pulp.
“What’s that?” he asked, his voice raspy.
“Stop moving.” Dahlia commanded, lifting a hoof covered in mushy green stuff. “It will help heal your burns.”
Cobalt didn’t dare to move as she wiped the pulp over his back, shoulders, and neck. Wherever she touched him, the pain seemed to fade.
When she was finished, he smiled. “Thank you.”
“It doesn’t make us even, but it’s the least I could do.”
“We don’t have to be even. I saved you because you’re my friend.”
Dahlia said nothing and began wiping the pulp on her burns as well. “I need to go back to my kingdom and find out what happened.”
“My father never ordered his army to kill everypony, only to burn a quarter of the farms and the Chancellor’s estate.”
“That’s a quarter of my tribe that’s most likely dead.”
“I tried to get there sooner.”
“You shouldn’t have betrayed your tribe for me.”
“You would have died.”
She stomps a hoof. “I would have died for my tribe.”
“I wasn’t going to let that happen!”
“You’re pathetic.”
“I’m not pathetic,” he snarled back. “I came all this way to warn you! I couldn’t let my friend die!”
Dahlia suddenly sniffled and wiped her eyes.
Cobalt sat back quietly. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s...I only wanted to help. I saved as many ponies as I could. I-“
“Dahlia?”
“Amaryllis didn’t make it out.”
He stared at her. “Dahlia, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know-“
“She was helping a servant when the doorway collapsed. The servant was fine, but Rylla was killed under the rubble.”
Cobalt looked away, at the everlasting night sky just outside the cave. He remembered the collapsed doorway. To be so close to freedom, but to never make it there…
Dahlia put her head in her hooves and cried. “I-I couldn’t save her.”
He understood now why she was ungrateful for him rescuing her. She believed there was more for her to do, to atone for failing to save her friend. He had taken away her chance to do more for her tribe, but she never would have made it out of that burning building.
“I’m sorry, Dahlia.” He awkwardly patted her shoulder, not sure how to help her. “You were just like Amaryllis. You risked your life to save other earth ponies. That was brave. Selfless. Most unicorns aren’t like that.”
She slowly lifted her head. “Thank you, Cobalt.”
“I’ll bring you back to your kingdom.”
She nodded wordlessly.
Cobalt stood and helped her up, trotting with her out of the cave and through the woods.
Dahlia seemed to know where she was going, despite having been unconscious during the journey there. They probably weren’t as far away from the Earth Pony Kingdom as he thought they were, she must have recognized some part of the land.
When they reached the border, Dahlia turned to look at him.
He stopped, watching her nervously. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Of course,” she replied, rolling her eyes.
Cobalt awkwardly scratched at the ground with a hoof. “I know you don’t think I did the right thing, but I don’t regret saving you.”
She was quiet for a long time before finally saying, “Thank you.” Then she looked away and trotted across the border.
From where he stood now, it was impossible to tell that a quarter of the kingdom had been burned to the ground. All of the farms in this area were quiet and still, it was almost peaceful. He found himself wondering what it would be like to live on a farm, to wake up and take care of the crops every day. It didn’t sound completely awful, as long as he could spend time with Dahlia when her life wasn’t in danger.
Cobalt trotted along the border on his way back to the Unicorn Kingdom. He hadn’t the slightest idea how he would explain his absence to his sister or father. Maybe they hadn’t noticed he was gone at all, sometimes he wondered if they even knew he existed.
Hours passed as he lumbered down the dirt path, leaving the Earth Pony Kingdom behind him. He could feel the pain from his burns slowly returning, but soon he would be home where he could visit a healer and get help. All he wanted to do was sleep.
However, as Cobalt approached the Kingdom, he realized something was very wrong. The gate was closed and a large gathering of unicorn soldiers was standing outside. The soldiers milled around restlessly, murmuring to each other. A few looked up as he approached.
A tent had been set up in the middle of the camp and he headed towards it. Guards stood outside, but they immediately parted to let him through. He was the prince, after all.
It was a small tent with a bedroll and a wooden table. A mare stood at the table, staring at the map rolled out on its surface and growling things under her breath.
It actually took him a moment to recognize her without the robe and crown that she constantly wore. “Platinum?”
She started and looked up. “Cobalt? You’re alright?”
“Why would I not be?”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Where have you been?”
“I...followed you. Your army, I mean. When they attacked the earth ponies.”
Platinum’s expression relaxed. “That was foolish...but I’m glad you did.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“The pegasi knew about our attack on the earth ponies. While half of our forces were gone, they attacked the stronghold.”
Cobalt stared at her. “B-but our father was there with the other half of the army…”
“Father is dead. Our forces have been diminished. Our remaining subjects are now under watchful eyes of pegasus sentries.”
He took a surprised step back, staring at his sister. “Father is gone?”
Platinum turned away, looking back at her map. “As well as our home and half of our army. My only concern now is reclaiming our stronghold. We will do everything we can.”
“I will stand beside you.”
She nodded. “I’m glad to see that you’re alive. For a while, I feared I had no family left.”
Cobalt trotted forward and hugged her.
“What are you-” Platinum began, then stopped and hugged him back. “I know we don’t get along all the time, but you are the only family I have left now.”
He smiled. “We’ll get our home back.”
“You should get some rest. I can see that you ventured too close to one of the fires. You’re covered in burns.”
“I’m alright.”
“Rest. Now. By the time you wake up, I’ll have a plan for how to drive the pegasi out of our stronghold.”
----
While Cobalt had been talking with his sister, the soldiers had set up his own tent to retire to beside Platinum’s. He trotted in and collapsed on the bedroll.
He was about to take off his cloak, the hem of which was burned black and crumbling off from the fire, when his eyes caught on something. A piece of parchment was sticking out of his pocket.
He carefully levitated out the letter from the scribe and unfolded it.
——
Prince Cobalt,
I know that you consider me an enemy, but I must warn you about the events that will unfold within the next few days. Commander Hurricane knows about your attack on Chancellor Hambone and he is planning to take siege of your father’s stronghold while half of your army is preoccupied. If he gains control of your stronghold, nothing will stop him from hunting down every unicorn with power and getting rid of them. This is how he will win the war. Take care of yourself.
P.S. It appears that unicorns are not the only ones who know how to read and write.
——
Cobalt threw the letter away from himself, suddenly feeling nauseous. It was a warning. A warning that he had received prior to leaving his home in search of Dahlia.
He could have warned them! He could have saved his father and their stronghold. He could have stopped all of this.
The only thing that had been on his mind was saving Dahlia. How foolish! She was an earth pony, he was a unicorn. She should not matter to him. If it hadn’t been for her, he would have read the letter and been able to save his family.
Autumn had outright told him exactly what would happen, but he had been too blinded by a pathetic earth pony mare to think about anything else.
Cobalt’s expression hardened as a hot, fiery anger sparked deep within him. It was because of her. He would not let himself be distracted by her any longer. Dahlia was not his friend. She was nothing more than an earth pony who deserved what was coming for her.
A part of him argued against this, but he quickly stifled that part of his consciousness. He was much too angry to listen to any sense of logic.
Sleep would not come to him tonight, if it even was nighttime. He stood and threw off his cloak, marching out of his tent and back to his sister’s.
----
Cobalt stood by Platinum’s side. What remained of the unicorn forces stood behind them in an orderly formation, waiting for their princess’ signal.
She looked over at him. “Cobalt.”
He looked back at her. “Yes?”
“Stay out of the fight. I don’t want to lose what’s left of my family.”
He swallowed nervously and nodded. If he was being honest with himself, he would say he was rather relieved to hear her say that. He didn’t believe he would be much help in battle anyway.
Platinum slid the helmet over her head. She looked strong and courageous in her polished armor, just as a ruling princess should. The kingdom was hers now, to rule as she saw fit.
With a flick of her tail, the army launched their first attack.
The pegasi sentries had already reported to their Commander exactly what was going on, but it seemed that Hurricane didn’t believe the unicorns would dare destroy their own home in order to get back at him.
There was a harmonious shout of challenge from the unicorns as they launched their quickly-built war machines. Dozens of boulders twice the size of a full grown stallion were launched directly at the wall that had once proved as their protection against the outside world. Now, it was what was keeping them out. It must come down.
With the wall left in rubble and the pegasus sentries winging away in a mad panic, back to their Commander, the unicorn army charged back into their home.
Cobalt and Platinum stood by as the soldiers galloping forward parted around them. She raised her sword in her levitational field and followed them, screaming some very un-princesslike things at the top of her lungs.
He took a deep breath and galloped after her, raising his own sword. He had no idea how to fight as he was never instructed. It was Platinum who would inherit the throne, she was the one provided with all of the special lessons. He figured he’d just swing it around until he hit something.
The army was headed straight for the heart of the kingdom, where his father’s - no, his sister’s - stronghold stood. The pegasi were waiting for them. Several were hovering above the castle and dove to attack the unicorns.
Cobalt had to force himself to watch, from a safe distance back. If any pegasi noticed him, they didn’t bother attacking a lone unicorn soldier.
At first it seemed like the pegasi were winning, but Platinum knew how to rally her forces. He could hear her screaming out over the clashing of swords, encouraging her soldiers to take back what was theirs. Nopony could doubt that she was born to lead.
The battle continued within the fortress as the unicorns slowly but surely broke through the pegasi lines of defense. He could no longer see what was going on, but at least a quarter of the army had already fallen. This could very well be the end of the unicorn’s reign.
Shouting tore his attention away from the stronghold and back to the houses and buildings that made up the rest of the Unicorn Kingdom. The common unicorns were pouring out of their homes, armed with frying pans and soup ladles. A battle cry sounded from the one in front as they charged into battle to assist the soldiers that had always protected them.
Cobalt stared in shock. The townponies were rebelling against the pegasi.
“Cobalt!” came a shout over the noise of the chaos.
He looked all around him, but could not see anyone who had called his name.
There was a thump beside his as a tan streak dove and landed gracefully by his side. “Why were you not prepared?” the pegasus demanded, dragging him into an alley.
Cobalt stared at her. Autumn Rosette, the mysterious pegasus private he had met at the negotiations, and who had betrayed her entire tribe for the chance to warn him about the attack. His ears folded down and he looked away shamefully. “I didn’t read your letter until it was too late.”
She sighed and scratched a hoof along the ground. “I am sorry about your father.”
“Bad things happen when you’re at war.”
“I have never agreed with my Commander. Unicorns and earth ponies are no better or worse than we are. If we were more understanding and giving, we could aid in the farming and provide enough food for everypony.”
“I’ve started thinking that way myself,” he admitted. Then he looked at her. “Why are you not fighting?”
“I fled my home after I delivered the letter. If my Commander ever found out what I had done, I would not have survived the night.”
“I’m sorry your letter never accomplished what it was meant to. I was distracted at the time.”
Autumn nodded. “I assumed. While I have been on my own, I have had plenty of time to see what I have always wanted to see. I have watched earth ponies at work, struggling to grow their crops in the moonlight. And unicorn foals practicing their magic at your academies. You both have such intriguing ways of life.”
“Have you seen Dahlia?” His voice cracked when he said her name. He was not supposed to be thinking about her. She was worth nothing to him.
“She is alright. I saw her just a few hours ago, before I came here. Somehow she escaped the fire.”
He couldn’t help but feel relieved. “I suppose you were here when the attack on the earth ponies happened.”
“I was watching Hurricane’s attack on the unicorns.”
“I went to the Earth Pony Kingdom to warn Dahlia.”
Autumn tilted her head curiously. “You betrayed your tribe to save her?”
“I...it was a mistake.”
Autumn frowned. “If the pegasi lose here today, they will engage the earth ponies for control over the farmland. Do not get comfortable.”
Cobalt nodded. “We will prepare for the next battle as soon as the stronghold is ours again.”
“Good. I am going back to the Earth Pony Kingdom to warn Chancellor Puddinghead.”
“Wait. Chancellor Puddinghead?”
“Chancellor Hambone was killed in the unicorn attack, as was his daughter and several other ponies trapped within his estate.”
“I knew about the daughter, but not the Chancellor.”
She looked up at the sky. “The pegasi are retreating.”
“I need to warn Platinum about what you’ve told me.”
Autumn looked at him. “Farewell, Prince Cobalt.”
He nodded. “Goodbye, Private Autumn.”
She spread her wings and leaped off the ground, flapping to gain height and then soaring away to warn the earth ponies about the impending battle.
Cobalt trotted out of the alleyway to find his sister.
----
It was the first morning that the sun had risen in a month’s time. The land was washed in glorious light that filtered through the trees and reflected off the lakes. It was the most beautiful sight that the ponies gathered had ever witnessed. Even the unicorns had missed the sunlight.
Princess Platinum, the new ruler of the Unicorn Kingdom, had ordered her warlocks to raise the sun for the day of the battle. All must be reminded of the magical prowess of the unicorns.
The three armies were gathered in a field framed with maple trees, glaring at one another and preparing for the battle. This was believed to be the last day of the war. Whoever came out victorious would have claim over the earth pony farmland that each tribe so desperately needed.
Cobalt stood beside his sister, outfitted in a matching helmet and suit of armor. This time, he would not run from battle. He had wasted his time in trying to befriend an earth pony, and it had led to his father’s death. There would be no more mistakes.
A speck of pale blue drew his attention to an isolated pony standing apart from the earth pony army. It was a mare with a blue coat and a sunset mane. She was looking at him, but he turned away. When he looked back, he caught a glimpse of her trotting into the trees, away from the battle.
Princess Platinum raised her sword and a deafening roar erupted from the unicorns.
Chancellor Puddinghead, newly appointed, shouted commands at her army.
Commander Hurricane turned to face his troops and saluted them. Every gathered pegasus saluted him in return.
As the three armies charged at each other, storm clouds rolled in from the north. If anyone had been paying attention to anything other than the fight, they would have noticed that something was very wrong about those clouds.
The first swords clashed as the first flurries drifted down from the gray sky.