It wasn’t very long until the Empire had heard about Sombra’s lost son. The reaction to the news for most citizens outside of the palace was... agitated, to say the least. Despite the colt’s young age, the crystal ponies urged the royals to rid the Empire of the spawn of evil. Mutterings were heard, that if the Dark King had a son, what was to say that the child wasn’t as evil as its father?
However, for those who served on the inside, from the cooks to the servants, and the guards who come in contact with the new rulers of the Empire, a somewhat different point of view was held. The royal couple had given him a room, in which he stayed for several days. The servants, those that were brave enough to step inside the room, found not the offspring of a monster, but rather a depressed unicorn. No matter who entered, he didn’t pay much or any attention to them while lying on the bed. Even of the food they brought him, he ate little, if nothing at all. In fact, for several days, nopony had even heard him say a word.
Cadence reported to her Aunt Celestia about the colt, along with what they found in the hidden apartment once they had managed to reverse the spell within. When the warmth was back, and the apartment adorned with some magelights, they found that the apartment contained a rather disorganized library of the Empire’s lost music. Copies of songs and tunes were found, most of which Inverno had arranged to be played on the organ. Alongside these, they also found some compositions that the colt had written. Most of these were short songs, canons, and a few anthems that were dedicated to his father.
Celestia, in response, said that she and Luna would make their way into the Empire to greet the Crystal ponies, as well as to see if they could get a word out of Inverno.
A few days later, the immortal sisters arrived at the gates of the Empire. Of course, the citizens were there to welcome them, along with the regal couple. Soon enough, Celestia and Luna made their way into the palace, to the room where Inverno was staying. Before they arrived there, however, Shining Armor was called away to another part of the palace.
“Inverno,” the Princess of Love knocked, “It’s me, Cadence. I’ve brought a few visitors that liked to speak to you.” There was no answer from the other side of the door. “We’re coming in,” With that, the door was opened and the three Princesses stepped through.
The pale unicorn didn’t look up; his eyes were turned downward towards the sheets. His hoof was tapping at certain places of the sheet as if he was imagining playing an invisible keyboard. “What do you want?” Inverno asked quietly, yet still sounding annoyed.
“Hello there, my little pony,” Celestia said. Inverno craned his neck upward at the one who spoke.
“Whoa, you’re really tall,” Inverno stated. “Are you one of those giants?” Cadence and Luna tried their best to hold back their snickering.
“No,” Celestia answered. “I’m not tall, it’s just that I’m… older.”
“Really?” Inverno raised an eyebrow. “The older you get, that taller you’ll be?”
“For me, yes.”
“So how old are you?”
Celestia’s eyes widen, “I… I’d rather not say. But what about you? How old are you, dear?”
“Me? I’m thirteen.”
“Ah,” Celestia nodded, “Well then, Inverno, if you don’t mind too much, can we ask you a few questions?”
“Uh… I guess, but who are you two?”
“I’m Princess Celestia.”
“And I’m Princess Luna,” the Princess of the Night interjected. Inverno’s eyes widened, and the colt crawled backward out of the bed in fear.
“Inverno?” Cadence asked in concern.
“KEEP THEM AWAY FROM ME!” the young unicorn screamed.
Luna and Celestia blinked, they looked at each other before turning back to the terrified colt.
“Inverno, it’s alright,” Cadence stepped forward, trying to calm him. “Nopony is going to hurt you.”
“But they will!” Inverno said, hiding behind the pink alicorn. “Don’t go near them,” he warned, “Celestia will roast your flesh and Luna will freeze your bones!”
The Royal Sisters were taken completely aback. “Child,” Luna said, trying not to sound too offended, “Where hast thou heard such nonsense?”
“It’s not nonsense,” Inverno protested. “If Papa says that you two are monsters, then it has to be true!”
Papa. Of course, Sombra would tell him something like this.
“Inverno,” Luna told him, “Look at us. Do we really look like the kind of mares that would commit such acts that thou hast mentioned?”
The pale unicorn paused, he looked at them both. He’d remembered about the ghost stories about the barbaric Princesses of the South. His father had spoken about their cruelties, and the heartless acts that these two had done together. Yet, Inverno saw that their faces, and even their eyes, showed nothing but compassion.
“I… I don’t know,” Inverno honestly answered.
“If you don’t know,” Celestia said, “Then what need do you have to fear us?”
“B-Because… Y-You two may act nice, but what if I trust you too much a-and one of you eats me?”
Luna rolled her eyes, “If only we had a bit every time we heard that,” she muttered.
“If it helps,” Cadence suggested, “I would be right by your side, and make sure that nothing bad will happen to you.”
“Really?” Inverno asked, looking hopeful.
“Of course, the three of us wanted to talk to you... About your father.”
Inverno’s ears folded back, and he turned his eyes to the floor. “Why? I don’t want to.”
“Trust me, talking about him will help.”
The colt hesitated for a moment, before saying, “I’ll do it.” The Princesses motioned for him to continue, “But I have one question though,” Inverno said. “I’ve heard that Papa was blown up, right?” The three mares nodded, “I think I get how he died. But I don’t understand is why. Why did he die? Was it because of me?” The three Princesses could see that tears were welling up in his eyes. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No,” Cadence said, embracing him, “You had nothing to do with it at all.”
“But – but what if I had? Was it because I didn’t practice? Or that my music wasn’t that good? Or was it because I didn’t leave It enough morsels to eat?”
“It?” All three princesses asked in total confusion.
“Yeah,” Inverno nodded, “That must be it. I didn’t give my slave enough food, and now Papa’s gone.”
It took a moment to let that piece of information to sink in amongst the three princesses.
“You had a slave?” Celestia inquired.
“Well, yes in a way. Papa always had a slave to look after me when he wasn’t around. Actually, I would get It replaced now and then, so I don’t always get the same slave twice.”
“Why do you refer the slave as ‘It’?” Luna asked.
“Because up until now, ponies never talked back. I mean, they never said they had a name so I always called all of them It, and they all would get replaced every few days. You know, Papa always said that ‘Ponies are real animals that needed to be trained,’ which is why he gives me the most obedient to be with me.”
The three alicorns couldn’t help but feel a chill going down their spines.
“Inverno,” Celestia said, “did Sombra- pardon me; your father, ever hurt you?”
Sombra’s son tilted his head to the side, “What do you mean?”
“Has he ever slapped you, or yelled at you for any reason?”
Inverno shook his head, “Not to me, he would do that to the slaves because they might have done something wrong like spilling a drink or not coming to the room quickly enough. He never yelled at me… Well, except for that one time.”
“Which was?”
The unicorn sighed, “Papa had given me a few rules. One of them being that I wasn’t allowed to leave my home without him saying so. But he never did. I spent my whole life there and it gets so boring there. All I ever do in there is to practice music on the organ or write down melodies, or copy music. I asked Papa why he wouldn’t let me leave and he says that he might when I’m older. That outside my home is too dangerous and scary for me. Well… one day, Papa had left the door opened. So I got out finding this huge, very bright long room, and it had paintings that actually moved! I was about to peak over the painting when Papa saw me and… He yelled at me. Sure, I’ve heard him yell at the slave all the time, but, at me…” Inverno took a deep, uneasy breath before saying, “He didn’t come to my home for two days. I thought that he was doing the same thing again because he was mad at me… only to find out... that he was... d-dead.”
Inverno’s tears fell from his face like a fountain. “W-Was I s-so wicked that Papa ha-had to-o die?” he asked aloud. All three of the Princesses hugged the unicorn out of sympathy.
“It’s alright,” Celestia cooed, “I promise, everything will be alright in the end.”