//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Queen, huh? 
// Story: Gone Unnoticed 
// by Corn Caiks 
//------------------------------//

Former King Sombra grinned at his reflection in the tall charcoal black crystal, inspecting his appearance. 

Charming.

The purple flames that sprouted from the edges of his eyes were extinguished. The steel armor was absent from his body, exposing a grey coat, but he kept his red King's cape on.

"Ahh, Sombra, you are quite the mare killer." Sombra complimented himself with a quiet, deep tone, chuckling. Adjusting the straps to his cape, Sombra confidently strolled down a long hallway, completely made of polished, shiny black marble. Pitch black steel lamps hung off the ceiling, spaced three meters apart each other, each lamp had six tall red candles burning brightly, reflecting light off of the black marble walls and floor.

King Sombra's approach was quiet, even with all the silence around it was still hard to hear his hooves clop against the stone. The fairly beefy stallion approached his quarters, the huge door stood ahead of him, housing his cherished Queen. He swept his smoky mane back with a hoof, flicking his tongue across his top row of teeth, fangs sharper than razors.

Taking a regal, almost royal, stance, Sombra gripped the door with his powerful magic and pushed it inwards, anticipation growing in his heart.





Spitfire stirred under a blood red blanket, turning over to her side to acquire a more comfortable position. But she was already awake, and any attempt on going back to sleep would prove fruitless.

"Man... did I sleep in?" Spitfire asked no pony in particular, seeing as how no one lived with her. Before opening her eyes, Spitfire felt warm air assault her cheek, her eyes popped open. A large, grey stallion was off to her left, with what looked like a sinister crown around his head. A sharp horn poked out of his upper forehead that had a red smear at the tip.

"I could give you all the time in the universe, my dear." Sombra spoke softly, grinning at the Pegasus.

I... I remember that voice. Spitfire stopped and thought to herself quietly, her expression unchanging. Slowly but surely, the memories came flooding back into the mare's head, her eyes widening. "It was that cloud of smoke!" Spitfire exclaimed, but then shut her mouth with a hoof, drawing back away from the stallion that was giving her strange looks, as if dazed by her 'beauty.'

Spitfire's back hit the giant bed's headboard, stopping her from moving backwards any further. As Spitfire lifted an accusing hoof at the entranced grey stallion, his toothy smile faltered, and worry began to seep into his expression. 

"You!" Spitfire spat harshly, not literally, at the stallion. The mare's wings flared up behind her back, ready for maneuvering. "Who are you?!" she demanded. Spitfire's hoof dropped, and she realized that this wasn't her home or office anymore. The entire room almost reflected her appearance off of its marble walls. The bed's frame itself was made out of what seemed like black wood, and the wide blanket Spitfire still had wrapped around herself was blood red, not a single smear or patch of any different color. 

Jeez, talk about Gothic style, this stud is insane! Spitfire brought her attention back towards the stallion, who was surprisingly frowning, head drooped. Spitfire opened her mouth to speak, but the stallion's head came back up, cutting her off with a single look. He spoke slow, standing up to his full height, which was almost twice bigger than hers.

"My Queen, now it is not the time to be fooling with me! I currently have sizable quests to take on, but I cannot accomplish them by myself!" King Sombra stated, his brows furrowing at the Pegasus. "I am not displeasured with you, my dear, but my temper has not been the same since... since..." King Sombra sighed, his eyes darting away from Spitfire, struggling for the right words. Spitfire stared at Sombra speechlessly, two words repeating themselves in her head quite a few times.

My Queen. 

"Q-Queen?" Spitfire stuttered, wearing disbelief itself on her face, King Sombra raised a questioning eyebrow, raising his hooves onto the bed's edge, "Is this the face of uncertainty I see? Q-" King Sombra was cut off by two knocks on the open door, as he turned, so did Spitfire. The duo stared at the tall form, covered from horn to hoof in black, steel armor. It saluted. King Sombra approached the soldier, eyebrows furrowing. "Why do you disturb us, servant?" Sombra hissed, pivoting his head towards Spitfire and then back.

As it spoke, the voice rang out throughout the suit, creating echoes, it neither sounded male or female. "My King, your armed forces are prepared to assault the Crystal Empire. We will march on your command."

King Sombra hmm'd in his throat, pondering something for a few moments. Then, with a raised hoof, he spoke. "No, it is too early, your Queen has not settled in yet. I need more time. Go, keep my forces at the ready for when needed." The King finished, grinning back at Spitfire. The soldier left as quickly as he arrived, clunking down the hallway.

Sombra turned around to face his faithful Queen; Spitfire. He began to approach her, a slight smirk on his lips, his over sized canines showing, "Now, dear, we need to get you out of... that," Sombra gestured towards her Wonderbolts suit, it was ripped in some places. 

Spitfire looked down at herself, and decided to play along with the grey stallion.

I'm trapped, no windows, nothing. So... since I'm the Queen... and he's the King... Spitfire's eyes widened and she almost gasped as she put two and two together. Spitfire's head shot up, nodding with a fake smile to her so supposed 'husband.' She couldn't see herself in the company of such an evil looking stallion. Although, he's quite the looker. the mare admitted to herself, trying to keep her composure.  

If she plays along, she might get a chance to leave this place and report this 'King' for pony napping her. That'll teach him to mess with the Captain of the Wonderbolts! For now though, she had to play along with him.

Spitfire flicked her mane backwards with a hoof, huffing, her eyes half closed, "Take me to the dress room, my King." King Sombra's eyes immediately beamed, and he bowed down near the entrance of the door, "After you, my Queen," he grinned, still bowing.  Spitfire's jaw hanged, her eyes wide. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, inching towards the stallion. Her hoof moving under his chin to stand him up, and he did so without any resistance, "What a gentlecolt," Spitfire stated softly, brushing the tip of her tail against his muzzle as she left the room with a little strut to her rump. She had to bite her lip to keep her from snickering.

King Sombra grinned, following the small Pegasus, resisting the urge to lean in inhale her scent. The Queen is back! he thought to himself. Finally, the Crystal Empire will burn by their hooves! He can taste the not so distant revenge on his tongue.

"Come, my dear, these hallways are a maze. But have no worry, I will guide you." Sombra strolled past the mare, taking a left at the hallway's end, glancing behind himself every so often.





King Sombra stopped beside a set of two -surprisingly- white double doors, dark red candles burned brightly on each side of the doors. Spitfire almost bumped into him while she was looking away, she just took so many turns, twists and walked through so many doors. Good thing Sombra was there to lead. Spitfire's attention turned towards Sombra, who was smiling, "This, my Queen, is your very own wardrobe room, and it has been since I've established this..." he was about to say 'hideout', but didn't want to seem like he was in hiding. "...hidden castle, yes!" 

When Sombra had said 'your very own wardrobe room', Spitfire hadn't been expecting what stood in front of her. She became unbalanced and almost fell back on her rump, but King Sombra's hoof on her shoulder stopped her short. "It has been long since you have seen something so... fitting for a Queen such as yourself, yes?" Sombra chuckled, leaning his head in to graze her neck with his snout, but Spitfire stepped forwards, causing Sombra to sniff the air.

Celestia's feathers... Spitfire grinned.