The Return of the King

by MisterEdd

First Date: The Actual Date (The Sequel)

Sombra could not take his eyes off of the gorgeous mare seated across from him. Her cheeks were round but not enough to make her look like a filly and her coat was silky smooth and brushed to perfection. Her small but full lips enticingly slid over top of each other, just begging him to plant a kiss on them. He inhaled, noticing that her scent was a powerful amalgamation of natural musk, lavender and jasmine, the former of which originated from a smidgen of perfume she wore. Temptation was a powerful mistress, one that he was all too happy to be at the beck and call of.

"Sombra?"

"Yes?"

Twilight blushed. "Did...did you hear what Pinkie said?"

He peeked up at the pink mare standing patiently nearby, her ever-present grin worn like a mask.

"No, I'm sorry. I was...distracted."

Twilight let out a squeak as she squirmed in her seat, her face practically crimson.

Pinkie declared, "I said, that for dinner there's a nice cream of mushroom soup with a side of garlic bread. Then there's fondue and wine followed by dessert, which is a super-secret-yummy surprise!"

Still gazing into the shimmering violet pools across from him, which were enhanced by the candlelight, Sombra rubbed Twilight's hoof and grinned, "I'm looking forward to it."

"Great! I'll be back faster than you can say, 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!'"

Once Pinkie Pie dashed out of the room, it became quiet once more. Every now and then, a royal guard would breath loudly or shift in their armor but Sombra and Twilight didn't make a peep, instead merely enjoying the other's company. All of the uncertainty from before vanished. At the moment, all Sombra wanted to do was spend his time with the purple beauty across from him, staring entranced into her sparkling eyes. When at last they spoke, it was a mess.

"You know I-..."

"I was thinking that...-"

They both laughed at their little faux pas.

"After you," Sombra gallantly offered.

Twilight giggled and smoothed out her bun. "Thanks. I was going to say that we should do this more often. Don't get me wrong, the cell is nice and all but it feels nice to get out, even if it's in another part of the castle."

Sombra nodded, "I like that idea. It's almost as though we're an ordinary couple."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm far from ordinary."

"You don't have to try to convince me," Sombra purred. "Even now, while doing nothing, you're extraordinary."

He jumped slightly at the feel of her right hind hoof rubbed against his own.

"What was that?"

Twilight's ears folded back. "S-sorry. It's called 'playing hoofsies.' I read that some couples do that."

Couples today have strange rituals.

"It's alright. You just startled me is all."

Silence fell once more, only now it was of an awkward nature. Sombra glanced around at the room's settings. Everything had been carefully set up and despite its simplicity, the decorations had been set with love. He leaned back and grinned slyly.

"I have to say, Twilight, you’ve really outdone yourself."

Another giggle escaped Twilight's lips. “I’m glad you like it. I spared no expense.”

"I can see that! A room with a view, candles, red curtains! All for little old me!"

Twilight threw a dismissive hoof. "Pshaw, it was nothing! Money's no option when it comes to my coltfriend." She then drew little figure-eights on the table. "I was hoping that you'd like it."

"Twilight..."

She looked back up at him.

Gone was the relaxed gentlecolt and jokester. Sombra wore a more serious, tender expression, his eyes glistening with love and affection. "I don't just like what you've done for me. I love it." Laying his hooves on her shoulders and slowly drawing her in, he added breathily, "Just as I love you."

This wasn't the first kiss that they shared but it was certainly the best. Their lips scraped against one another lightly before pressing up against each other, their muzzles mashed together, teasing, nipping, tasting. Twilight's senses were overloaded. She could taste the cool raspberry mints that she knew Rarity kept at all times, fell the weight and rough texture of Sombra's hooves on her shoulders and cheeks, his touch electrifying the mare to her very core, sending her heart beating into overdrive. The world spun around them but neither of them noticed or even cared. For now, they were the world.

The candles, which lit the room in a soft glow, now crackled and rose, illuminating the tower like a great torch. Something awoke deep inside of Twilight, a rush of desire for the stallion she was lip-locked to a want, no, a need. She needed his breath, his touch, his very essence. He belonged to her and nopony else, not even holier-than-thou Princess Celestia! With that thought in mind, Twilight deepened the kiss, devouring Sombra's lips, moaning into his mouth to give him her air, her life.

Sombra, meanwhile, was in absolute bliss. Despite Twilight's inexperience, she more than made up for it with enthusiasm and raw passion. He could tell that she wanted him, possibly more so than even how he wanted her. Those luscious, supple lips carried the tang of watermelon, a favorite food of his from foalhood and he clambered to a better taste. The scent of lavender shampoo and jasmine body wash wafted into his nostrils, along with a third scent, one more sweet and spicy, a scent that he was all too familiar with when it came to an excited mare.

Feeling the need for oxygen rising, Sombra begrudgingly drew back, only for Twilight to gently grasp his lower lip between her teeth and pull, stretching it until it almost hurt before releasing. He could only stare in stunned silence as Twilight lightly fluttered her eyelashes at him, fixing him with the most smoldering, sultry gaze that he'd ever seen out of her. Cute, sweet, awkward Twilight was now watching him with all of the lustful mastery of a skilled seductress, her lips curling into a slow, predatory grin. If Sombra hadn't seen the transformation himself, he would've sworn that he was dining with a completely different mare. To be honest, this sudden metamorphosis was actually working for him.

Before Sombra could comment, Twilight jerked her head back, a quick inhale slamming through her nostrils and back into her chest. She blinked and stared around at her surroundings confusedly before settling on Sombra. Her mouth gradually opened in disbelief before she gasped and covered it with her hooves. She now looked at him in an almost ashamed way.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't know what came over me!"

Gently, Sombra took her hooves into his own and stroked them delicately.

"It's alright, Twilight," Sombra smiled softly and this relaxed the mare. "I was actually enjoying the treatment."

Twilight's cheeks inflamed. "Y-you did?"

"Mmm-hmm. There's no need to be embarrassed. There's never a need when you're around me."

Twilight sighed, humming at his touch.

"Oh Celestia, I think I'm going to be sick."

Both turned, locking eyes with one of the guards standing next to the door. In their enjoyment of their time together, they'd forgotten that they weren't alone. The other guards briefly glanced at one another as the hapless unicorn, who was probably a greenhorn, chuckled sheepishly.

"You know, this feels uncomfortable enough without your commentary," Sombra growled lightly.

"Sombra, be nice," Twilight half-heartedly admonished. "This is his first real assignment and he's probably nervous and weirded out so far."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Sombra, however, was not amused. "Fine. But nothing other than, 'Yes, Your Majesty,' or 'No, Your Majesty,' had better fly out of your mouth."

The young unicorn nodded jerkily and snapped once more back to attention.

"Sombra..." Now Twilight was slightly annoyed. "Don't go harassing the help."

Throughout his whole life, Sombra acted how he felt and never apologized for it but seeing his displeased fillyfriend's face was making him rethink his earlier aggression.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me."

The guard stared hopefully at him.

Sombra sighed, "I'm sorry..."

"Private First Class Gleaming Helm, sir!"

Rolling his eyes at the colt's salute, he intoned, "I'm sorry, Gleaming Helm."

Sombra stared back at Twilight, who had gone from strict to perky in a millisecond.

"There, was that so hard?"

"Yes," Sombra answered without missing a beat.

"Grouch."

Sombra flashed a toothy grin at her. "And I think...you love it."

Twilight shivered slightly as she bit her lip. "M-maybe just a bit."

"'A bit'?"

"Don't push it." Although it was issued as an order, there was no hiding the humor on her face.

At that moment, Pinkie arrived with a metal cart containing two steaming bowls rested atop it along with silverware, napkins, salt and pepper shakers, a basket of garlic bread, two empty glasses and a pitcher of water.

"I'm baaaack! Sorry about the wait. The castle's really, really big!"

"It's alright, Pinkie," Twilight said earnestly. "Wow, I hope that tastes as good as it smells!"

"And looks as good as it sounds!"

With all of the finesse of a professional waiter, she filled both cups by utilizing her mane curl (puzzling Sombra to no end) and sped around the table, setting the silverware and napkins, even folding some of them into shapes like swans or alligators in the blink of an eye. Spinning the basket on her hoof, she then flipped it up in the air before juggling the soup bowls. Pinkie then spun in place and the soup bowls joined the basket in the air before said basket came down to rest in the center of the table, shortly joined by the empty bowls. Finally, the soup landed in both bowls without spilling a drop.

Sombra was convinced: the seemingly-simple Pinkie Pie was some sort of a great and terrible god.

"Thank you," he managed.

"You're welcome! I'll go check on the fondue!"

Sombra looked queerly at Twilight as Pinkie ponked! away.

"Fon-what?"

"You'll see."

~*~

"Aw, that was so sweet! Don't you think, Darling?" Rarity gushed, hooves clasped together.

Princess Cadence, meanwhile, looked traumatized. One eye twitched slightly.

"I just saw my father sucking face with the mare that I used to foalsit."

"Princess Cadence?"

"I used to push her on the swing set and read her bedtime stories..."

"Cadence?"

The mare shook her head and regained her royal composure.

"I'm fine." And then: "At least, I think so."

Rarity stared at her skeptically. "Are you quite sure?"

Cadence continued to watch the magic scrying pool.

"It's...weird. Really weird. But I can't ignore the sheer love that they're giving off."

Cadence felt a hoof on her shoulder and found Rarity smiling reassuringly.

"It'll be alright. Can you honestly say that you don't want them to end up together?"

Turning away, Cadence thought deep and hard on the issue. She knew some of the pain Sombra had endured, having both spent time with him as well as experiencing the agony first-hoof and felt some emotional healing was in order. Perhaps romantic love was a pathway to healing his heart? And then there was Twilight Sparkle, her close friend and sister-in-law. Twilight was innocent, unlearned in the ways of love and all that came with it, having spent the majority of her life with her muzzle in a book.

Now that Twilight was actually undergoing the real deal, it was like opening up a brand new world to her. She'd learned of her own loneliness and incompleteness at lacking friendship and had blossomed after welcoming it into her life. Cadence watched Sombra and Twilight eating their dinner, their eyes never leaving the other. Love was a great teacher, Cadence discovered this years ago and now it seemed as though Twilight was learning a thing or two from it. But given his past and flaws, was Sombra really the one best suited to guide her along that path?

As the Princess of Love, it was Cadence's sacred duty to ensure that all Equestrian citizens received aid and, ultimately, success in affairs of the heart. She'd helped many races, both equine and non-equine, to find their partners, regardless of distance, species or gender. Ponies, griffons, dragons, all flocked to ask for her services and she denied nopony or no one the chance at happiness. Would it be hypocritical of her to deny Sombra and Twilight's love simply because she had a personal emotional stake in it? Certainly a princess was expected to separate her own selfish desires from her royal duties, even if they clashed with her at a fundamental level.

The couple was now finishing up their soup, their hooves in constant contact and their gazes kept on each other the whole time. They were an odd pairing and if fate indeed deemed them to be a match, then who was she to stand in the way? Sombra had committed atrocities, yes, but that alone didn't define him, as he showed himself capable of change. Twilight was maturing into a great ruler, perhaps the one that Equestria needed and it was clear that her relationship with the umbrum was aiding in that development. Cadence sighed, knowing full well what the answer was.

"I can't interfere. If they love each other, then I won't stop it."

It doesn't mean that I have to necessarily like it.

Comments

[Crystal Night]

Not you too Cadence...

[MisterEdd]

10188788
It's not over yet...

[Redwolf777sg]

"Great! I'm be back faster than you can say, 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!'"

*squeak*

[PearlyDoesStuff]

The mare shook her head and regained her royal composure.

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CADENCE HAS STOPPED WORKING