There be Dragons
The dragons carved the Thief's name into her blades to ensure they would fly true and hit their mark.
Sombra was in a fairly good mood. He'd taken back his empire and silenced those who'd dared to question him. It'd been so simple too, all he had to do was threaten the Unicorn who'd snuck past his traps and the rest fell into line. He'd probably to decide to kill her anyway, someone that powerful would surely be a threat to his rule. Of course, that would have to wait until his magic was back.
He leaned back in his throne and grinned. It was good to be king.
Corazon groaned loudly, interrupting Star-gleam for the eighth time in that hour alone. The Crystal mare forced a smile. "Princess Corazon, is there something you'd like to mention?"
"Why are we learning about stuffy old ponies who we're never going to meet, that weren't all that great and don't know how to have fun?" Corazon huffed and dropped her head onto her desk. "What does this have to do with the Crystal Heart?"
Star-gleam beamed, "Oh it has everything to do with the heart! All these ponies did something that resulted in the Crystal Heart dishonoring them and stripping them of their titles. Tomorrow the Crystal Heart will choose one of you to be the Future King or Queen of the Crystal Empire. It's a great honor that only a few ever get to experience." She grabbed her chalk up and began to write something on the board. "The last time the Heart chose someone from outside the Royal Family was almost one hundred years ago, your ancestor, King Guiding Light, who was notable for being one of the few royals who married an outsider..."
Sombra flattened his ears to avoid hearing the rest. It would eventually lead to Corazon complaining some more.
"How does the Crystal Heart choose Ponies if it's just a rock?" Corazon asked.
Sombra's ears perked up in curiosity. "Well, the Crystal Heart is an ancient Artifact that was enchanted to choose ponies that were best suited to rule our good Empire. Long ago the Heart chose new Royals every generation so Kings and Queens didn't even worry about lines of succesion. It wasn't until Queen Amber stone was Dishonored and her crown given to her daughter that the Royals began to keep track. That line lasted for 23 generations."
Sombra began to wonder about that. A rock wouldn't be able to make such delicate decisions regarding who was fit to rule and who was too stupid or incompetent. How did it know when someone was no longer worthy or had committed a crime against the Empire? It had to be more than that.
I was such an idiot back then. Sombra thought, chuckling.
Silk slumped down against a wall and pulled out a thin Mithral knife, laying it against a hoof. Along the flat of the blade the word 'Starswirl' was etched in a long dead language. She twirled the blade, catching the light.
Silk bounced into the cave, her cloak fluttering out behind her. Her silvery mane fell over her eyes as she looked about. "Starswirl, I know you're in here. Surrender peacefully and the Queen might have mercy of you." Her eyes fell on the pile of armor in the center of the cave. "What!?! You can't just leave Armor like this laying about in some dark wet cave!" She scrambled to collect it all, dropping it constantly.
"It'd be easier to wear it." A deep baritone echoed through the cave.
Silk paused, pondering it. "You're right!" She slid the helmet over her head, reaching for another piece. "I mean, it's pretty lightweight. I can fly with this on." She unhooked her cloak and let it fall to the ground. She managed to fasten every piece into place after a few hours of trial and error. "There, now to get back to the Queen." She spun around and started out of the cave, not noticing her pale blue coat was beginning to get heavier with each step. By the time she reached the cave entrance she could no longer move her legs.
"It's almost sad to watch." A gray unicorn trotted past her, fastening her cloak around his neck with his magic. "If you weren't too naive to live. Seriously, how did you manage to get here without getting yourself killed?"
"I-I need to get back.." She couldn't move, her hooves felt like ice and the feeling was beginning travel up her barrel. "The Queen..."
"Is an Alicorn." Starswirl rolled his eyes. "By the time you got back she would've been right as rain. I can't believe you wasted a good three years of your life chasing me when she's probably fine right now."
It was getting hard to breathe. Everything was soo cold. "You... are the first pony I've genuinely hated." Silk gasped, the cold inched it's way up her neck until she could no longer move her head. "Why..?"
"Isn't it obvious!" he tapped the armor. "This armor could save hundreds of ponies each year and your Queen is hogging it all to herself. I took it so I could learn it's secrets. I'm happy to say I have the spell down pat, even with you persuing me to the ends of the earth. I completed it just before you came in."
"Could've... askk-." The cold wrapped around her muzzle. She couldn't breathe. This was it, she was dead. And worst of all, she had to listen to him gloat. Why couldn't he have made the spell move quicker?
Starswirl spun around and left the cave. "Good-bye, Miss Blade! Enjoy your imprisonment." Silk shed a single tear as everything took on a pale blue sheen and she could no longer blink.
Silk blinked and remembered where she was. She bit her lip and tried to hold back her tears. An entire life gone. Yes, it was foolish of me to follow him. She growled and gripped the knife tighter. I should've driven a knife into his skull the minute he walked int the castle.