Seven

Honey Almond gazed at a dandelion flower. It was the white and puffy kind, the seeds attached to the flower by a thread, daring to fly away. The wind gave them a nudge, and a few floated. The grass rustled as short gusts of wind crossed the field. It was Honey’s home.

Honey was homeless. The town she lived nearby to at age five was shut down. Now they were abandoned and vacant. Her parents? Nopony knows what happened to them. Her brown and tan mane and tail were tattered and torn and a deep scar was in her right leg. At first glance she looked like she was half-dead. She looked like a monster. Sometimes she acted like a monster although the mare inside her was kind and caring. Few ponies even passed the forlorn village, let alone pass through it. Honey Almond had been alone for years, and didn't plan on changing that. Little did she know she would be forced to soon.

Two royal guard officers were on lunch break in the Canterlot Castle. Certain rumors had reached one's ears, and obviously couldn't keep it in.

"Ey, Joe. There are reports o' a teenager roaming in Wellshadow. Brown mane, tan body...and a nasty infected scar that could use medical help. Seen 'er myself. Pretty 'lil thing, she is. Don't know of her folks. Wellshadow ain't a great place to be these days. Heard them buildins' are haunted."

"Nonsense, Parker. What kind o' pony would live in such a place? Besides, she may as well be a ghost. Many ponyfolk passed in that run-down heck of a forlorn crap."

Just then an alicorn entered the deserted cafeteria. her mane was light blue with white streaks, and her coat was sky blue. Her wings were blue-gradiented, and her eyes had a far-off look in them. Overall, she was beautiful. Magnificent. Expectation-defying, if you will. Her horn wasn't quite as long as the others, but a bit shorter than the Princess of Love's horn. The tip of it was white, indicating she could do specific magic.

Her graceful hoofsteps echoed on the crystal floor. Immediately the guards looked in her direction and were caught under her spell of beauty. Parker had an immense crush on her, not that any-pony needed to know. The princess cleared her throat lightly.

"Um...excuse me! Are you talking about Honey Almond?"

"Uh...yeah, why?" inquired Parker, blushing so red it could be the colour of blood.

"I've seen her before."

I admire her in a way, thought the alicorn, who was named Snowdrop.

"Oh yeah...well I've seen 'er too. She's pretty, not as pretty as you though."

The second the words escaped Parker's mouth he clamped a hoof over it.

Snowdrop giggled and went on.

"I think she needs a home...I don't like her living in a field. She very much well thinks she's alone, but wolves lurk in those forests. I'm afraid she might perish if we don't  do something. Could you send the guards out for her? She might put up a fight...I just want her to live...in the castle."

Parker and Joe looked at each other. As soon as Snowdrop left, Joe blurted out, "Who does she think she is? Running around, let tin' homeless ponies live here."

Parker just shrugged.