//------------------------------// // 3 // Story: Shadow of the Heart // by TuniPeace //------------------------------// 15th day, Icjam, 210 Within the coming days, the Empire buried their beloved King. I became Junior Empress; still a Princess but with most of the ruling power besides the Counsel and Delegates. I soon passed new laws and corrected old ones, visited districts and communities, announced ideas for new holidays and events to wash the tide of sorrow of my fathers passing. After a few weeks as Empress, Sombra and I found one another within the forest. I explained my idea's to him: "It shall be called The Crystal Fair. My ancestor created it long ago and I shall bring it back." The late afternoon talking with Sombra was a refreshing change of events for me. The grey unicorn laid his head on my chest with his back on the grass, looking forward at the forest. I was relaxed laying on my belly with one forearm and back leg curled under my torso. I wrapped a forearm around Sombra's chest. My hoof moved up and down his chest as I explained the fair to him. I told him my plans for the districts and wards bringing their favorite foods and goods. How I studied the hobbies and talents of the ponies. The demonstrations of jousting, comedy, plays, crafts and foods, with some physical entertainment. "I see that you are pampering them after all the things that they have done to you. All of the wicked thoughts and conspiracies." Sombra snapped softly. "I'm becoming peaceful and have resolved their prejudging ways for myself! My father told me to rule with love. I am apart of him and I feel love within my being. I cannot go against who I' am. I, I love my ponies. Our fellow ponies." I said, trying to reason with him. Sombra raised himself to his belly, curling his legs under him. I lowered my head and closed my eyes. "I thought we had a common understanding." I heard Sombra disappointingly say. "We do! However, I love, and you, hate, it scares me." Telling him my feelings of his attitude. I raised my head to his face, and opened my eyes. We looked at each other gently, wanting a common ground from one another. I chuckled, smiled and stood, then walked away a few feet. Sombra looked at me wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape. I lowered my head and long Alicorn neck, digging my front right toe into the dirt back and forth. Sombra soon walked over to me. He stayed a short distance from my side. "I suppose opposites, attract. We are the same in so many ways, but the way that we want to treat others are so vastly different." I told Sombra, quietly and with gentle concern, I turned to him with tears in my eyes. Sombra backed slightly away and in shock at my strong emotion. He gasped and looked at me wide-eyed. The gray unicorn raised his front hoof, guarding himself. I approached him, laid the grove of my chin on his right shoulder, closed my eyes and breathed in his ear. Sombra seemed a willing-uncomfortable to these feelings of mine. I liken to believe that he became relaxed with my chin on his shoulder "Do you hate me?" I asked. Sombra's eyes widened again. He then lowered his head, closed his eyes and breathed heavily out of his nose. "Your one of the few that I do not despise." He answered. I told him that I wanted to help him. That I did not wish to change him. I wanted us to be by each other's side. "It is alright." I said. "And I wish to help you." Sombra whispered ominously in my ear. As always I felt Sombra's eyes looking on me. My eyes flashed open and then I backed away from him. The gray unicorn raised his head and looked at me. I slightly turned my head, lowered my eyelids and looked at him questionably. I told him that the fair was going to start within a few weeks. I would like it if he would come, be by my side as my special escort and partner, I pleaded gently. Sombra huffed and puffed. He lowered his head, dashed his eyes around. He then turned away and walked into the beginning of the forest shadows. The red-horned unicorn stopped, turning his head slightly to me. I looked on shocked and worried, raising my right front hoof. "Is that your answer, to me?" I asked sadly. Sombra's green eyes raced. He breathed heavily and went deeper into the forest. I shut my eyes tightly and started to sob. The sound of me sob cut his ears sharply. It gave him immediate pause and shock but he still was away from me. Looking at him for the last time, I galloped hurrying out of the forest sobbing. Now the forest a place of pain, instead of peaceful retreat. Sombra looked on within the shadows as I hurried out of the woods. Over the weeks, Empress Quartzia did not go to the forest. She thought that Sombra had forgotten about her and did not want her company any longer. Our leader poured her attention into making the Crystal Fair the happiest and most loving event in the entire world. Empress Quartzia even journeyed to distant lands to invite other kingdoms and townships so that the civilians could see other ponies from all over the world. The ponies of the empire started to learn from the Unicorns and Pegasus. Citizens enjoyed the Pegasus speed and daring, and the Unicorns knowledge and skills. Many civilians were sad when the ambassadors had to leave. Nevertheless, they promised to return for the fair with their families. Finally, it seemed that the ponies within the crystal empire were accepting their Empress and seeing her again as one of their own. Ponies would call her for advice on where to set up the tents and fair structures. Fillies and colts laughed and bounced around her, giving her baskets of berries and flowers. Even the ponies on the farms requested for Quartzia's help using magic. She was free to fly, use her magic and shower her people with love. It was everything that the alicorn ever wanted. However The empress would look on longingly at the forest while volunteering in the mornings, and from the palace at dusk. Everypony felt that there was a hole within her soul. Like a tattered flag blowing in the wind. Unknown to our Quartzia, Sombra was stalking around the Empire. Everypony did not pay him mind, but we now realize he was secretly watching the empress over the weeks within the fairs preparation. He was always wearing a hooded cloak looking at the Crystal Palace through the top of his hood, tightening his jaw. The empress was going over blueprints within the evening, as she lay in her bed. She kept looking out the open balcony as she did every night since her father's passing. Quartzia sighed and closed it with her magic. The Alicorn coughed and drunk some tea that was beside her on a nearby table. She was becoming sick. Quartzia thought it was from the work of the fair, but secretly everypony dreaded it was her family’s sickness. The candles went out within the room suddenly. The empress gave off a sigh and rolled her head back. We guards became alert, but we knew whom it was visiting her. So did the empress. "It took you awhile." Said slightly annoyed by the Alicorn. She then coughed and cleared her throat. "I see that working with these ponies has made you sick." Said Sombra's echoing voice. The empress cleared her throat again. She then put away her notes within a drawer, took a drink of tea and rubbed her neck. Sombra appeared at the foot of her bed and locked his eyes on her. The empress looked on at him with weakened eyes, a cold sweat and dizziness. We had gotten used to Sombra's company, but this was the first time in weeks that he had made a visit to our empresses bed chambers. We stepped back and let them converse with one another. "What is wrong with you?" Asked Sombra. "So you do care." Empress Quartzia replied. "Well you're the one that said that you wanted me to accompany you to this love-fest. You are obviously not feeling well. And you might need me and my ways more than-" Quartzia tackled and hugged the grey unicorn as tightly as she could, interrupting his words. She hummed gleefully on his shoulder. The joyful pink, alicorn then pushed Sombra back, rested her hoofs on his shoulders and looked on at him with a closed mouth smile. "And I know exactly what you are going to wear." She replied. "You would dress me now? I am taking flight from here. Enjoy your fair!" Sombra snapped. He turned away and made his way toward the balcony. "No! No!" Quartzia chuckled, "Wait, I do not care if your horn just shows up, as long as it is you!" The empress started to have a coughing fit. She closed her eyes tightly, raised her front right toe to her mouth and tried to control her heavy coughing. Sombra turned back to her with some concern. He rushed over to her and caught the dizzy alicorn. "You are surely not well, young Empress." Sombra said. "If you leave me I would surely waste." Quartzia cooed. Sombra looked down at her wide-eyed. He took the empress to bed, laid her down and then covered her with the warm blankets. The gray unicorn sat on top of the covers on the bed's edge. Quartzia took his front left hoof and held it in her own two front hooves. She looked up at him with twinkling eyes and a weak closed smile. He looked at her curiously and nervously. The red-horned pony then left the bed and went towards a nearby wall. He angrily looked forward and frustrated. Empress Quartzia looked at him. She turned her head to him, on her pillow, breathing heavily and then sighed. "Even though I know that thou shalt ever say it. I missed you, very much so. I know that you missed me too. So I shall embrace your presence as those words that I long to hear. I shall not say it before you say them." Weakly stated the empress. Sombra lowered his head and darted his eyes around. A red glow went over his once green irises. He increasingly became more frustrated and angry at these emotions. Suddenly he turned to the Princess and slowly started to walk toward her, his face starting to change form. The unicorn’s once brilliant green irises were now red and menacing; the green now on the once whites of his eyes and a purple energy flowing from the outer edges of his eyes. His teeth sharpened like a wolf with his mouth slightly agape. The sick empress rested on her elbows as she looked at him coming to her. We started to approach this strange unicorn, but the empress raised a hoof to us and then lowered it. "Sombra?" She asked with concern. "What have you done? What have you done to me!" He yelled Empress Quartzia Rose looked at him puzzled and told him that she did not know what he was talking about. Sombra became more enraged and frustrated. HIs appearance became more shadow than pony now. I think back to what our empress possibly saw within this pony. Did she not see this as a sign? A warning? "You said that you would never change me! Every time that you, you are away from me, I feel weak and torn. When I see you, I am nervous, yet filled with excitement and bliss. Then when you sob or cry-" He answered. Quartzia chuckled and giggled interrupting the angry pony. "Sombra, that means you care, about me. Why you might even-" "Might what? What, darn you!” Sombra snapped. Sombra then went over to her bedside again. Empress Quartzia sat up and looked at the upset, gray unicorn, whom was breathing heavily. Calm and collected, our loving alicorn empress reached out to him and hugged him. Then she turned her face to his cheek and kissed him. Sombra rushed off the bed again and held his cheek. His face and eyes went back to normalcy. He turned away from her and looked at Empress Quartzia through the corners of his eyes. She laughed and then fell into bed. The Empress sighed and then turned away, snuggling under the covers. "Merry twilight, Sombra." Quartzia yawned. Sombra turned back to her. He sighed and went over to the bed. He lay in bed with her, on top of the covers. Quartzia snuggled her back to the unicorn’s front torso, grabbing his forearm and wrapping it around her. She playfully rested the top of her head in the grove of his chin. Sombra blushed heavily and gulped. After a few moments, however, Sombra fell asleep.