Prologue: Beneath Her Dying Fire
Beneath her dying fire, the Prince stared into the sky.
The sun was setting, and thus the beautiful land of Saddle Arabia would be coming to a still in about an hour. Ponies would retire to their homes after saying their farewells, maybe stay up for an hour or two, and then go to their bedroom and drift off to sleep. Every day this went on, and the Scorching God's sun would beat down on the rich sand once more.
The Prince allowed himself to look away from the sight, turning to face the balcony of the palace he had been raised in and destined to inhabit; even after living in it for years, it's beauty never failed to astonish him each time he peered upon the magnificent structure. It's gleaming black color was a perfect match to the sand that surrounded it, and the golden roofs that topped the four pillars rising from all sides of it vividly completed the sand further. At the very top of the palace, in the center of the four pillars, was a golden orb; that would have been fine by itself, but the almost unthinkably large cerulean gem that glittered in the day light embedded in it made it larger than life. Yes, it was truly a marvel, and the Prince knew it better than most. In fact, the Prince would almost go as far as to say that the palace was more of a marvel than the one across from it.
Indeed, across from the magnificent black palace the Prince was yet another white one, connected by a bridge that traveled across the water that separated them. Color was the only change, as the black on his palace was white on the other, and the gem imbibed in the golden orb on the other palace was blood red as apposed to the calming blue of his own gem. Before he knew it, the Prince was traversing the halls of his marvel, towards the opposing balcony that faced the other structure. The inside was just as impressive; dimly lit, with arches with intricate designs made up the halls, and the floor was smoother than anything the Prince could think of. It, too, had artistic patterns engraved in it. Walking up the stairs, he made his way to the opposing balcony and was greeted with the opposing palace as soon as he opened the door.
It almost appeared ethereal from the distance, and the Prince was beginning to doubt his earlier claim. The black of his palace was beautifully sheen, but the white on the other was bright and shining; the sight alone was enough to make him beam. His gem, however, was what many considered the better of the two glowing brighter and more powerful than the crimson one across from it. The Prince, however, didn't agree; he liked the color of blood, unlike his sister who lived in the opposing palace.
I love my sister dearly, and will until I see my final day, but she has always been weak. The Prince wondered where his sister, the Princess, would be at this hour. She couldn't possibly be sleeping; the visitors they were expecting were only days away, and everything was slowly falling into place. The diplomats he had sent had returned with everything he needed to hear, and so it began. His sister was not to keen on the plan, but agreed after many an hour of debate. Yes, the hour was soon upon them, and anxiety and nervousness would allow no rest.
Many ponies have heard bedtime tales and seen illustrations of the palaces, but very few outsiders could actually come; it was a long, expensive trip, and the heat was unbearable for many. But the ones who did come were enchanted by the kingdom, and many refused to leave. The Prince smiled at that thought, but quickly found himself yawning.
I've been withholding sleep for far too long now; we will need to be well rested for our company, no? The Prince turned and opened the door, revealing the halls once more. He groggily began to make his way to the bedroom, this time paying no attention to the scenery around him. Once he found himself at his bedroom door, he knocked to see if his servants were cleaning it; when he got no reply, he opened his door and was greeted with the sight of his personal quarters.
It was almost the biggest room in the palace, to be sure, but it's elegance was more important. Scarlet drapes hung from his canopy bed, which had a brown wooden frame. The bed sheets were as white as the palace opposite from his, made from the finest of materials. Multiple lamps, tables and couches inhabited the room, along with two bookshelves filled with knowledge on any subject the Prince desired. As he crawled into his bed, sleep began to consume him; he was more tired than he thought. With a grin, a thought stuck with him as he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to take him.
Let us hope our Princess falls under the spell as well...
