Of Wishes and Swords

The morning was just beautiful observed a snow white mare as she opened the curtains of her home. The light poured on a now grumbling lump in the bed she shared with the love of her life. “It’s time to get up you lazy thing!” She teased as she shook the lump a few times. When that didn’t work she smiled and leaned closer to the lump, whispering about how she’ll share his breakfast with their son if he didn’t get up.
“Ok, ok…I’m up, I’m up. I bet he’d eat your share too if you let that little colt have his way.” He said pulling down the blanket to reveal his messy mane, yawned widely, and got out of bed to tame his untamed mane and to get part of his armor on before he would join his family in the always delicious breakfast his darling wife would make for them.
When he got to the kitchen his little energetic boy was already scarfing down his breakfast and made a mess of himself. He looked so silly that he couldn’t help, but to laugh. “Ah, what in the name of Celestia am I going to do with you?” He said as he settled into his spot.
With the dishes from breakfast out of the way the mare cleaned up the little colt with playing a little game while she did so. He laughed when his mother made funny faces at him and told him a story about powerful dragons and the brave buffalo warriors.
Once they were finished cleaning up the mare stifled a laugh as her little stallion made sure everything was where it should be and safe before they left to do the errands before they were to go on a wonderful exploration trip.
Their errands took them all over Canterlot and a short trip to purchase some wonderful apples from Sweet Apple Acres, since apple pie was the colt’s favorite.
With a mighty yawn, the colt walked slower than before. His mother smiled “Must be nap time for you, my precious little boy. Let’s head home and take a nap. How does that sound?” She said taking the small load of apples off of his back and added it to her own.
“Sorry...mama I still can carry tha-“ Another yawned interrupted him. “That bunch of apples. Are we still going to explore with papa and have apple pie when we get there?” He said as they, finally, came to their home and then he settled down in his bed for a nap.
The small colt, with his coat was as white as snow and his mane was dark as night, tottered next to a gorgeous mare who often looked down beside her to see if the little colt was keeping up with her as a joy twinkled in the mare’s crystal blue eyes
The day was as her smile that she gave him. “Let’s go as fast as we can to meet with papa Elliot. Papa’s been waiting for you to wake from your nap.” She said in a voice that was like honey to the little colt.
A determined look filled Elliot’s dark gray eyes and he gave a tiny nod that nearly made his mother scooped him up and nuzzle him for several minutes, all the while saying his was just too adorable. “’Kay mama…” He said in his small voice and broke into a trot to keep by his mother’s side as they passed a crowd of ponies that made the usual comments about a fairly famous pony’s child and how much he looked like his father.
It was a short while longer before the mare and little Elliot to meet with a deep grey stallion with a jet black mane. The stallion’s deep coal eyes lit up with pride as his beloved wife and son came into view. “Victoria, Elliot, over here!” He said his voice deep, but a bit hoarse from talking to a pony that had too much wine and refused to listen to reason.
As soon as Elliot heard his father’s voice he forgot about how his hooves were about to fall off and raced towards him, beaming a delighted smile. It wasn’t often that he got to see his father since he was in charge of keep the peace in the city below the Canterlot castle. “Papa! Papaaa!” He squeaked in his high pitched voice as he made an attempt to overpower his father, who gave in willingly to him, as he leaped at him and bowled him over to his side laughing.
Victoria smiled brightly. She had stopped being a model for Photo Finish when Elliot was born to devote her days to raising him until he was old enough to be without him for several hours. “Well, look at my two strong stallions. What mare wouldn’t feel so safe, where are we going to today Solar?” She smiled brightly at the sight as Solar gently nudge a excited Elliot who kept yammering on and on about where they were going. “Well, that is a surprise. I’ve only recently found this place and her majesty, Princess Celestia hasn’t been informed about it. I wanted you two to see it first.” He said as Victoria stared at him with genuine surprise at the fact he didn’t tell the princess.
“Is not telling the princess bad?” Elliot chimed looking a bit confused.
“For me, her knight, it is. Promise not to tell?” Solar nudged his son with a wink as Elliot nodded in agreement.

Several hours later the little family were traversing a section of a canyon wall that was a few feet above a swift flowing river. Many times Elliot tried to look over the edge only to be snatched away by either of his parents, followed by a firm scolding. The canyon they were in winded away from Canterlot, brushing the edges of Old Quarter, a jumble of homes and businesses that weren’t really used much, and emptied into a small hidden forest just beyond that. Even further it was lost in a chasm the seemed to go on forever.
“Uh....mama?” Elliot asked nervously looking ahead of them.
The tone of unease in Elliot Flare’s voice made Solar look where Elliot had been look as his mother went to young Elliot’s side.
“What is it my little star?” She asked in a soothing tone to calm Elliot’s fears. However, Solar’s was just beginning. A storm, one not brought on by the pegasus of Cloudsdale, was beginning to rear its ugly head by sending out flashes of lightning.
“I-Is that a thunder storm?” He whimpered softly into his mother’s leg as she comforted him.
“I don’t think it is, dear. I don’t hear the thunder, do you?” She said.
“N-no…”Elliot said after a few moments of straining to hear the loud booms of thunder.
“Victoria? Perhaps we should start heading back and start out when we know that there isn’t going to be a chance of rain.” Solar said. Victoria noted the brief unease in his tone and agreed, turning back the way they came.
I wasn’t long before the storm caught up with them, lashing them with its fury of strong winds and whipping downpours.
“Elliot! Stay close to mommy and daddy, ok?” She shouted above the storm as she shielded Elliot the best she could as he nodded, frightened by the way they were acting. Solar who normally was so playful, looked scary to him with his stern expression.
“This is getting really bad. We need to find shelter to weather this out and for Elliot. He looks so tired and scared.” Solar said to Victoria casting a glance down at the struggling against the wind Elliot as she gave a tiny nod. He craned his neck to scan for any cover for them. There! There was a trail that led to a cave far above the flood waters that marked this section of the canyon.
A deep rumble came from further up the river as Solar’s head turned. His face turned deathly pale and his eyes widened in fear, something he didn’t truly show to Elliot who looked in equal fear at his dad. Then to a rushing wall of thick brown water that seemed to want to take them with all the debris in it. “RUN!” Solar screamed unable to hide the terror he felt anymore. Almost instantly Victoria nudged Elliot into a run, then paused as Solar lifted Elliot onto her back as the raced to the trail and clambered up it, nearly falling a few times as Elliot cried, burying the side of his face into her side. The fact that he was doing that, spurred her on; to get her precious child to a place of safety where he wouldn’t cry anymore, where the three of them would be happy together. Nothing would stop her to keep Elliot safe, not even this wall of water that raced faster and faster towards them. She WOULD keep her baby boy safe even if it meant her life; she would give it up to protect him. After all isn’t that what all mothers do?