“Da! Da! Can I come with you and big brother?” A gray colt with black hair approached a larger pony who was sporting a crown. Beside him, a tall stallion with a smaller crown softened his eyes and chuckled, looking to his father.
“What do you say, he’s getting to the age I was when you first took me.” The prince chuckled as the king sighed, and looked toward the carriage, two Pegasi at the front to pull it. After a moment, he turned his attention to the prince and narrowed his eyes.
“Very well, he may as well get some battle experience before the monks take him to learn all knowledge.” The king turned, and sat down in the carriage. Following and taking a seat himself, the prince smiled and patted the chair as the colt jumped up and sat down, eyes wide with excitement.
“This is so exciting, will lil sis be coming when she’s my age?” Looking to the Pegasi as they took to the sky, the colt giggled as the breeze blew his hair back, making it wave.
“No, your sister is betrothed to a zebra to ensure peaceful relations. Princesses do not learn the art of war.” The king looked down as the colt’s ears flopped back, and he nodded sadly. Blinking, he turned his head, opening his mouth.
“But doesn’t Lune learn war from her Ma?” The colt shrunk as the king hissed, and the prince shuffled closer to his brother, putting an arm around him protectively. Turning, the king fixed his cold stare on the colt.
“What have I told you about using that dead language! Your mother should have never taught you it.” Turning away abruptly, the king gritted his teeth, and everything fell silent. The prince relaxed, and removed the hoof from his brother.
“You will obey our customs son, not those of our neighbor.” The king relaxed, and looked over the side as they passed some reinforcements heading for the front line. There was an army of ponies, he narrowed his eyes and scowled.
“Okay Da.” Looking down, the colt also watched the troops, spotting very few unicorns in the crowd.
“Da, why are there so little unicorns in your Empire?” The colt looked to the king as he turned and pointed to the horn on the colt’s head, motioning to his broad back.
“We are an Earth Pony civilisation, so it is rare for us to get Pegasi and Unicorns like your sister and you. Even with our massive array of battle spells, we are often forced to rely on our strength and numbers to win battles due to this.” As the carriage landed all three stepped out onto a high platform overlooking the large plateau of green. In the far distance, a similar tower could be seen, sporting a flag of a gryphon.
“Now listen here brother,” the prince turned, leaning down and locking eyes with the colt. Nodding, the colt leaned forward, every hair paying attention to his brother’s words. The prince pointed to a small stool that was being placed next to a larger chair that the king as now sitting in.
“You must sit there and not move, I’ll be right beside you the entire time.” The prince smiled as the colt sat down and nodded eagerly, turning to squint out the window. A unicorn walked over, and bowed at them.
“Your highness, the spell is ready, who should I administer it to.” As the unicorn bowed, the king motioned to the prince and colt.
“Us three, my younger son is here to experience war.” Closing his eyes, the King bowed his head as the unicorn stepped over, horn glowing, and gently tapped his forehead. Copying the action, the colt opened his eyes and realised he could see every stalk of grass on the field.
“Woah, this is cool!” The colt grinned to his brother, who chuckled, and looked away, a sad look in his eyes as he breathed out silently. The cold did not see it, instead looking toward the other side of the clearing.
“Da, they’re gryphons, why’re we fighting gryphons?” The colt pointed with his hoof, and the prince bit his lip as the king turned.
“Because they destroyed one of our watchtowers and took over the area. We must drive them out.” The king saw the first line of gryphons begin to form up, and raised a hoof to silence the room.
“What do you say son?” The king turned to the prince, who as narrowing his eyes as he bit his lip once more.
“Uh, a thousand?” The prince breathed out as the king nodded, and then leaned down to the colt, and muttered a quick side thought.
“Tell me son, how do Earth Ponies fight against flying foes?” The king felt the ghost of a smile come onto his face as the colt scrunched up his own in deep thought.
“Uh, I dunno Da, how do we fight em?” The colt looked brightly at his father, who sighed and looked to the heavens.
“How about you answer this one.” Turning toward the prince, the king waited patiently as he mused for a moment, and then smiled.
“We attack like a single entity, large and fast. They have to dive down to attack us, and we’re faster than they are.” Smiling, the Prince was pleased as the king nodded in approval. The colt breathed out and widened his eyes, imagining a giant pony stomping over the landscape.
“Sire, they have begun to move.” The king turned back to the battle and nodded to the unicorn.
“Order the troops forward, generals are to use block formation.” Looking out the window, all three watched as the two armies faced each other. After a moment, they charged and the battle began. The colt, who could see everything, widened his eyes and began to scream, unable to look away. The unicorn cast a spell, and suddenly the room was silent once more, the colt still screaming silently in the room.
“It’s best he see this before he heads off to learn all those dark spells, despite how much it is scaring him.” The prince bit his lip once more, looking mournfully to his brother who was still frozen, watching the battle in all-too gruesome detail.
“I am more concerned about relations with those damn Equestrians. If they so much as think we are evil we will have a third army knocking at our door. You better hope your brother’s smart enough to keep his mouth shut. Plus, those ominous snow clouds from the north worry me.” The king watched as his army tore through the Gryphons, and they began to flee. Turning to the unicorn, he narrowed his eyes.
“Take no prisoners.”
Sombra opened his eyes to see Luna standing over him, and narrowed them. Her horn was glowing, and she bit her lip, stepping back.
“You’ve blocked me from seeing your dreams, but I thought I might be able to help you sleep better from out here.” Turning away, Luna began to head for the door. Sombra rubbed his eyes and looked toward his desk.
“It is not necessary.” Sombra stood up and sat down once more at his desk, beginning to write. Luna paused at the door and turned her head, unable to see what Sombra was writing.
“I know, I just wanted to try to regain your trust.” Luna turned and took another step toward the exit, and once more paused.
“You will never regain my trust.” Sombra narrowed his eyes, but did not turn. Luna exited the room and began to close the door behind her, pausing briefly.
“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.” Luna closed the door, and left Sombra alone, heading toward her room in the castle. It was nearly ten times the size of Sombra’s, and had a huge bed.
“Please, just leave me alone,” he spoke, leaning his head down on the table and closing his eyes.