//------------------------------// // Queen of Shadows // Story: Kiss of the Dark // by Soothing Stone //------------------------------// WARNING: Will contain some suggestive and violent content. Even when spring grew older with the days and summer would only be a few weeks away, the everlasting winter that engulfed Sombra's castle grew stronger in power. The snow showers turned back into a blizzard, the winds were howling with the ferocity of a lion, and the temperature skydived to the point that the grass froze over. It was like the castle was in an environment of its own, given how warm and cozy the rest of Equestria was. And to some degree, that sentiment was true. Within the layered hallways of the castle, Twilight looked around its turns to look for Sombra. The topic of her green eyes was still fresh in her head, and she intended to talk to him about it as soon as possible. But it was difficult to do when she had no idea where she was going. Either the pathways were identical in design, or she had no idea how to tell them apart. That was something she had to get used to around here. She passed many doors on the way to...wherever Sombra was. Some of the doors were shut, but other entrances didn't have doors to them at all. But it didn't look like any of those rooms had anything of note inside. She would occasionally see a crystal stockpile in one area, but that was pretty much it. Then she passed the mother of all rooms, at least for her. Her vision glistened at the sheer beauty of it all, and it was almost like coming home to Ponyville. Sombra had a library of his own, as it turned out. The shelves reached all the way to the high rising ceiling, and there had to be hundreds if not thousands of books in his possession. Most of them were a bit older than the copies she usually carried around, but that didn't matter. They were books all the same. Among the library's floors were plenty of desks and seating areas to enjoy a good book, and the area was even in a more pleasing shade of light purple. All in all, it was an impressive library, three to four times the size of the one she had back at Ponyville. She went to the nearest shelf and examined what was available to her. This shelf carried nothing but copies of Starswirl the Bearded's catalog, though these transcripts were a bit outdated. But they weren't falling apart at the seams either. She pulled out a book on fire spells, the same one that she used to calm down after she came home following the coronation ceremony. It was one of the easiest Starswirl books to read and understand, and it managed to get her nerves to stop every time. "So you noticed my library," Sombra said out of nowhere. "I intended to show it to you after dinner, since I thought you would like it." Surprised, she turned around to see Sombra standing right behind her. He was wearing the same armor and cape that he carried with him at the Empire, though without his crown and facial armor. "Sombra! I didn't hear you coming in," she said, a little startled. "I have a tendency to do that at times. I apologize. But what do you think about this library? It might not be as impressive as the ones you can find in Canterlot, but..." "I love it!" she exclaimed. She put her hooves around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "I never thought you would have so many books like this. It's great and really thoughtful! Do you have any other books that were lost?" "Plenty. I managed to recover a few books from Starswirl the Bearded that I think you'll find in handy. But it's getting close to dusk. We should probably have our dinner now rather than later. And there's something I want to talk to you about while we're eating." "Actually, there's something else we need to talk about. It's something I discovered when I was taking a shower." "There is? What is the matter?" "Well, it's kinda creepy and weird at the same time. After I was done taking a shower and I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I saw that I have green eyes now. I know you have green eyes, but your understanding of dark magic is a lot deeper than mine. Do I still have them?" He shook his head. "I don't see them anymore. And it's my fault for not explaining this occurrence to you earlier. You develop green eyes like that the deeper your skills in dark magic are. That's all there is to it. It will only be temporary for now, but don't be surprised if they become permanent. My eyes are like so all the time, because dark magic is almost everything I know. Does that answer your question?" "I believe so. I thought it might have had something to do with you. You're the only pony I know that has eyes like that." Her stomach interrupted her and rumbled from the lack of food it was getting. It was loud enough for Sombra to hear clear as day. She blushed and covered her stomach up. "I think I'm ready for dinner now." "Yes, even your stomach is saying that. I'm sure you'll enjoy what I have in store for you." He led her through more and more hallways to trot through. They all seemed to be identical to her, with the same black stones and the same embedded crystals. But she was starting to pick up on the differences between each one slowly, like one hallway would have two doors while another would have five Shadow Guards. Eventually, she was brought back to the same dining hall that they had enjoyed breakfast in. Her seat was prepared for her already, with a white plate arranged next to a steaming hot cup of coffee. "Uh, aren't you supposed to only have coffee in the morning?" "We met for coffee in Ponyville during the evening," Sombra pointed out. "That was when you knew me as Forest Mist, still, but I assumed you could have your coffee all the time. I find it delicious. It's all I've been drinking for three days now." "I guess you have a point. It's not the first time I had coffee in the evening anyways. But that's usually for all night studies." They took their seats opposite each other on the table. A Guard came by Sombra's side, and Sombra mentioned something in his ear. The servant nodded and left for another room. Dinner definitely felt different in tone than breakfast for Twilight.. The atmosphere was calmer and more relaxed, thanks to the day she had spent with Sombra inside the castle. It was much better than the previous night, that's for sure. However, there was something still inside her head that wouldn't go away so easily. A certain fear that she wanted to get rid of once and for all, if this was going to be her new life. "Am I ever going to see my friends again?" she mentioned. Sombra was busy sipping his coffee drink when he heard the question. He stopped and placed the cup down on the table. "Didn't you just say after you woke up that they were never going to let you into their group anymore? That's how I remember it." "It's still difficult to live with!" she snapped. "They were the first real friends I ever had in my life. They taught me so much in a short time, and I don't think I would have gotten my wings and my title as princess if it wasn't for them. And I don't want to lose that..." Her voice choked up, as she was trying hold back the tears. "I know you've been all I need and more after I needed a place to stay. I love you for that. But if there was some way I could still be with them, I would do it. That's why it's so hard for me to be here, because I had no other choice. I didn't even get to say goodbye..." As soon as he realized what she was about to do, he went around the table and held her close in his hooves. She let out another round of tears, as the drama of her current situation hit her in the face again. "You know why you can't go back." "I know. Celestia will be looking for me..." "But I still want to help you get through this. Tell me what you want and I'll do it for you." "Just be there for me when I need it..." "I can do that." He stayed with her there, while dinner was being prepared. After a while, he knew that he couldn't leave her side without it getting any worse. So he moved his chair to her side of the table, and put his plate and coffee next to hers. That way, they were always close together. She leaned on his shoulder, the first time she had done that since their carriage ride through the Wispy Woods. In turn, he rested the bottom of his head on the top of hers. "Is that better?" he asked. "Yeah," she muttered. She started to hum a song, one that he was not familiar with. But the melody stood out to him. It was a very slow but soothing melody, very pleasing to his ears. "What is that song?" "It was a song my mother used to sing to me in the crib when I was a foal. I liked it for a while, even after I grew up." "I can see why. It's a good song." After that, a few Guards arrived with two silver platters. They set the platters down on top of their plates and lifted the lids to show them their dinner. For dinner that night was a hay and cheese soup. The cheese was especially thick and creamy, and the hay mixed around with the cheese perfectly. It would smell delicious to anypony, especially to Twilight. She levitated the spoon over to the soup and scoop up a bit of cheese and hay. She brought it to her lips and slurped it slowly. "Wow, this is one of the best soups I've ever had," she commented. After a few more spoonfuls of the soup, her stomach stopped complaining. "How did you make it?" "I really do go into Ponyville from time to time to stock up on supplies," Sombra replied. "Not very often, but it happens. I bought twice the amount of supplies as usual in the last strip, just in case they point out Forest Mist out as your coltfriend." "I can see that happening. They'll do anything it takes to find out where I am." She kept eating out of her soup, washing the hay down with coffee. That didn't sound appetizing on paper, but it was one of the better meals she ever had. Meanwhile, Sombra ate slower than she did. His attention was brought to certain other thoughts in his mind. He was so close, he could feel it. There was no way he could screw it up at this point, but the fear that it was still possible that it could all collapse was still present. All he really had to do was play it like he always did. Do it carefully, steadily, and in this case, don't be afraid to go all out. "Twilight, there's been something I've been thinking about all day. I wasn't sure if I should be asking this, but given that we're living together and you're in exile for the time being, I thought it would be the right time to ask the question." She stopped in the middle of another bite. "What is it?" He took her hoof in his, holding onto it with grace. "I don't think it's a secret that I'm still a king. The King of Shadows, with his own castle and Guards and the makings of an army to protect us. But I never had a queen in all of my years of holding this title. And I don't know anypony more qualified to be the Queen of Shadows. "Twilight Sparkle, would you want to be my queen?" Twilight gasped when he got out of his seat and bent down on his hind quarters. She wasn't sure if this was really happening. "Are you...are you proposing to me?" "Yes. I love you, Twilight, and I always will. I will protect you from those who would seek to harm you, and to be that shoulder to rest your head upon. But will you accept my proposal?" Twilight blinked. It was as if her whole world had stopped around her. "But...does this mean...we might have to fight Celestia in the future? She's going to hate you when she finds out about us..." "I promise you that it will never come to that. She will never find us in this place. It will just be you and me. But it is up to you to say if that will be the rest of your life. There is no turning back." Twilight forced herself to stop and think about what she wanted. Yes, he was proposing her hoof in marriage, and if there was nothing holding her back, she would have said yes. But at the same time, she felt like there was still an open door to fix all of this. To prove herself innocent. To prove to all of Equestria that one of its most ancient foes had changed and proven himself to be a respectable stallion now. "I...I don't know," she finally admitted. "I don't know yet. I want to say yes, but not like this..." "What do you mean?" he demanded. "How can you say you want to say yes, but fail to do so?" "I want to think about how I should handle all of this. I want more time. But please don't be angry with me. I still love you...": He rose up from his hind quarters and brought her in for another hug. "I'm not angry with you. I just thought you would have said yes." "I really want to be with you. But I know I can still fix this." "I guess we'll soon find out." ----- The snowstorm attacked the air below without mercy. The snow was so thick that it was difficult to see more than twenty feet out in front, creating a whiteout effect. Any tracks left behind were covered up almost immediately. Nopony should have been out there in those conditions. And yet there were five stallions out there, marching through the snowstorm. All five of them were covered from top to bottom in heavy coats, and they carried the Royal Guard armor underneath. "Why do we have to be out here?" one of them cried out. "There's no way anything can be out here!" "That's enough talk!" the leader barked. "We were ordered by Celestia to search every nook and cranny of Equestria. And that's what we're doing. You have an issue with that, you talk to her about it!" "But there's nothing out here!" another complained. "I've been to these mountains before. More ponies die from frostbite coming here than they do from dragons. From dragons!" "ENOUGH! You keep marching forward or I'll strip you of your rank sooner than you can say you quit!" And so they pressed forward, looking for anything of note. The winds roared in their ears, almost like a ferocious animal stalking his prey. It seemed like the only thing to find out there was soon and rocky mountain terrain. "Over there!" the captain shouted. "West of my position!" Four heads turned to the west, and they all saw it for themselves. A towering black building that rivaled anything they had seen in Canterlot. "It's a castle," another Guard noted. "But who would have a castle out here?" "We're going to find out," the captain noted. "I don't know who it belongs to, or who's going to be inside. Even if it's empty, it will prove to be a great place for shelter." They approached the banks of the castle, all ready for what might happen when they arrived. At first, they thought it was abandoned. And then the entrance doors came wide open. A whole unit of Shadow Guards came out with their swords and spears raised high. They ran at full speed towards the search party, roaring a battle cry at the top of their lungs. "All right, gentlecolts. It looks like they're wanting to pick a fight," the captain said to them. "Do not back down. We have no other plans to fall back on, and it's too hazardous out here to run away. Do not stop until every one of them is dead!" ----- The air was darker and thicker inside the castle, from the beginning of nightfall outside. The patrolling Guards went to work lighting every candle inside the walls, making it almost as bright as it did during daytime. But it was not enough to escape the feeling of heaviness filling Twilight's heart, as she and Sombra came into the throne room. It was the first time she had ever seen this place, but that didn't bother her as much as what she didn't do a few minutes ago. As Sombra approached his self appointed throne, she couldn't help but fear that he was going to strike back at her in some form. Probably with bitter words if she had to guess. But he didn't do anything of that sort with her. Instead, he merely stood in front of the throne and turned to her. "I really do hope to have two of these one day," he said. "I wouldn't mind carrying the rank of prince with you as the princess of Ponyville if that's what it takes to be with you. But I can't force my will on you." At least, not yet. "I realize that, and I feel bad about it," she admitted. "It's not a no. But I don't know what the answer is right now." "That is something that won't bring any wrath upon you, if that's what you're asking yourself." What? How did he know? she thought. It was like he was reading my mind... "Now then. It is early in the evening, but we still have a couple of hours left before we return to bed. So what should we do?" Almost as if to answer his question, a Shadow Guard arrived at the throne room. His armor was shattered around the front limb joints, and his eye was blackened from a kick straight to the face. The hooves dragged on the ground as he tried to make it to his king. Twilight took a few steps back, horrified to see one of Sombra's guards like that. What could have caused this? "King Sombra, we have intruders coming in this way," the guard could barely make out. "There's five of them, and they have killed many of our men in their wake." "Do you know who they are?" Sombra inquired. "They have the armor of Celestia's Royal Guard--" Before he could finish, a shot of fire hit him right in the flank. He roared in agony as his face collided with the floor. He was dead before he even hit the ground. A whole unit of Royal Guards had arrived on the scene. They were all unicorns, and smoke emitted from the one who made the killing show. "That covers this area," said the captain. "Now we just need to find--" He stopped when he realized that Twilight Sparkle was here. She almost panicked to see those stallions again. "We've found the princess, colts," he said to his men. "And she's with..." As soon as he discovered who the other stallion in the room was, he immediately starting working on the strongest offensive spell he knew. "KING SOMBRA! He has returned! What have you done with Princess Twilight Sparkle?" he demanded. Sombra growled and stomped a hoof on the ground. "I could ask the same thing. Who are you to storm into MY castle, kill my Guards, and then take away my guest?" Twilight was frozen in place, scared that the Guards would do something to her. This was not going to end well for somepony. She didn't know who yet. "Give her back to us this instant!" the captain barked. "I don't know what you're doing with her, but stop it at once!" "And what would you do with her?" Sombra asked. "Take her back to Celestia? Where she'll do things to my dear Twilight that even I can't fathom?" The captain realized that he wasn't going to get a yes, and got himself down into battle position. His fellow soldiers formed a V shape behind him, and they all began to prepare a gust spell together to stop him now and forever. "Wait!" Twilight exclaimed. "We don't have to fight! I've seen Sombra change for good--" "Get behind me, Twilight!" Sombra told her. "But--" "GET BEHIND ME! Nothing you will say is going to stop them!" The spells on the Guards' horn grew ever stronger, and they were almost ready to attack. Twilight screamed and ran behind Sombra's body. She covered her eyes with her hooves as the fight began. The Guards launched a joint gust spell at King Sombra. It caused everything to fly around in its wake, sending a giant sphere of wind that came for him. But he quickly employed a bubble shield around himself and Twilight. The gust spell went above the shield and hit the throne straight on. It almost came off its foundations, but it managed to stay in place. Sombra responded by gathering his own offensive attack. His horn glowed darkly with magic as he readied a spell that would end them in one turn. The Guards kept firing small light strikes at Sombra while he prepared the spell, but the shield kept him untouched. Even as they brought themselves closer to him step by step, the shield never quivered from their joined efforts. Twilight uncovered her eyes to witness nothing but chaos around her. The gust winds disheveled everything in the room but the throne itself, and she saw all the light spells deflect off the shield. But she caught Sombra struggling to keep up both the shield and his counterattack. If she let the shield die, there was a possibility she might get hit by a stray strike. And she didn't want to see Sombra die either. And they're going to kill you if you let them kill Sombra, a voice said inside her head, not that of her own. They want to hold you accountable for killing four Royal Guards. You know Celestia will never forgive you for murder, even if it was just an accident. And to hear that you took shelter with HIM of all ponies...she will always hold it against you. You're right, she mentally responded. Celestia will never believe my story. So she employed a second, stronger layer to the shield. But it wasn't purple like her magical aura was. Instead, it was as black as Sombra's magic. Sombra realized what was going on around him, as the strikes were coming nowhere close to him. "Thanks, I needed that," he smiled. "She's helping him out!" a Guard cried out. "Ignore that for now!" shot back the captain. "Our priority is King Sombra. We will deal with her betrayal later!" But by then, it was too late. Sombra was finished with his spell. His horn beamed with a force that shook the ground underneath all of them. The shields came down on their own, giving him an open lane to face the intruders. What happened next, Twilight could only catch glimpses of. The sound of wind echoing in her head, with the force of a spell being released. Flashes of dark light all around her vision, if dark light even existed. The sound of Guards screaming again, a sound that will never stop haunting her. And finally seeing four bodies smashing hard against hard stone walls, hearing bones break and lives end. When it was all over, Twilight got up and saw that four of the Guards were dead all around the throne room. Only one survived, and he was heavily damaged. His horn was chipped forever, and he was the youngest unicorn of the bunch. He saw that the rest of his brothers were dead. It proved to be too much for him, and he almost cried in the agony of it all. Then he realized that Sombra was looking straight at him. The Guard ran out of the castle for his life, never stopping until the castle was a speck out in the horizon. That left Twilight and Sombra in there, all to themselves. Twilight took a look at the four slaughtered stallions that Sombra had finished off. And then the magnitude of what she had done hit her. She played a part in the deaths of four more innocent ponies. And it wasn't by accident that time. Maybe she could fall back on the excuse that it was all done to protect Sombra, but she had tried for so long to convince herself that there was a way to prove both their innocence. Now she didn't have that luxury anymore. She had cast her lot with him, not even realizing what she was doing before it was too late. Tears poured down her face like a faucet. She could barely think at all, and every feeling was that of pain and agony. Her body collapsed flat on her belly, and there was nothing she could do to ease the pain away. Then she heard the sound of hoofsteps coming over. She looked up and found Sombra standing in front of her, with the most gentle expression she had ever seen. It was almost as if being there for her, not scowling her at all, was enough to take away the burden. "I'm sorry you had to see that. It had to be done. But I believe we know that Celestia will do anything to ensure that you're captured or dead by now. She's going further to see to that than I pictured." "I thought she loved me," Twilight cried. "I know I was guilty, but at the very least she could have given me a trial or something...anything..." "I'm sorry to break this to you, but the princess in reality is much different than the one you thought you knew well. But once again, I remind you that I will never leave your side whenever you've done something wrong, as she has." Twilight smiled and ran to his embrace. She gave him the deepest kiss she had ever given another pony in her life, as she grew to see him a lot differently. Celestia had betrayed her. Everything she ever had in Equestria was dead and buried. And all she had to hold onto was one of the most vicious enemies in her past. "You told me that you were holding off on an answer because you wanted Celestia to see our love, or something like that," said Sombra. "Now that you know what you know, what is your answer now?' He pulled away to see her response. What he saw her do was one of the best moments of his life. The whites in her eyes were permanently green, just like his were. But more than that, purple mist emerged from them, as every thought and every resistance against his influence was finally gone. She had given in. "Yes," she said, an echo to her words. "Yes, I'll be your queen." "But you must understand that this will burn that bridge away for good." "Celestia did it herself when she tried to kill me," she stated coldly. "And your friends will never see you again as long as they live." "If I can't even hide in here without dealing with Celestia's guards, it's hopeless to go to someplace like Ponyville where everything's out in the open. They will understand. And you're all that I have left. And I love you..." Sombra grinned widely, and kissed her once more. She returned the favor, and the new couple were lost in the other's arms. His plan was complete at last. ----- The surviving Shadow Guards were gathered around into the throne room. Almost a whole third of them perished in the Royal Guard offensive, but it was still an impressive show of force for somepony in exile like Sombra. They were arranged into two sections, much like that of a wedding, and the red carpet was left completely open for somepony to traverse down. King Sombra stood in front of his army, clad in his regal attire along with his crown. He had put the creation spell to work in the meantime, and there were now two thrones waiting behind his back. It was one of the best things he had ever made with that spell. Resting on the second throne was a crown for somepony else, its curves and jewelry suggesting it was made for a queen. He came forward to his audience of Guards, speaking with a voice almost as loud as the Royal Canterlot Voice. "My Guards of the Shadow, this day marks a landmark occasion in the history of our growing Shadow Empire. For tonight, I will have our first queen to join me on the throne. She is a pony I deeply respect for her intelligence, magical ability, and pure beauty. She is one that will never leave us no matter what, and one that will rule over you all for the years to come. "Fillies and gentlecolts, Twilight Sparkle!" All the stallions turned to the entrance, where Twilight Sparkle arrived. Her hooves were clad in silver armor and her neck had a neck plate covering it whole. A dark purple cape went over her backside, coming down to touch the floor behind her. Her coat's fur was darker than it had ever been, and huge puffs of purple mist came out of her eyes. She smiled to see her stallion waiting for her at the end of the carpet. It was proving to be one of the sweetest moments of her life as she went down to see him. All the Guards bowed before her, showing the bride a sense of respect that used to go only to Sombra for the last few weeks in that castle. Twilight joined Sombra near their respective thrones at the top of the carpet. Both of them couldn't have been happier as they shared the stage together. "Twilight Sparkle, you know how much I adore and love you. You are the best mare I have ever met, and I ask for you to join me on my throne. Do you love me with your heart?" "Yes, more than anything in the world." "Will you join me in life and in death?" "Yes. In life and in death." "And will you be my queen and my wife, no matter what falls upon us?" "Yes, I will. Even if we fall upon ruin, I will never leave you." "Then you are officially my Queen of Shadows." He brought the crown to her, and placed it gently on her head to make the ceremony official. Once it was over and she was officially his queen, she went in and kissed him with all her strength. He did the same, sharing an embrace with his new wife. The Guards all stomped the ground in applause, but Twilight almost didn't hear them at all. All she wanted anymore was to be loved, and she would have that right at Sombra's side. He pulled away after some time, sealing the marriage and the coronation. But tears were still coming down Twilight's face. "What's the matter, Twilight? I thought this is everything you wanted." "It is...I'm just so happy..." "So am I, Twilight. So am I." He motioned her over to her respective throne, and she couldn't believe that she already had a throne to rest her flank on. He had clearly been planning to do this for some time now. They went and descended down to their throne seats, mere inches from each other. The Guards all bowed in reverence to their king and queen, the one who would lead then for centuries. Twilight clutched Sombra's hoof in his, her new life overwhelming her in the best way possible. That was the first moment that she realized how her life was never going to be the same way in marriage, at least in the foreseeable future. And she wasn't upset about it at all. Not when Sombra was holding her hoof in his at the same time. They spent the next two hours together at the throne room, allowing the Guards to entertain then in various ways. But by then it was late at night, and the Guards slowly departed from the room, one by one. When they were all gone, Sombra turned to Twilight, more than a little enthusiastic about what he was about to do with her. "Are you ready to go to our marriage bed, my queen?" "What do you mean by 'marriage bed'?" she asked. Then she realized what it meant. "Wait...do you mean what I think you mean?" He nodded. "That is a lot to ask from anypony, even newlyweds, but are you comfortable with it?" "I would love that, actually." "Then follow me." They rose up from their thrones, and the king led the queen through the endless amount of hallways once more for the day. Twilight's heart was beating nonstop, a bit worried over their night together. And yet, there was a part of her that was almost looking forward to it. After walking and turning around for minutes, they arrived in the bedroom. Its appearance was very much the same, with everything being where they found it that morning, but the atmosphere was much different than before. It was more tranquil and relaxed in nature, perfect for their plans together. But before they could begin, Sombra came and gave Twilight another kiss. He went in and put his tongue inside her lips, meeting with her tongue inside. She would have normally been disgusted with this, but she returned the favor for that night, wrapping her tongue around his. She wrapped her front limbs around his neck, and he brought his hooves around her face as they continued to french kiss together, neither one wanting the moment to end. But the moment Sombra realized she was touching his flank, he pulled away from her grasp immediately. "Wait, I'm so sorry about that," she cried. "Was it wrong what I did with the flank? It's only my first time, and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing during...you know what." "No, it's nothing like that. But we should undress before we do anything else, don't you think?" She looked down at herself and blushed. She was still clad in armor that was more fitting for the battlefield than the bedroom. "I need to learn how to think straight in these cases," she commented. "That's fine, you haven't done anything like this before. But first things first." They began to undress together in front of the bed. Armor pieces clanged on the floor as they tossed them away, and they hung the capes down on a rack near the door. Sombra took off their crowns and placed them over on the sole bookshelf in the room. It didn't matter where they went, as long as they were nearby. Ponies usually didn't wear clothes in the first place, but being unclothed next to Sombra in this sense was causing Twilight's heart to pound. There was nothing holding them back from giving in to their urges. "Now we can continue as we please," he said. "Yeah...I hope I do good..." "Don't worry about that. Your performance means nothing tonight. Just show me everything there is to Twilight Sparkle, and that will be enough." "OK, I'll do that." He instinctively climbed on the top of bed, sitting right on the silky red sheets. He beckoned for her to follow his lead. She waited down below for a few seconds, adjusting to the fact that they were really going to do this, and joined him on top of the blanket in no time. As soon as they were together in bed, he went and french kissed her again. Their tongues intertwined around each other, and she let him dominate almost immediately. She held her hooves around him, not wanting to do anything rash this early into their night. She felt him press a hoof softly on her cheek, massaging the fur on her face. It was soothing and very relieving to the touch, and she found herself almost wishing he would go further than he already was with her. Their lips smacked against each other, the sound of their kisses echoing throughout the room. It would be a long night indeed. ----- After it was all over, they panted for air frantically. It had been centuries since Sombra had done something like that with another pony, and it was also Twilight's first time. She rolled herself over to his face, and they came in for a deep embrace. Yet, when he kissed her again, it wasn't with the same kind of passion as before. He had spent all of that into their lovemaking. "How...how did you enjoy your first time, Twilight?" he breathed. "That...that was amazing!" she exclaimed. "Do you think we could do it again tomorrow night? I really liked it." "As you wish. But I think that's enough for one night..." "Yeah. I wasn't planning on doing it again." He smiled, and nuzzled the side of her face with his snout. She giggled and tickled the side of his stomach in response. That got a laugh out of him, and he pulled away to escape her clutches. But she was starting to get tired as well. So she rolled over to his side of the bed, wanting to be held in his arms. He answered by curving his body around hers. That brought his belly to touching her back. Then he brought his front hooves around her sides, bringing them to her belly. He gave it a good massage, eliciting a quiet moan from Twilight. "I can tell we're going to be here for a while," he said. "And I also know that we're going to be doing this frequently. And that begs one question. Have you ever thought about having a child?" "A...a child? You mean...you want me to be a mother?" "I wouldn't mind it. You would be such a wonderful mother, with your wise understanding of magic and everything else..." His hooves touched her belly softly, bringing the idea into light. "And he would learn from the best. We both have horns, so he would likely be a unicorn. Wouldn't that be great? You would be like his teacher, teaching him everything you know by heart..." She smiled at the thought, taking the role that Celestia had in her life for years. Only this time, she would never abandon her student like Tia did. "I think that's a great idea. And we're the King and Queen of Shadows. Wouldn't that also make him a prince? Or a princess, if she was a filly?" "Exactly. He would be the one to take our place when the time arrives. Or perhaps we would always be there for him. I'm over a thousand years old, and I suspect you will live as long as I have." "Yeah...I guess you're right. I want to be there for him..." Her eyelids shut tight, and she fell asleep almost immediately. The day's events had caught up to her. He kept his body enveloped around her, and brought the sheets above them with his magic. It wouldn't be much longer until he was asleep too. Everything had worked flawlessly for him. He had a new wife and queen, one that would show undying loyalty for him as he would for her. And she would never turn back to Celestia's support again. That bridge was gone at last. Oh, yes. It was all going in his favor. And things would only get better for him in the coming days and weeks. Or so he thought.