Fall of an Empire

by My Little Epona

Arrival at the Empire

The Crystal Empire was by far one of the brightest places Celestia had ever been in.

Her sun had never shone so extravagantly, throwing down it’s rays like they were rain from the newly-founded Cloudsdale. Even the grass shimmered like a precious stone, deep emerald beneath the sun’s light.

In the distance, the spiraling crystal towers of a castle refracted iridescent beams of light in all colors of the spectrum. From where she was, Celestia could faintly see a bustling city sprawled around it’s feet, flashing and sparkling in ways that only a gemstone could. White clouds faintly streaked the sapphire sky, glowing almost impossibly bright in the sun—a stark contrast to the frozen wasteland Celestia and her sister had just arrived from.

Indeed, this place seemed nearly a paradise in comparison.

Outside of the Empire’s protective shield, there had been a raging tempest of snow and ice. Traveling through the air had become too hazardous, forcing the princesses and their squadron of royal guards to the ground. Luna had been convinced that they would freeze to death before reaching safety, in spite of the heavy, fur-lined cloaks worn by guards and royals alike. But that was merely Luna being over dramatic—now that they’d passed through the magical shield, they were perfectly fine.

The paved stone road was warm and smooth beneath Celestia’s hooves—she’d taken off her heavy, warm boots in order to change to lighter, more decorative finery. But now that she was freed of her weighty clothing, she couldn’t resist spreading her wings, soaking in the warmth of her lovely sun.

“Sister, should we not begin to move forwards?” Her fellow princess, Luna, pranced restlessly by her side. The Unicorn attempting to neaten Luna’s disheveled mane darted back, seconds before her horn would have thwacked into his unprotected muzzle. Celestia gave the servant an apologetic smile, stepping over to her sister.

“My dear Luna, I know you are anxious to be off.” She adopted a scolding tone, straightening her sister’s crooked crown. “But kindly refrain from acting like such a young foal. This is a great moment in history—a step forwards in expanding our reign, and I should prefer it if this event goes smoothly.”

Luna let out a gusty sigh, slumping over. She let her head droop, lowering it to a point where it almost scraped against the stony ground. Her dusty blue mane fell over her face, and her crown was knocked askew yet again.

“Try to retain some decorum.” Celestia resisted the urge to groan. Her sister could be a real hoofful sometimes.

An accompanying servant stepped forwards, bringing out Celestia’s decorative shoes. They were made of solid metal, pale gold in color, beaten thinly into graceful swirls. They were stiff, and the most uncomfortable thing Celestia had ever felt.

But, they were proper in the gravity of this moment. She had to wear them.

The shoes slid cleanly onto her hooves, reaching halfway up her lower legs. The thin edges rubbed against her skin, and Celestia could tell she’d have blisters by the end of the day. For a second, she almost envied Luna’s small, crystal-cut hoofwear, and how little of her hoof they covered.

A brush tugged through Celestia long, wavy pink mane, pulling it back into the elaborate coiffure it had been in before they’d began the journey. She wished all the preparation they’d done before hadn’t gotten blown about and almost completely ruined in the storm—if they didn’t have to stop and fix it, they’d be at the castle by now, discussing what came next.

Celestia didn’t like to postpone important things.

“Your highness, we are now ready to move forwards.” The captain of the guards that had accompanied them approached Celestia, giving a nod down the road. The Sun Princess let out a breath of relief, rearranging her wings and straightening her royal regalia for one last time.

She worked the muscles in her face for a second, then let them fall into she desperately hoped was a regal, gracious smile.

That expression would not drop till night fell, and she was alone.

In stark contrast to her sister, Luna jerked her head upwards, knocking her crown askew, unbridled excitement clear on her face. Celestia’s horn lit up with shimmering gold, readjusting the crown, and she bit back another sigh.

“Come.” She said, stepping onto the waiting chariot next to them. Water dripped from the dashboard, clear evidence of ice that had melted upon entry into the warmth of the sun. “Let us move on.”

Luna joined her, looking stiff and uncomfortable in all her finery.

The two Pegasi hitched to the chariot nodded, digging their hooves into the ground as surged forwards. Eventually, they gained enough momentum and began beating their wings, pulling the chariot off the ground. The rest of the Pegasi followed them into the air, but the Unicorns and Earth Ponies remained on the ground, following the vehicle from below.

Celestia winced as a breeze picked up, gusting past her face. She hoped it wouldn’t dishevel her mane too much.

“Luna!” She gasped, scandalized as her sister hung over the edge of the chariot. “Have some shame!” Luna pouted, reluctantly pulling back. Celestia bit back a groan—not the first she’d been tempted to release today, and certainly not the last.

Though at the age of approximately two-hundred—though, it was closer to eighteen in Alicorn years—her sister still acted like a young, mindless foal at times.

The ground below sped past, and the single, wide road changed to many—all branching out amidst the outskirts of the city. For now, the buildings were few and far between, but all shimmered with the pallor of crystal. The tall spires of the castle grew ever closer, till they loomed above the princesses and their chariot—impossibly tall, seeming to scrape against the dome of sky.

A clamor of celebration filled the air, startling the two monarchs.

Luna whirled to the side, putting her legs up over the edge of the chariot once again. Celestia was far too dignified to do such a foalish thing, so she craned her neck to see over the side of the vehicle…which made her look something like a short, white giraffe.

The streets below were filled with ponies, ponies whose coats glittered like the buildings they were surrounded by. They were cheering, waving the Equestrian flag and tossing hooffuls of multi-colored confetti into the air. All heads were angled upwards, watching the princess and their entourage soar above.

The crowds thickened, to the point where Celestia’s and Luna’s guard force on the ground could no longer fight through the surging mass of ponies. They were waylaid, but the chariot moved on, leaving them far behind.

In spite of her calm facade, a slight tremor of unease ran over Celestia’s spine. She hadn’t expected such a huge celebration—they were only entering the Empire, after all.

The chariot touched down in front of the palace. The princesses and Pegasi of their guard were greeted by a line of crystalline guards, all of whom were standing at attention, bordering a path that stretched from a door a few feet away.

A wizened Earth Pony stallion appeared from next to the door, clearing his throat. It was obvious he was quite old—his pale brown coat hung off him, dull and cloudy instead of brightly shining like the ponies’ in the crowd. His face was deeply lined, and the few strands of faded blue mane that still clung to his skull were stringy, streaked with dusty white.

“Now presenting, hi—” Here the old stallion broke into a fit of coughing, dropping the scroll he was carrying in his hoof. One of the guards stepped forwards, reaching out a hoof to help him, but he waved the pony away. After a second he straightened up, clearing his throat.

“Now presenting, his most Royal Majesty, King Sombra of the Crystal Empire!” He managed to creak out, voice quickly dissolving into another cough. He hobbled away as a trumpet fanfare filled the air, though Celestia couldn’t tell from where it came.

Then the door flew open, and King Sombra himself appeared.

He had a dark gray coat and slick black mane, both of which were colors unnatural for a Crystal Pony. His horn was curved back, the dark gray fading to a scarlet. His eyes were deep crimson—not blood-red, but rather the color of rose petals and sunsets. Dull silver armor encased his neck, and a regal scarlet cloak swept over his back, trimmed with white fur.

“Welcome, your highnesses!” King Sombra strutted the length of the carpet, extending a hoof as if to indicate the city around him. “Welcome, my dears!”

Though she kept her face impassive, Celestia gave the tiniest, inward cough of amusement.

He’s trying to impress us.

That’s what it was all about. The celebrating ponies, the dramatic entrance, the display of wealth…he just wished for his kingdom to make an impact on them.

It wasn’t as if they’d never seen him before. They’d talked many, many times—most through specifically enchanted objects, and once he’d even made the arduous journey up to Canterlot. But they’d never been to his domain.

Equestria could certainly use such a powerful and rich ally.

“Thank you for your most gracious welcome, mighty king.” Celestia lowered herself into the properly respectful bow—and beside her, she felt Luna do the same.

“Please rise.” The king sounded almost embarrassed. “I am not fit to have such divine beings bow before me…”

Divine?

I suppose that means he believes the rumors about Luna and I being gods—or perhaps he’s simply flattering us.

The Alicorn sisters were far from divine. Though their ancestry was murky, she knew for sure that at the most, they were only demigods. Descendants of some higher form.

But perhaps it is best for him to believe he deals with goddesses, for now.

“The pleasure is all ours, your majesty.” Celestia rose, giving him a smile.

“There is no need for such formality.” King Sombra gave a small laugh. “You may simply call me ‘Sombra’, if you so desire.”

So informal, so soon? Interesting move…and unexpected.

“Well then, if you insist…Sombra.” Celestia thought the word felt foreign and heavy on her tongue, but she kept her smile. “We must thank you again for your most wonderful and…unexpected welcome.”

“I suppose I did spring this all on you rather suddenly.” King Sombra admitted, clearly detecting the hesitation in her voice. Celestia bit her tongue. She should not have paused while speaking.

“Not at all!” She lied, forcing her smile wider. “We are as overjoyed as your kingdom for this union. But…mayhaps it is best if we take this conversation inside.”

“Yes…” King Sombra agreed, eyeing the noisy crowd surrounding them. “Perhaps it is.”

At some point behind them, the princesses’ servants and royal guard finally forced their way through the edge of the crowd, disheveled and weary.

Celestia stifled a sigh of relief. They could discuss this in the quiet of the palace, and have the whole ordeal settled soon.

She didn’t like to postpone important things.
“Oh, no, please!”

Both monarchs were startled by the voice, and both looked to the pony who’d spoken. Luna shrunk back slightly, avoiding the gaze of both.

“I-I mean…” She stuttered. “We’ve only just arrived. The city seemed so beautiful from the air—I would so like to see it firsthoof…and the ponies do look so friendly—!” She glanced up, briefly met Sombra’s eye, then glanced down again with a blush on her cheeks.

“But if this business is more important…” She mumbled.

Celestia opened her mouth to declare that yes, it was more important than sightseeing. The city could certainly wait. This business could not.

“I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to see those streets firsthoof.” The king stepped towards her sister, a warm smile on his face. Luna raised her head, and her blushed darkened further.

Celestia began to wish there was a way to slap her sister and tell her to stop drooling and close her mouth…but without Sombra noticing.

“After all, the business can wait.” King Sombra offered his hoof to Luna. “And this city can not.”

Luna took the king’s offered hoof, a slow, shy smile spreading over her face. Her turquoise eyes were bright with stars, and her gaze was fixed on Sombra’s, clearly missing the frantic head shakes and mouthing of the word “no” from her sister.

King Sombra glanced back at Celestia, who instantly froze, forcing her face into a tight smile.

“Yes.” She said, her voice mechanical and transparent to her ears—but nopony else seemed to notice. “The business can wait…let us explore more of this beauteous kingdom first.

Luna let out a high-pitched, foalish squeal of joy, then flushed when King Sombra gave a laugh. He smiled, leading her away into the crowd, who parted for them. Celestia trotted behind, just barely, but even that small distance bothered her slightly.

And what’s more, Luna’s behavior worried her.

This marriage was purely political. It wouldn’t be a bad thing for Luna to grow fond of the king along the way, but the young princess seemed to be head over heels for this stallion and his kingdom.

She was far, far too attached already.

Celestia fought the frown trying to creep it’s way on to her face. She had to find some way to tell Luna to calm down and back away, to not hold on so tight. Because if she didn’t…

King Sombra was mortal.

And an Alicorn with a broken heart was a dangerous thing.

Author's Note:

Well, here's another chapter! If you enjoyed, leave a like and a comment! ^^
Also, what do ya'll think of that cover art?

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Well if he's an umbrum he's doing a magnificent job of hiding it. And Celestia ought to be more respectful of her sister's interests, surprising as it might be, constant antagonism can spoil a relationship quite easily.

I blame Starswirl, I'm certain this is all his fault somehow.

[My Little Epona]

10098570
Oh, he's not an Umbrum in this story. I'll be ignoring certain canon from the show, so I suppose I really should mark this as an AU.....

[Babroniedad]

Really enjoying this so far, thanks for writing this.
I'm in.

[My Little Epona]

10100108
Thanks for reading! Glad you're enjoying it so far.

[Frazzle2Dazzle]

And an Alicorn with a broken heart was a dangerous thing.

I assume so... After all, nothing can truly replace your first love, can it?

[Ice Star]

The characters of the princesses is very well-established, which is a good thing to do early on. However, the attraction already existing feels a little unusual, even if it’s one-sided right now. The fact that Luna (and possibly even Celestia) are already averse to romances and think it’s inevitable they’ll always end in grief is an odd touch too, especially since they’re so young here.

[My Little Epona]

10233479

. The fact that Luna (and possibly even Celestia) are already averse to romances and think it’s inevitable they’ll always end in grief is an odd touch too, especially since they’re so young here.

Luna actually isn't averse to romances, this whole chapter was supposed to be from Celestia's perspective.

[Coco Candy]

I ship Lunbra!!