A Song of Sand and Snow: A Game of Ponies

A silver stream trail behind the bright orb of light that flew slowly through the sky. A silver comet, many astrologers believed it to be a sign for their great princess of the kingdom in the south. Bluebelle paid no mind to it, believers were believers and that was how it stay in the Ivory Castle in South Equestria. Princess Bluebelle, niece of Celestia and Luna, next in line for the throne behind Princess Cadence, sat on her chair outside in the Highgardens of Myrtles and Turtle leaves. She watched the comet drift along the blue banks in the sky, uninterested in its presence as much as she was with the knights that stood in guard beside her.

Her glorious blond mane that was combed to perfection, her alabaster coat groomed to glimmer under the sky, and those blue eyes that were sapphires to any noble’s gaze allured by her beautiful charm. But Bluebelle’s beauty did not matched so well with her character. She was not a kind mare to her servants nor was she to any peasant in the Lower Streets of the Ivory Kingdom. Her kingdom was the Kingdom of Flowers that bloomed white, she bloomed black.

“Your grace,” an old brown unicorn draped in grey robe with a clear bald spotted head with brown spots, approached her with a sluggish gaze. The wrinkles in his eyes made Bluebelle detest his very sight, but did not speak out due to the news this stallion had. “I bring you news from the Council.”

The Council was a meeting where Bluebelle had six of the finest ponies in the kingdom to manage her work as she handled ruling over the commonfolk. His name was Withered Stem, one of the luckiest old fools left in his position after Bluebelle took the Ivory Throne from her mother and father. He was the oldest of the six, and did not fancy being out here in the sunlight as his grace bathed on a chair.

“Speak,” she ordered. “Another complaint about the coin shortage and I’ll have the last vagabond tar.”

Withered Stem nodded quickly and unwrapped the scroll, before he began. “The Council of the Six Flowers of the Princess have decided to go with the preparations of holding not only a feast for the princess’ ascension, but also invite the Gryphon Lord Vulcan, Manticore Lord Dreagurr, Ser Polar Star from the Winterbane Kingdom-

“Enough, just the names of these lords and sers annoys me, do what you will. I know how to be presentable for guests.” She said and Withered bow in courtesy, however, Bluebelle lifted her hoof up and caused him to be still.

“What of my aunt?” Bluebelle asked, hiding the longing to see her beloved grace. The aunt who ruled Canterlot from the Northwest. She remember when the Gala was hosted there, so precious and wondrous it was, exclude the mare that attempted to court her. The scene was embarrassing enough in how it ended. But just the sight of her aunt made Bluebelle full of glee.

“I’m afraid she will have no time to visit. She is quite a busy monarch,” he answered and Bluebelle’s bitterness returned.

“Have the servants readying the meals and sweets. As for that Showmare, who entered into my Kingdom, have her attend to. I do enjoy a lovely show and wish to give my guests the best out of it.”

“Your grace’s command will be follow.” Withered responded, as he backed up, rose, and awaited the order to be dismissed. The princess gave the command and so he left his grace with her four guards adorned with silver armor that sheen in the sunlight. The pads adorned chains too, filigreed with a few sapphires and the precious white cloth that had the Ivory Kingdom’s Sigil; Bluebelle’s cutie mark.

Evenfall, she thought. It was approaching already and the mood to be outside bathing under the incandescent sun left Bluebelle. She was up on her hooves and began down the concrete road, through the large bushes of green, trimmed perfectly down so that roses would adorn the setting. Walking by her side, the Ivory Guards did not leave their princess’ side.

“Such a sullen day, I was hoping my Aunt would visit, perhaps even my Aunt Luna, but now all I will get is a snobbish beast, a drunken warbird, and a knight in replacement of his frail father. How trite I might say.” Bluebelle complained, but none of the guards responded, their duty was to do as their grace commanded and see her safety through the day.

“Good day, your grace,” a young handsome stallion approached, dress in a fine garnish robe green and black striped to match along his chiseled gray features while the white mane on his head was nicely comb back. The green eyes were like emeralds under a moonlight’s rays, nothing compared to Bluebelle’s blue eyes.

“Lord Frost, same to you,” she greeted, not deigning a smile.

Frost Stone approached his grace with an elegant bowed, though as he rose, he gave a languid shrug and smile gently to his princess. “I assume Maester Withered told you of the news?”

He told me what I hear every day, she thought. “Yes, and the comet in the sky truly is not of the matter. I’m sure once the nobles and lords come to the kingdom it will be the highest of the topic.”

“I couldn’t agree any more. Did you know the Gryphon priests believed it to be their lord’s right to bring their kingdom back to the glorious kingdom it once was?” He replied with a covered hint of doubt.

Bluebelle though was blunt and not known for concealing her detest away from other nobles. “The fools lost their kingdoms glorious days the moment their king grew too greedy over a damn piece of gold. A gold some vile cyclops took and died for it.”

“Death is such a strong way to put it, your grace.” Frost replied, smiling gently as ever.

“I expect it to be no way less, why is it though that my aunts of all royals are not participating tonight in the kingdom’s meeting?” Bluebelle turned to the master of bits for information; the known pony she could find ways in getting information out of the others in the council wish to keep from her.

“It appears they are mainly focus on the Diamond Dogs, your grace, specifically King Rex.”

“Rex!” she paused, turning to Frost in shock, of course they kept walking forward, the day was almost at its nightfall. “Why would they bother themselves with that mutt? Diamond Dogs are filthy and cravens nonetheless.”

“But yet they are the richest out of the Four Kingdoms.”

The Four Kingdoms: Equestria, Diamond Dogs, Saddle Arabia, and The Dilapidated Gryphons. Equestria warden the West, Saddle Arabia warden the East, Diamond Dogs controlled the North, and The Gryphons owned the South. They may have been the richest, but their history was quite the darkest, being originally a dragon kingdom, the Diamond Dogs were slaves to the serpents of the sky. Until Princess Celestia and Luna liberated them alongside the King Baron of Ice, a Diamond Dog himself, forcing the Dragons into submission.

“Rich or not, they are consider the lowest of the lows, I rather deal with the cats with wings than those mutts.” Bluebelle stated with a huff, though Frost softly chuckled at the reaction.

“They won’t be visiting the kingdom physically, your grace. Their place is Canterlot as your cousin’s in the Carpopetri-the Crystal Kingdom.”

By then they stopped in front of a round fountain clear and with floating lotus flowers that bloomed gently under the sky. Bluebelle could smell how pleasant the lavenders nearby were that it almost calmed her down and set her in a good mood. She looked back towards Frost Stone and asked. “And how would they be handling that hound?”

“Why it is the amiable Twilight Sparkle of course,” Frost said and by that answer Bluebelle became frozen stiff. Her Twilight Sparkle, the filly who she seen grow up the day her aunt took her under her wing.

The maremaidens nearby who giggled and chattered were silence once they heard their lady’s gasp. She was not pleased by this, for the most, she was worried. Bluebelle had only few ponies in her heart, her aunts, cousin, and dear Twilight Sparkle.

“Foolish, foolish, foolish!” She stomped her hooves and glared at the maidens who gazed at her frightened. “Leave us now!” And they were gone in a hurry, “You too,” she glared at her knights and without a say in the matter they exited, to a certain distance so they could make sure their princess was safe at all times.

“Must I advise that it is for the greater good? The reasons your aunts have could be quite beneficial if I say so the least.” Frost said, calming down the princess with his gentle voice.

“This seems too risky, Twilight is surely not ready to handle such cravens.” She did not dare seem weak though, not wishing to have her weakness for Twilight exposed so early. “She is quite brash and does not listen to others very much, she goes by what she feels is best and can make hasty decisions that will surely put her in danger. That king has a temper, surely my aunts should have known that.” And Twilight has a tendency to make others have tempers quite a lot.

Frost Stone did not let such a reaction dismay him. Twilight’s safety was of course important, she was a vital asset to Equestria. If she was sent to the Gryphons, they might get greedy and hold her up for ransom after the war with Lord Talos. However, King Rex had one thing many of the great lords did not have, loyalty.

“Your grace, your beloved friend will be alright,” he said, choosing his words carefully knowing that Bluebelle still did not accepted Twilight into the family yet; she was not born royalty. “King Rex may be known for having a temper, but he will never let it get the best of him and hurt a fine guest, especially to the ones that helped his mother’s grandpa liberate Diamond Dogs two-hundred years ago.

Two-hundred years ago was a different time. They needed more land so they needed more trust! Don’t act like you know them more than I do you grey fox, she thought but refused to say aloud. She needed his trust more than she needed the others. “I am glad at least that no diamond dog is coming to the kingdom.”

“I believe that relief will be short lasted, Withered as forgetful as he is forgotten one thing, your grace.” Frost stepped forward revealing a blood stamped letter, the sigil of King Rex just the imprint alone made the princess more pale than her coat could be.

“You are jesting are you not, Lord Frost?” she hesitantly asked.

“I rarely do jest, your grace,” the earth pony responded, as the wind blew against his lovely attire. “I only do what you say, to see you pleased.”

“Inform the others, a prince comes.” Bluebelle ordered.