Snowflake Obsidian fidgeted behind her father’s chair. “When can I go out and play?”
He leaned back from his work. “Later.”
“C’moooon!” she said. “It’s my turn today! I waited years.”
He peeked outside. Just a regular day. Which wasn’t good. “You know the rules.”
With a harrumph, she stomped to the front door. By chance, a knock soon came. He arose and opened the door to the gloom. Except for the small patch of sunlight and air, with the few children it could accommodate. At the center stood Princess Radiant Hope, far too bent and wizened for her age, her horn alight. Despite everypony’s pleas, she’d always say it was for the children.
A fool’s errand. Inside was safe, and without the Crystal Heart, they had little choice. Barely into the centuries before their empire reappeared, by prophecy.
He sighed. “Thank you, Princess.”
Snowflake would return in an hour.