//------------------------------//
// V. Bergentrückung 
// Story: Sombran Lullaby 
// by voroshilov 
//------------------------------//

All cafes save one had been emptied out and even then the only one remaining contained little more than a pair of tables and three chairs. Fortunately it had only been a short walk from the palace.

There were two ponies inside, one of which was waiting on the other. The pony being waited on, by his grey coat and white mane, was clearly Doctor Glow. The other was a young teal unicorn, Sombra estimated he must have been fresh out of school, there was a slight shake in his left foreleg and his gaze seemed long and unfocused. 

Neither noticed Sombra at first, though for different reasons. The waiter pony seemed locked in a fearful trance, whilst Doctor Glow was far too aloof to even notice a door opening. Only when Sombra was right behind him did he notice and turn.

"You're blocking my light."

Sombra waved a hoof in mock apology. "Terribly sorry, I have a habit of doing that."

The waiter pony's jaw dropped, no doubt his frayed nerves had been shocked by the sudden - at least in his eyes - arrival of the regal and armoured King. Doctor Glow, on the other hand, hardly gave him pause, save to wave his own hoof for Sombra to step out of the window and sit down.

"Get the King a coffee, lad," Glow ordered.

"If that is alright," Sombra interjected, as politely as he could whilst also shooting daggers at the Doctor, who shrugged in response and took a drink.

The waiter pony nodded profusely, appearing to snap from his trance, and rushed off into the back room. Sombra allowed himself the chance to sit back and relax.

"So," Glow began, taking a sip of his own coffee, "prepared for your mission?"

"I've spoken to Commander De Verre," Sombra replied, "as well as Maresbury. I have most of my affairs in order."

"I have heard Commander De Verre is assembling a caravan," Glow said, as if it was some gossip that would be new to the King, "with a guard detachment to head north east and be taken to the Griffon Lands."

"News travels fast," Sombra mused, though he had not expected it to be a secret. 

"Indeed it does."

"I am going to send Maresbury with them," Sombra said, drawing a shocked look from the Doctor.

"Have you told her this?"

The King laughed, "of course not, she'd have killed me."

Glow nodded gravely. "When will you be telling her?"

Sombra looked behind him, over the main street that led through the Crystal City's heart. There was a faint scattering of clouds in the sky, with the shielded borders of the City's sky apparently clear. Had it been any other day, it would have been wonderful.

"I've told her to come here."

Glow heard exactly what was unsaid. "Now?" He blinked. "Courageous."

Sombra chuckled morbidly, "it's not like I'll live with the consequences for long."

"I suppose that's true."

Sombra's coffee arrived. Though the King almost immediately had to save it from dropping from the pony's shaking hooves. After profusely apologising, which the King had to repeatedly rebuff and assist in calming the worried pony, the waiter turned to leave.

"Wait," the King called out, with the waiter freezing where he was. "Do you have any family?"

"Yes," the waiter's voice cracked every few moments as he spoke. "My brother is in the guard, and my mother is a nurse."

"Your father?"

The waiter teared up a little. "He was in the guard too, my King."

"Cold Storm, was it?"

The waiter nodded glumly.

"Your father was a hero," he said, proudly, before his voice quietened, "I am sorry I could not save him."

Cold Storm had been a veteran member of the guard, since the time of Sombra's predecessor. As far as Sombra was aware though, he had not had any fighting experience. He had been unlucky enough to have been on duty midnight of two days before, when Sombra had gathered what few soldiers he could and marched south to the Everfree, to participate in what would become the disastrous Battle of the Two Sisters. Sombra didn't quite know where he had lost his guards, he could hardly remember most of the fighting, only that when he had been reached by the remnants of Luna's army he was alone.

"If you can find your brother and mother," he offered, "there is a caravan going north, to be taken to the Griffon Lands for safety. You three could go with them."

The waiter pony bowed. "Thank you," he muttered, "but we couldn't. Got to stay here, for dad."

Sombra could only nod, words would not do the situation justice.

A huff came from the door, followed by the clomping of metal on wood. Commander De Verre, closely followed by Maresbury, entered. Behind the two had been a caravan of guards, carrying what looked like hundreds of heavy tomes up to the gate. Behind them was a smattering of guards, a group of four pulling a heavy ballista, with another two dragging a cart of stones.

"My King," Commander De Verre saluted, "defensive preparations are proceeding according to schedule."

"They've almost emptied out the library!" Maresbury proclaimed proudly, "they have enough books to build a house now."

"Come, sit, let us talk." Sombra rose from his seat, handing it over to Maresbury, whilst De Verre took up a seat opposite Glow and beside Sombra. 

"It has been a while," Glow said, "since we've all been gathered like this."

"So it has."

"If only it were under better circumstances." 

"Let's not think about the situation," Sombra said, "let's just take a moment to keep our minds off of it."

They sat in silence for a moment, each trying their best to take their minds off of the situation looming over them long enough to think of a topic of conversation. Surprisingly, it was De Verre who succeeded first.

"Remember the summer of three years ago?" She asked, more rhetorically than anything else. "When Sombra tried to make that apple pie?"

"I remember a lot of burning," Glow said, shooting a glance at Sombra and eliciting a chuckle from De Verre, "then I remember the kitchens smelling of apple for weeks."

"You never did return that cookbook," Maresbury said, "I still sometimes wonder what happened to it."

Glow barked out a laugh, "probably involved in the burning," he said, still laughing, much to Maresbury's horrified look, which only made him laugh harder.

"You never could bake very well could you," De Verre turned to Sombra, stood next to her, who rolled his eyes.

"I happen to think that pie tasted rather nice," Sombra retorted, only for the entire group to laugh at him.

"You tasted it?" De Verre asked.

"I tasted it on the air," Glow interjected, "tasted like ash."

For a moment, all four forget their present situation, allowing the joy of the moment to wash over them. However, their brief merriment would be short lived. 

"My King," a soldier burst through the cafe's door, "scouts have spotted Celestia's troops, they're marching up the pass!"

De Verre shot to her feet, helmet on and sword ready in an instant. Sombra was close behind her. With his voice bearing as much authority as it could he gave his order, "rally every soldier to the gate. De Verre, get your caravan moving, now."

"Yes, my King," the two soldiers chorused as both charged out, knowing their respective duties.

"Amethyst," Sombra addressed the Librarian, "I want you in De Verre's caravan. I won't accept an argument."

Maresbury only huffed, though Sombra had already charged out, sprinting to the gate as fast as his legs could carry him.