“Y-you don't hate me?” Sombra whispered, barely able to speak as his sides shook with barely contained emotion.
He felt Amber draw in a sharp breath, and she pulled back slightly to look him in the eye. There was a flash of anger-
* WHACK *
A stinging pain lanced across Sombra's cheek as Amber swung her hoof, more than enough to leave it aching for a while.
“Don't you dare ask that again!” Amber growled, a few tears running down her face.
“I deserve a lot more than a simple slap, Amber.” Sombra said, eyes not meeting hers.
The mare drew a sharp breath, her eyes closing briefly. When she opened them again, her lips trembled with emotion.
“I don't think so. Nobody should. You paid your price!” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“I paid a price too. Shards and ice Sombra, I thought you died! When that thing rose from the ice in your changed body...”
She couldn't finish, tentatively leaning closer to hear his heartbeat.
“Did you ever wonder how I felt? When I didn't think-I never thought I'd s-see you again!”
----
Amber Leaf felt the sobs coming on- and she couldn't do anything about it. She heard an awkward cough emanate from Shining Armor- and heard them, along with what sounded like all the guards leave the room. All that was blocked out as two forelimbs wrapped around Amber, pulling her close.
You have no idea Sombra. You really don't, do you?
She cried, nuzzling his fur as Sombra held her close. The stasis field had blocked their emotions to some extent, and ever since it had lifted, she had been able to feel the full effects of the thousand years alone.
The lack of comfort, of security.
The warmth.
I should have told you how much I loved you, many more times than I actually did.
And I suppose I still do. But what do we do now? I can't forget what has happened, neither will others. Will that be worth it?
The feeling of security provided by a simple hug, along with the feeling of Sombra trying to hold back sobs, a few tears dripping from his muzzle onto her forehead, gave more than enough answer.
For a few minutes, they sat on the crystal floor, halfway out a prison cell, knowing nothing but each other's embrace. It was Sombra who finally spoke.
“Where do we go from here Amber?” He asked, voice still a whisper.
Before she could respond, Shining Armor poked his head in, looking a tad unnerved.
“Umm. Sorry to interrupt. We have some quarters waiting for you if you'd like some privacy to talk and such.” It was clear he was preoccupied, but as to what, Sombra wasn't entirely sure (nor did he care at that immediate time.)
“Lead on,” he said simply. Sombra took a few tentative steps, then nodding approvingly. The entire demonic possession ordeal had left him rather weak, something that was slowly being remedied it seemed.
As they joined the guards, Cadence, and Shining, Sombra felt his legs wobble. Stairs was out of the question...
Cadence seemed to pick up on this fact, walking over to the elevator and calmly levitating the 'out of order' sign out of the way, then entering the perfectly-operational device.
“It works?” Shining asked as they all piled in.
“You did agree to have me find a way to motivate you as far as exercise is concerned." Cadence replied with a slight giggle.
The indignant look on Shining's face was more than enough to cause the other ponies to crack a smile, including Amber and Sombra.
The doors opened, and the guards and accompanying ponies filed out. The large hallway was lined with stained glass windows, much like that in Canterlot. Sombra was too preoccupied to notice the splendid construction and sight. The mare at his side garnered all his attention, and rightfully so.
Nobody knows what has transpired those years trapped in my own head, with only that demon for company. Never again!
It was a prickling of his fur, a slight change in the air, something minuscule that was off. Perhaps if he had been more alert, Sombra would have been able to defend himself, or even retaliate. Even so, the guard's spear cracking across his skull sent him sprawling to the floor.
The reaction was instantaneous.
--- ---
Amber wasn't entirely sure what caused it. One moment they were walking to the large doors at the end of the hallway, sunbeams streaming through the windows and reflecting off the soft blue interior. The next, a guard, face twisted in a horrific expression of hate, had broken away from the others lining the hallway and floored Sombra with a single strike. The stallion then reversed the spear, aiming the point down at the prone unicorn.
That was when everything changed.
She saw the two royal's horns light up- one a protective shield, the other a forceful strike. Amber was halfway in the air before she even was aware of what was going on. Her hoof connected with the stallion's jaw, the force of it sending the guard's head slamming into the wall, denting the helmet severely. Her next strike with her hind legs buckled the armor, and ribs distinctly cracked.
She found her body encompassed with a light pink aura- Cadence standing by her side.
“He's out for the count Amber, I have to say I'm a bit surprised.” The Princess said, surveying the guard, who was now starting to regain his senses.
“I am not a weakling!” Amber hissed, causing Cadence to look at her knowingly. The mare then revised her statement.
“I can defend myself.” She said simply, causing Cadence to nod slightly. What does she know about me?
Shining pinned the rogue guard against the wall, his face inches from the soldier.
“Explain yourself!” He roared in the stallion's face, the amount of anger in his eyes more than a little unsettling.
The guard began to laugh, a crazed and maniacal sound that rang from the halls and floors.
“I don't need to explain myself! I was just doing what had to be done!”
Shining could only look on in shock, the guard fighting against the magical force which held him bound so that he could look at Sombra, who was just starting to come around.
“My family is dead!” The stallion screamed, causing everypony to jump in shock.
“And you! You killed them! All I needed was medicine, but you worked them to death! Demon? Pony? You are the same.”
The stallion took a deep breath.
“Murderer.”
The word hung in the air like a dreadful stink, a familiar evil chill saturating the air as the stallion's voice rose once again.
“MURDERER!”
The guard's voice drifted off into sobs as the pony clenched his jaw awkwardly- foam then visible on his lips as he bit something in his mouth, a piece of an empty pill capsule falling from his clenched teeth.
He then stopped moving, a rebellious smile still present on his lips.
Amber could only stare at the dead pony who lay slumped against the wall, a hoof still slightly pointed towards Sombra.
What is going on? She wondered, even as Shining began to bark orders to the other guards, Cadence standing near them with a protective glare in her eyes.
Then she saw Sombra's face. His eyes were wide with horror, mouth slightly open as he looked at the dead guard. The look in his eyes spoke what Amber knew him to be thinking.
I did this.