//------------------------------//
// Introduction 
// Story: A Shade of Red 
// by Crimson-Wing 
//------------------------------//





 18 Years Ago
Crystal Empire 




"I beg of you my love; I have no experience in raising a child on my own. Stay here with me my castle, my kingdom and not yours. Your sister will not look here, I promise you!" King Sombra pleads. Looking down at the slumbering foal in the crib that held him, a little blanket trying its best to cover the child but failing as his wing poked out from underneath it. He then quickly shoots his eyes up to the dark blue mare standing next to him, "I wouldn't even know where to begin, this child is meant to hold us closer after all." 
Standing there quietly thinking to herself, she tries so hard not to let a single drop of water fall from her eyes as she rubs her hoof against the crib, rocking it gently. "I wish---." She nearly chokes on her words but quickly recovers to say, "I wish I could, I truly do but I can't, and you know that Sombra. If she ever finds out about us about this relationship even about-----Him. It's just too risky, and I don't even want to think about it." She speaks softly as to help her contain her emotions; at any moment, she felt as if she would break down.
"Celestia is a soft and weak creature, she'll have mercy upon you being her sister and she wouldn't dare harm a child she doesn't have the guts to do it," Sombra explains in a serious tone, in all actuality he thought that he might not have what it takes to raise a child. 
Princess Luna chuckles slightly and turns her eyes away from the sleeping child, and places them on her significant other. "That is partially why I'd want him raised here, not that I have a choice anyway." She says. "Just promise me you will make him strong, who knows maybe one day he might lead a charge on Equestria after he kills you." She laughs to the point where the child rustled to the noise. "He may even be the one to bring us back together."
"Like hell, he is, my entire kingdom is my army. I could take this fight to her. Right now, I could have units on the move, ready to crush on my word." He demands nearly stomping his hoof on the polished crystal floor. It's brilliant, he thought. He felt stupid for not thinking of this in the first place. 
"Wait right up until he can take charge and fight, build him up strong just like you are. We talked about this day for weeks Sombra, we knew it but yet never wanted it to come." Luna demands. Her eyes then turn to the giant glass window and quickly realizes that dawn was going to be approaching soon. 
"I wish he had my magic, I mean he has the looks to capture the prettiest of them all. My magic is the only thing he has lacking, him being a Pegasus and all." He says jokingly, a grin slowly spreading across his face. 
"That he does, the magic problem is yours to solve though. I wish I could help more with the child but the time has come for me to lower the moon to its proper place, I must be going, or someone will notice my absence from the castle and you and I both know that can't happen." She says somberly. She then makes her way back over to the crib that held the child, still slowly rocking in place. Leaning in close to the child, she whispers to him, "You'll be the key to bringing this family together again." 
"I guess there is no point to debate this then. I will do as you want and raise the child without you. My only regret is that we didn't have more time together; this child will be a constant memory of you whenever these eyes look at him." Sombra admits with his head lowered nearly touching the ground. 
Princess Luna looks at him with a soft look in her eyes, she brings his head close to hers with her hoof, and together they lock horns and kiss one last time. Once their bodies have separated from one another Luna makes one last trip back to the crib, in her eyes that was her child but she thought that in her sister's eyes that peacefully sleeping child was a bastard child of a forbidden fellowship. It sent chills down her spine that she had to abandon her family all because her sister was such a godly rule stickler, it made no sense that she was forbidden a spouse of her own. 
The more she thought about it, the more she grew in despair and resentment, just because she was a princess and had duties and loyalty to the kingdom didn't mean she had to give up her entire life and throw it away. The only thing she could have freely without anyone telling her how to go about it was her thoughts; she thought to herself. Using the magic in her horn, she silently opens the large glass window that was made into a wall, and spreads open her wings ready to take flight. She wanted to look back one last time at her newly arrived child and spouse, she tried to say she loved them both and embrace them forever but she couldn't.
"I promise I'll be back." She said as the wings on her back slowly began to flap, and not long after eventually carried her away from the palace.





Present Day 
Crystal Empire




"NOO!" King Sombra shouts, he violently rustles back into the real world only to realize that he was still in his bed. He shakes his head to help him wake up a little better and realizes that it was only a dream that got him so worked up. "Nothing more than a dream." He snarls, angry at himself for losing his temper over a dream. 
The noise of King Sombra shouting himself awake quickly alerts the attention of the two guards standing watch outside his chamber door, reacting swiftly and against their will to save the King from any threat that was posed charge into his room. Coming to the reality that nothing was in the room with the King, one of the guards spoke up afraid to do so. "Your highness are you alright." The guard bravely asks. 
King Sombra thinks a moment to himself; he then rises out of his bed and makes a cold hard stare into the eyes of his guards. "You are to tell Crimson to meet me at the royal throne immediately, and you are also to tell him that its time for his initiation." King Sombra says harshly. "Now, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!" He shouts, sending the already scared guards into full panic as they rush out of the chamber, closing the door behind them.