//------------------------------//
// Eat, Neigh, Love 
// Story: The Return of the King 
// by MisterEdd 
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Ever since his return from death's domain, Sombra had been plagued by nightmares of his long-deceased adoptive sister, which came in the form of memories or phantasms involving her dying and blaming him for it. In his eyes, he deserved it and willingly suffered through them in some sort of an attempt at penance. For the first time in a long time, Sombra didn't dream about Garnet and for that, he was somewhat grateful. He was being summoned to the throne room of Canterlot Castle by the princess but when he arrived, it was Twilight seated atop the throne in place of either Celestia or Luna.         

"Please, there's no need for that," Twilight giggled when Sombra bowed. She had grown taller, tall enough so that he only came up to her shoulder and become much more lithe as a result. Her usual purple and violet mane was now a glittering cascade of mist that flowed in a nonexistent breeze. She was beautiful before but now she was a goddess. "After all, you're my husband, are you not?"

"Husband?!" Sombra sputtered as Twilight slowly descended her throne, every movement precise and soundless, despite the golden slippers she wore on each hoof. Reaching up, the umbrum tapped something metal on the base of his horn and when he glanced down at the shimmering floor, he saw that it was indeed a gold wedding ring. He then realized that Twilight wore an identical one on her spike-like horn.  

Twilight stopped before him and gently caressed one of his cheeks, inducing a slight shudder from him. 

"Yes, mine and mine alone. Forever."   

"Twilight..." His own hoof automatically extending to return the gesture. It stopped however, when a presence made itself known. He withdrew his hoof and rolled his eyes. "Couldn't stay away, could you?"

"My apologies," Princess Luna intoned with a slight bow of her head. Her eyes then briefly drifted past Sombra towards Dream-Twilight. "But despite my own interest in the subject, I wanted to speak with you." 

Sombra smiled despite himself. "Believe it or not, it is good to see you again, Luna Dream-Walker." 

A small grin appeared on Luna's lips. "Now that is a name that I've not heard in a long time, Sombra Darkhame." She then adopted a more serious expression. "I came here regarding my sister's current emotional state."  

All mirth vanished from Sombra's face. "Don't tell me: Celestia came crying to you, didn't she?" 

"Celestia locked herself in her chambers and refused to come out," Princess Luna replied icily. "When she finally let me in, she was bawling her eyes out and stuffing her face with cake. After an hour of listening to her sobbing and incoherent muttering, she told me that you completely shot down her offer of reconciliation."  

Sombra rubbed his temples irritatingly. "First off, I'm with Twilight now, so getting back together with Celestia is not an option. Secondly, given our history together, it should come as no surprise that I'd be hesitant about rekindling our romance and thirdly, I was more than patient with her. Did she tell you that she came in my cell in the middle of the night, first to watch me sleep then demand that I take her back?"

Luna stared down at the floor, letting her body sag slightly as all aggression left her. "No, she was rather vague about the whole ordeal..."

"Well there you go!" Sombra threw up his forelegs in exasperation. "Celestia just needs to get over it. She was just fine without me for the last millennia. The rest of her life shouldn't be an issue." 

Luna thought carefully on this point. "Still, as correct as you are, would it hurt if you said this to her, albeit more gently?"  

Sombra cocked a brow at this. "'Gently'? Luna, she's over thirty-and-a-thousand years old. She doesn't need to have her hoof held; she needs a good smack of reality upside that thick skull of hers." 

Shaking her head, the younger diarch stared at him. "Don't you see? If you want to get Celestia to cease her pursuit of you, harsh words won't win the day. You need to speak her from the heart." 

"By the gods, you are naïve."

"And you are cynical." 

"Of course I am," Sombra replied imperiously. "Have you not seen the state of the world we live in?" 

Luna sighed. "I still don't know what young Twilight sees in you but clearly it is special." 

Speaking of Twilight, Sombra was closely inspecting her dream doppelganger. Was this to be her future? He shuddered at the thought, though whether it was from excitement or dread, he couldn't tell. She was already a princess and Celestia's favored student. Knowing the elder alicorn as he did, Sombra suspected that Celestia had a much bigger goal in mind for Twilight Sparkle. Whatever Twilight's future, he only hoped that he'd be by her side to help her through it. 

"I wish I knew too."  


~*~


"Thanks for coming with me, Rarity," Twilight beamed as the pair trotted through the castle's corridors. As well-acquainted as they were with the interior, the architecture never ceased to amaze them. Canterlot Castle was originally a section of Aethera Palace, the center of power in Alicornia and the site of the greatest discoveries in early thaumaturgy. Shortly after the Doom of Alicornia, King Solaris had a legion of his most ardent followers transport the still-intact sections of the castle away from the island's ruins and place them in what would now be Canterlot. This way, the new home of the royal family would be a conglomeration of the tradition of their homeland and the customs to be made in Equestria. 

"Think nothing of it, Darling," Rarity said with a dainty wave of her hoof. Her eyes scanned the stain-glass windows before she turned back to her comrade. "After all, isn't this what friends are for?"   

"That's true...but you've never volunteered to come with me to visit Sombra before." 

They rounded a corner and proceeded down the stairs leading to the castle's lower levels. Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight noticed Rarity shiver slightly at the name while maintaining her stride and dignified posture. It made sense as to why Rarity was still scared of Sombra seeing as how so far neither she nor Applejack and Rainbow Dash had yet to be in the same room as him. 

"That I haven't," the white unicorn nodded, tossing her indigo mane with a flip that somehow didn't disrupt its pristine form. "Which is why I'm making up for it now. After all, I have a duty as a friend to get a proper feel for the scoundrel that stole my favorite princess' heart." She then added, "I just want to ensure that he hasn't ravaged you when you're both alone."  

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. "You've been reading those romance novels again, aren't you? The ones where a young mare falls for a bad-colt with a tragic past and tries to mend his broken heart?"

Rarity looked away from her. "I've...maybe?"

Rubbing her temples, Twilight sighed, "Look, this isn't a romance novel. Sombra and I are a couple, yes, but that doesn't mean that he's going to completely abandon his entire identity for me. Life doesn't work-..."   

She came to halt upon catching sight of a familiar pegasus guard. 

"...-Like that."

Flash Sentry paused and cleared his throat. "Hi-hiya Twilight. Rarity."

"Hi Flash."  

Noticing the lull in conversation, Rarity patted Twilight on the shoulder. "I'll...just go on ahead." She squeezed by the two and briefly looked back at them. It was sad how oblivious Twilight was to Flash's crystal clear infatuation with her, how he continued to pine after her even after being dumped and placed in the Friend Zone. Everypony agreed that Flash was perfect coltfriend and future husband material: kind, sweet, easy on the eyes and with a respectable and high-paying job. 

Nevertheless, if the passion wasn't there, then why settle? Twilight clearly didn't reciprocate Flash's feelings and it seemed to Rarity that keeping the pegasus as a friend showed just how much the alicorn cared about him. And then there was Sombra...

Is that...music? 

Magically pushing the door open, Rarity was met with the gentle tone of a piano, giving her momentary pause. Soothing melodies weren't something that she was expecting when it came to the infamous ex-tyrant but then again, she didn't know him on a personal level. She quickly took note of the gramophone and glanced at the record sleeve, which read: "Goldberg Variations, BWV 988~Johann Sebastian Buck." 

At least he's a stallion of taste. 

"Good evening, Miss Rarity." 

Sombra sat on the edge of his cot facing her, a large black maroon-colored book with black accents cradled in his forelegs. The first thing that Rarity noticed were his scarlet eyes. While red wasn't an odd color amongst ponies-in fact, a resident of Ponyville named Vinyl Scratch had red eyes behind her ever-present sunglasses-it wasn't the color alone which unnerved her. They appeared to glow in the shade of the cell, burning with an inner fire that spoke of rage and passion. She gulped. Those eyes possessed all of the keenness of a predator. Does that make me the prey? 

"...Good evening, King-...I mean, Sombra. What are you reading?" 

"The Great Poetry of the Masters. I'm glad to see that some things have improved with time." 

Sombra then closed his eyes and intoned: 

"Oh, weep for Adonais--he is dead!
Wake, melancholy Mother, wake and weep!
Yet wherefore? Quench within their burning bed
Thy fiery tears, and let thy loud heart keep
Like his, a mute and uncomplaining sleep;
For he is gone, where all things wise and fair
Descend—oh, dream not that that amorous Deep
Will yet restore him to the vital air;
Death feeds on his mute voice, and laughs at our despair." 

His eyelids slowly opened to reveal his scarlet eyes, which now shone like rubies as he turned his attention to the stunned mare in front of him. To say that Rarity was caught off guard would be an understatement. First the classical music and now poetry? Things were getting interesting.  

"That was beautiful," Rarity admitted. 

Sombra carefully placed the book behind him and, rising to his full height, strode right up to the bars. 

"Thank you but they're not my words. Still, I have an appreciation for the written word." 

"I can see that." Regaining control of her senses, Rarity stated, "I take it that's part of your seduction method? Reading poetry to young mares and bringing them to your bed?"

Sombra's smile faltered. "I understand. You came here to measure me, didn't you? After all, I am dating one of your best friends. You're worried about my intentions towards Twilight."   

"Indeed I am," Rarity answered resolutely. "And given your past misdeeds, you can understand my concerns."    

Sombra nodded and grinned, drawing Rarity's attention to his fangs. The prey aspect of her brain recognized them as dangerous and that she should flee. And yet, another part of her was...excited by the sight. Coupled with his predator's gaze, Rarity found herself feeling hot around the metaphorical collar. 

"Naturally. You're suspicious of me. Then again, you can trust everything that I say...unless the truth-telling spell has been deactivated." 

Rarity blanched. "How did you know that?!" 

"I didn't. You just told me." When Rarity didn't answer, Sombra continued. "I had my suspicions. After all, if one were to interrogate me, they would naturally be skeptical of everything I say. Not that I blame them." 

"They did use a truth-field spell on your cell and your temporary room," Rarity confirmed. "But Twilight took it down weeks ago. She said that she could trust you, seeing as how you never once tried to lie to her or anypony else for that matter."

Sombra nodded slightly and then appeared to ruminate on something. 

"Rarity?" He asked in an oddly quiet and earnest tone. "I know you have every right to be mistrustful of me but please believe me when I say that I love Twilight and that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her." 

Inching herself a foot away from the bars, Rarity stared up into Sombra's face, looking for any signs of deceit. As a businessmare and socialite, she was fairly trained in observing and interpreting vocal inflections, facial features and body language. Liars and two-faced crooks always had a tell, whether it be a minute tic or quick darting of the eyes. The stallion in front of her, however, was either completely sincere or the greatest actor in all of Equestria. 

"I believe you, Sombra. Just don't ever break her heart. If you do-..."

"Then you'll kill me?" 

Rarity smirked, a dangerous little grin comprised of humor and ill-intent.

"I'm glad that we understand each other. Now then, let's discuss how you've been treating Twilight on your 'dates.' I just so happen to have a few pointers to make them even more romantic!"