Artist’s description:

And, rounding out the royal family, we have Flurry! I always see people portray her as ether a spoiled princess, or a Nightmare waiting to happen. I’m not terribly fond of either approach. I have also seen her shown, very infrequently, as a warrior princess, taking more after dear old Dad. I am definitely a fan of taking things in that direction. So behold the sacred ice warden, princess Flurry Heart! Guardian of the Frozen North!

Growing up as the heir to the throne has its perks. Her royal highness Mi Amore Flurry Heart was never what most people would have called a spoiled child, but she seldom wanted for anything ether. Her parents raised her well, and she was a well liked foal, but her life had always been a bit sheltered. She was Mama’s special snowflake, Daddy’s little princes… and for a long time, she was Equestria’s most famous blank-flank. She still hadn’t earned a cutiemark in her early teens, years past the age most fillys find theirs. It wasn’t completely unheard of, but it still bothered her.

The Crystal empire is well protected, basking in the warmth of the Crystal Heart for much of the year. But the lands outside the Heart’s influence are still as wild and untamed as ever. Some sections of the ice-bound mountains are as dangerous as the Everfree. One day, a mishap on an excursion outside the barrier separates Flurry and one of her friends from the guards who are meant to be keeping them safe, and Flurry Heart suddenly finds herself facing down a raging winter spirit.

Her parents, and the rest of the Empire, are a bit nonplussed when pretty princess Flurry Heart drags herself and her friend out of a howling blizzard, half frozen, exhausted, and sporting a brand new, combat-based shield cutiemark. She sleeps for a bit over a day, slowly recovers her magical strength… and immediately demands to be sent to bootcamp.