Not so Dark After All

Part 6: Two-faced

Sombra didn't have much to do. The castle was empty, and void of life. He had no one to interact with besides Luna. But she hated him, he knew, and would prefer not to talk on her own time, especially to the unicorn stallion. She called him heartless, and the King of No Kingdom. Sombra tried to strike up a conversation, but she would only mumble in response. 

Sombra found her painting. He never took Luna for the painting pony, but it turned out she was excellent with a brush. She allowed him to watch over her shoulder once more. Her smooth brushstrokes provided Sombra with a beautiful picture of the sun, with a green forest underneath and towering mountains soaring to the heavens in the distance. 

Sombra smiled. "That's beautiful, Princess. I had no idea you were such a skilled artist."

But she did not respond. He turned, and found her crying. Tears streaked down from her eyes, staining her beautiful face. Her lips were pursed. Sombra tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away

He looked at the painting again. He found that the sun she had drawn looked much like the mark on her sister's flank.

"You miss her, don't you?" he said in a surprisingly affectionate tone.

Luna nodded, loosing a hearty sniffle. 

"I'm sorry, Luna, but I cannot allow you to visit her. I can't trust you not to try and escape. You came here of your own free will, but you will not be leaving for a long time."

She was not listening. She was only thinking of her sister.

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Celestia paced frantically. Her eyes were wide with worry. 

"No! No, it can't be!" she cried. Her guards looked on with anguish. "She left! I told her not to! I told her specifically not to, and she did it anyway!" She stamped one hoof in frustration.

Twilight stepped forward. "Celestia, calm down! It's been established that she's gone!"

Celestia fell silent. Her eyes darted around the room, her heart racing. Twilight placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder as she sat. Celestia smiled down at her. "Thank you, Twilight. It reassures me to know that your mind is set on finding her."

"Of course. As a princess, my duty is not only to my subjects, but to my fellows." She smiled.

Celestia stood once more. Her wings rustled before settling back to her sides. "We must go after her," she reasoned. "Sombra told her through the dreamscape that he would be waiting for her in the Arctic North. I seriously doubt he would lie."

Twilight growled, her wings flaring. "I don't."

"Well, he must have captured Luna. She's not coming back unless we rescue her." Celestia muttered under her breath. "I can't believe she went there of her own free will. The fact that she would fall for such tricks astounds me."

Twilight nodded, having heard her plight. "I understand. I'd recommend that we send a squadron of guards immediately. If they don't find her, I will gladly search the Arctic myself."

Celestia gave her a grim smile. "I thank you for your reassurance, Twilight. Your plans are the best of their kind. I trust you to help me find my sister."

"I will do whatever it takes to accomplish this task."

Celestia called for her lead guard. She ordered that a squadron of soldiers search the Arctic North for any sign of Sombra or her sister. She watched from her balcony as they took off, heading as fast as their wings could carry them to the cold blizzards of the Crystal Empire outskirts.

"Godspeed, gentlecolts," she whispered, her eyes following them with a wistful glance. "Godspeed."

From the author

It's final. This story is probably gonna be longer than most, because I keep making the chapters so short. I'm sorry I can't help myself! *Helpless whimper.*

Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying it so far. I'm gonna  keep writing on it, because I like the way it's going.

Love, Annie