The Queen of Shadows (an MLP fanfic)

Prologue

It was a cold day in late winter. Prince Shining Armor and his wife, Princess Cadence, were on their way home from visiting Cadence's Aunts, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, in the city of Canterlot. They had attended a grand summit to meet with ambassadors from all around the world. Shining Armor had insisted on going alone, as his wife was 10 months pregnant with their first child. However, Cadence wasn't so easy to persuade. She made the argument that both she and her husband had to make an appearance, to show that the Crystal Empire could be represented with both care and strength. Now the summit was over and the two ponies were heading home on the last train from Canterlot to the Crystal Empire.

Shining Armor looked out the train window into the night. It was dark and cold outside, but inside the train it was warm and bright. Shining Armor turned his head from the window and smiled at his wife who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Gently, he kissed her forehead.

Suddenly, the train came to a screeching halt!

The jolt caused Cadence to wake up with a start!

"Shining Armor? What's going on?" Cadence asked her husband in distress.

"I don't know." He admitted.

One of the workers on the train was walking by them.

"Excuse me?" Shining Armor asked. "But what happened? Why did we stop?"

"There's ice on the tracks." The worker said. "We can't get through."

"Ok. Thank you." Shining Armor replied.

"What are we going to do?" Cadence asked him.

"I guess we can either stay here or walk the rest of the way?" He said.

Cadence nodded her head. "Then we'll walk."

"Alright, if your sure you can make it home." Shining agreed. He turned to the seat across from them where a young mare with blue fur and a blue and white mane was sitting. "Come on, Sweet Heart. We're walking home."

Cadence's personal nurse, Sweet Heart, nodded and got up from her seat.

Together the three of them got their things and walked off the train, heading in the direction of the Crystal Empire.

A few hours later, they were almost to the Empire when Cadence felt a pain in her stomach.

Oh, no. She thought as her eyes grew wide with realization. Not now. Please, not now! We have to get back to the Empire! Cadence felt another shock of pain and collapsed to the ground with a scream.

"Cadence!" Shining Armor ran to his wife's side with Sweet Heart close behind. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright." Cadence answered. "But, I think the baby's coming!"

"What?!" Shining Armor exclaimed. "But we're almost home! The Empire is just beyond those mountains! Can you wait?"

His wife looked at him as if to say, "Seriously?".

"OK, OK, um, Sweet Heart? Any suggestions?" He asked the young mare.

"Well, what about there?" Sweet Heart pointed to a cave that was cut into the side of the mountain.

Three of them, with Shining Armor carrying Cadence on his back, walked to the cave and went inside. Shining Armor made a fire and Sweet Heart helped Cadence deliver the baby.

Shining Armor and Cadence were overjoyed when their little filly was born. She had big, round sky-blue eyes, a pale-pink coat, and a lavender and sky-blue mane and tail. She had a horn spiraling out from her forehead and a pair of giant wings on her back. Their daughter was an Alicorn.

Though they were surprised at first to see that their baby had a horn and wings, the proud parents soon got used to it. They were so full of love and joy over their new daughter.

"Hey, what's that?" Shining Armor asked Cadence, pointing to a dark colored crystal. The Prince got up and inspected the crystal before showing it to his wife.

"Shining Armor." The Princess's eyes widened as she recognised the stone. "That's Umbrum."

"What? Impossible! Only one pony has ever had the power to grow these! And he's dead!" Shining Armor exclaimed.

Just at that moment, the cave turned dark and cold. Shadows danced around on the walls. Shining Armor thought he heard some of them whispering to each other.

"Hahaha..." Shining Armor's ears perked up as he heard a familiar, deep laugh from somewhere in the darkness.

"Shining Armor!" Cadence exclaimed, pointing to the darkest corner of the cave.

Shining Armor looked and saw a pair of red cat-eyes with bright green irises, expelling purple smoke from the corners, staring at them through the darkness.

The eyes moved forward, bringing one of the shadows off the wall with them.

The shadow grew to the size of a stallion and began to transform. It became a stallion with a grey coat and black mane and tail. They had a pair of fangs sticking out from their upper lip and a curved, red horn jutting out of their forehead. Their hooves were protected by armor and they wore a red, fur-lined cape on their back.

No. Shining Armor thought, his eyes widening as he recognised the figure standing before him. It can't be! He's supposed to be dead!

"Shining Armor?" Cadence asked. "Is that?"

"Yes. It is." Shining Armor replied. "The Shadow King! King Sombra!"

"Greetings your majesties." Sombra said. "Did you miss me? I certainly missed you. What has happened in the Empire since you defeated me and had me banished to the frozen North for a second time?"

"Enough, Sombra!" Shining Armor demanded, stomping his royal-blue hoof on the floor of the cave. "Why are you here?"

"What? I can't see the newest member of the royal family?" Sombra asked with a mocking tone. He walked over to Cadence who was holding the baby. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Why are you really hear?" Cadence asked, pulling her daughter away just as the Shadow King was about to stroke her mane.

"I have come here to take over the Empire of course." Sombra replied.

"As if we would ever allow that!" Shining Armor said.

"I thought you might say that, Shining Armor. So I've come with a deal. You can either give the Empire to me, or you can give me your daughter's hoof in marriage." Sombra smiled down at the new born filly. "Who knows? She may make a great Queen of Shadows. So? What's your answer? The Empire? Or your daughter?"

"Neither!" Cadence exclaimed. "We would rather die than see her married to the likes of you! Or see the Empire fall into your hooves!"

"Sorry, Princess, but that wasn't an option." Sombra smiled wickedly at her.

"Why would you even want our daughter?" Shining Armor asked.

"Well, my Prince, it gets lonely in these mountains and I would like somepony to keep me company. And I think a bride is just what I need. After all, every King needs his Queen. You don't have to decide right away. I'll let you think it over first. And when the filly is of marrying age, I shall come back to hear your answer. Until then, I wont make any attempts to take back the Empire. I swear. Well, good bye, dear Royals. I'll see you in a few years." And just like that, Sombra disappeared, without a trace.