//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: All That Lingers // by Ice Star //------------------------------// Cadance levitated a piece of purple glass in the ray of moonlight and beamed at Sombra, who cocked his head to the side and observed the changed moonlight now lighting up the hall that they thought of as theirs, even if it was never said. They never met anywhere else or at any other time of day. "So this is a decorative technique they use in the south?" "Yes," said Cadance, still smiling. "And despite the exclusion of crystals, the wealthy often decorate things like this?" "Yes — Canterlot Castle is full of windows — entire windows like this." "Entire windows you say?" The green piece of glass close to Sombra wouldn't budge, no matter how many pointless attempts he made trying to pick it up. "That sounds impressive. Luxury is something I've loved." Cadance couldn't believe that she hadn't realized how fun it was to do this and began to rummage through the small vase of glass bits and seashells — an old, old gift from a kingdom that collapsed in the time before the first Longest Night. "Wealth pales in comparison to good company, in my opinion," Sombra said, staring directly at the preoccupied Cadance. "Wouldn't you say?" "I couldn't agree more." She still was trying to search for the perfect color to show Sombra next. Quirky things like this were Auntie Luna's niche, but she hadn't realized how lonely she'd been — or maybe she had — until she wasn't. Sombra smiled a little. "I am a stallion of fine tastes, no?" Cadance giggled. She wasn't sure why, but she did. For a ghost tyrant, she thought Sombra to be quite the gentlecolt. It almost reminded her of... Him. She didn't let that thought go any further, and Sombra's gaze only left her when she looked at him again. She holding an azure fragment of glass in her magic, and told herself that was what he was looking at. "This one is such a pretty color, don't you think?" "I prefer warmer colors, and isn't that one the same?" He nodded to another piece of glass sitting nearby. Cadance followed his motion as quickly as she could. "What? No, that's not the same shade of blue as Flurry's—" "Flurry?" Cadance swallowed. "Y-Yeah. Flurry Heart... she's my daughter." "You live alone," Sombra pointed out. "Except for a few servants, yeah, I do. They never come to this part of the castle anyway — even before you showed up and I had them clean only during the day. Do you sleep or something then?" "Yes, you could say that. I always was a bit of a night owl. And your daughter...?" "She grew up and moved out and has her own kingdom. You know, normal immortal goddess stuff," Cadance said sadly. While Sombra did look concerned — even just a little — Cadance was glad when he decided to ignore that and talk about something else. "You were smart not to keep any guards around. I don't think you'd even need them at your age." Instead of looking down sorrowfully, as Cadance knew she was used to doing now, whenever social subjects involving other ponies came up, she perked up. It was an old gesture, and stuck out even in her own persistent melancholy. "Why?" "Never trust a stallion in armor." Cadance knew Sombra as brooding, but even-tempered. He said little with venom. On rare occasions he was dramatic, but in a way befitting his background. She did not know him as moody or vicious, and right now, he sounded very vicious. "Why...? What could you possibly have against ponies who would help you? Didn't you have them when you were king?" "I did not," Sombra spat. "I just told you that they could not be trusted—" "Is it because you were a tyrant? Was there a rebellion?" Cadance's purple-tipped wings flared defensively. "No. There was no rebellion, and it has nothing to do with the mistakes I made then—" "Then what is it?!" Cadance couldn't think of the last time she had screamed or demanded anything like this from somepony. Sombra pulled away and stood up. His tone was icy and direct. "I had guard when I ruled, yes. However, mine were kept in place with the use of some helmets that I'm sure you found in your armories when you took the throne. I wouldn't dare let a single one have a mind of their own after—" "After what?" Cadance said softly when she saw that Sombra, the ghost of the Crystal Palace, was shaking at the thought of something. "Nothing," Sombra snapped. "It's nothing at all. It's nothing that's ever going to happen again. It's nothing that I'm going to relive. AND IT MOST CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU!" Cadance watched him storm away with tears in her eyes, but they were for a different stallion.