A.C. 182, Sanc Kingdom
The morning sun was just clearing the horizon, but the stables had been full of activity for hours already. Horses could be heard chomping at their feed, occasionally stamping a hoof in the deep bedding. Two small shadows appeared in the wide-open main door, and an elderly groom squinted at them. "Well good morning Prince Millardo," he grinned, nodding his head in respect. "And to you as well princess Alexandra." The blond toddler looked up at him eagerly.
"Horsie please," she said simply.
"Lexa, shhh." Millardo scolded gently, still holding tight to his young sisters hand. He turned back to the groom, formally asking, "May we see the new foal please Sir?"
"Of course you can," the man replied, motioning them down the hallway. Millardo loved the stables; riding was his favorite of all the lessons his father made him study. During them he felt connected to his heroes, the chivalrous knights of old England. "Millionaire and her new baby are right in here." A grin grew on the stable mans weathered face as the prince lifted the small girl up so she could see over the door, quietly reminding her to be quiet and not scare the foal.
"Would you like to go in and pet her?" Alexa nodded so hard that Millardo nearly dropped her. With a small laugh the groom swung open the stall door, reminding the children to be quiet and gentle. The mother horse watched them enter, then unconcerned turned back to her breakfast. Her soft, brown foal on the other hand watched them with curious eyes, not sure what to make of these two legged creatures so close to his own size.
"Hosie!" Alexa whispered loudly, reaching forward to feel the brown fur. The old groom watched from the door as both children stoked the inquisitive foal. Hearing shouts from outside he turned away for a minute, wondering what was wrong. Men scurried past the door, shouting to each other and all running the same direction.
"Millardo make sure they don't get out of the stall," he distractedly told the six year old, half closing the door as he hurried outside. When their guardian didn't return after several minutes Millardos' eyes grew worried and he kept glancing at the stall door.
"Lexa stay here, and be nice to the baby," he commanded his sister, quickly leaving the stall and latching the half door before striding outside. Unconcerned, his sister continued to pat the foal on its small nose.
Nearly an hour passed, both youngsters grew tired and lay down in the clean straw. Alexa's arm thrown over the foals skinny shoulder as they slept. "See anyone?" A male voice called down the empty stable hallway and Alexa stirred at the noise.
"Nothing but horses," another replied. A head popped over the half door as a solider looked into the stall with Alexa and the two horses. "Hey! I found someone, it's a little kid." As he opened the door another solider appeared.
"Hey, you shouldn't just set your gun down like that!" he growled, grabbing the rifle styled gun the other had leaned against the wall.
"It's not like she's going to try and kill me," his companion scoffed, laying a gentle hand on the girls should to wake her. "Must be one of the stable hands kids," he said as Alexa blinked sleepily up at him. "Come here kiddo, let's go."
"Her clothes are way too nice to be some grooms kid," the other muttered still holding both guns. "And we're supposed to shoot anyone of a high rank," he added, looking uncomfortably at the little girl still waking up in his companions arms.
"So you're going to kill a little kid?" the other spit back angrily.
"Of course not!"
"Come on, let's just put her in the truck and get her out of this demolished country."
"You going to bring her home?"
"No, but life in an orphanage has to be better than being left here."
"All right, let's go then before the colonel wants to know where we went."
"Mill!" Alexa cried out, finally waking up as the solider carried her from the stall.
"Who's she crying for?"
"Mill?" the one holding her replied, confused.
"Oh, must be the horse," his companion replied, gesturing to the bronze nameplate that read Millionaire in looping, engraved letters.
"Must be," the other agreed, shifting the young girl into a more secure grip.
"Mill," she whimpered again as they began to leave. By the time they walked out the main door Alexa's eyes were brimming with tears. She didn't know the man carrying her, and her brother had told her to stay with the horsies. Confused tears blinded the young princess and she never saw the burning remains of her home as the OZ soldiers carried her from the destroyed Sanc Kingdom.