I approached the fireplace and put some more wood in. I then stood there for a moment, taking in the warmth. I am not really bothered by the cold, in fact, I actually prefer it. Well, at least when there is magic. It was for my own sake so much as for... her.
As if on cue, I then heard the clatter of hooves on the floor of the castle. She had been living with me for two years now, ever since I found her outside the castle.
"Opaline?" the little blue unicorn said, looking up at me with her bright green eyes. "Can... can I go outside?"
"What?" I said. "You... you want to go outside?" There was no way she could have been serious. It was the middle of winter for hoofness sake!
Misty responded by smiling. "Yep!" she said eagerly, like she didn't have care in the world. Sometimes she really didn't make any sense to me. Granted, she was an almost six year old filly and I was a ten-thousand-year-old alicorn, but still.
"Please Opaline," Misty said, now tugging at my leg. "I want to go out and play in the snow!"
I sighed and leaned closer to Misty. "Listen, baby, it's cold, if you want to go, you should cover yourself well. I don't want you to catch a cold. Then I'll have to..." I trailed off. "Just... just promise you'll keep yourself warm. You understand?"
Somehow Misty's smiled seemed to grow even brighter. "I promise Opaline."
The castle was silent again. Usually, when Misty is sleeping or entertaining herself I'd read a book from my library. Instead, however,I went to the kitchen and picked up the old golden pot that was now a little brown. The kitchen was full of purple, gold and in some places blue, and the pot did not fit in any of the parts. The cabinets were full of canned goods and semi-prepared food that had prepared alone over the years.
I never considered myself to be the best cook, but I always made sure we had enough to have a good food for a cold winter.
I put the pot onto the stove and waited for the water to boil a little. I then added a few pieces of carrot, aromatic vegetables and a little corn, followed by a little salt and spices. I smiled. I knew Misty would love it, she loved all my soups. The little one always admires me. My smile widened as a memory of a certain song came back to me:
Opaline, you are very beautiful.
Opaline, it's so cool that you're Alcorn.
Opaline, your castle is very big.
Your opaline is very warm.
And words like these always echo in my ears. When I was young I would like to participate in the school anthem ceremony
But I never succeeded. Of course, I always watched the ceremony from the window of my room in Skyros Orphanage.
They were hard days but I really loved them. I sighed. Childhood really was something beautiful.
I decided to let the soup cook and sat on a nearby chair facing the window. It was cold enough that frost was growing on the glass, behind it the snow was slowly sliding and landing on the ground.
I had read in a book that each snowflake is different from the other. But they all looked the same from a distance and had the same goal, and they were all born from clouds and never stayed the same. All of them were together despite their differences and were never separated. All snowflakes were interdependent and needed each other, all in a sea of white and blue.
Wait. Blue?
Misty then noticed that I saw her and started jumping up and down. I opened the window and cold air rushed into the castle. "M-misty?" I stammered.
"Opaline!"
"What are you... what are you doing?"
Misty moved closer to the window and placed her cold wet hooves on the window ledge.
"Come on! I wanna show you something!" she said with a warm smile. I sighed and got up. "Alright, fine. Just let me turn the stove off."
I went to the cauldron, which was now sizzling louder, and lowered the flame. I then grabbed a scarf to wrap around my neck and went outside to where Misty was waiting.
"Alright, I'm out. What is it?"
Misty placed her cold hooves on me and gave me a big smile. "Come on! I'll show you!"
"Okay, okay. Just don't go too far. You know I can't leave the barrier."
"Yes, I know. Don't worry. It's right behind the castle."
She jumped up and down again and started towards the back of the castle, which is where she likes to play, and I followed her. As we walked the sun came out, its shine hitting the snow in a way that reminded me of the stars at night. It took me a while to realize that I was Alcorn Fire. It took me a long time to discover my talent and get a cutie mark.
This was one of the reasons why I didn't have any friends or family at that time.
The whiteness of the snow under my hooves made me look back at my hair.
They were also white, just like snow. Of course, my hair had blue-green streaks and that was what made it different from snow.
Soon we came to a stop, with my little Misty jumping up and down as she faced me.
"Now close your eyes. I promise Opaline, it'll be quick."
I closed my eyes. Misty then grabbed my hoof and pulled me along. "Wait!" Misty said after a moment of silence. "Okay, you can look now." I opened my eyes. "Happy Winter Wish day, Opaline."
Facing me was a snow pony. Two dark blue buttons were used instead of her eyes and two pieces of old magenta cloth were used instead of her wings.
A bent, painted piece of wood was on top for the horn. The hair was nicely styled with snow and had crayon streaks painted on it.
I stared at the snow pony for a few moments, feeling my eyes growing wet.
"Opaline? Are... are you okay? D-do you like her?"
Misty lowered her head and dragged her little hoof on the snow.
"I'm... I'm Sorry. "
Before she could leave I opened my big wing and wrapped around Misty.
"Oh Misty," I said as I pulled her closer. "This is so beautiful."
I held Misty under my wing for a few moments and stared at the snowy gift. Once I released her from my embrace the two of us played in the snow together until the sun hung low in the sky. As much as we wanted to stay we knew we had to go back.
As I began the trek back to the castle with a sleeping Misty on my back, and turned to look at the snowpony once more. It was a gift that I knew would soon disappear with the arrival of spring. It would be replaced flowers and trees that bloom and then be buried under the snow of the next winter. Such was the nature of the noneternal world.
And yet, for once I found myself thinking that I that the very least, I can enjoy it while it lasts.
Author's Note
Happy new year with a little delay 
