As the years passed, Sombra's ambition pulled him farther and farther from his lover and into the temptations of royal life. He even had a secret lover, but would not tell Luna about it. Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire was to be betrothed to Sombra soon, if Sombra had followed the aging queen's orders to steal from the Everfree. He had only stolen some jewels as a teen, but he didn't plan to return the glorious gems. He transformed the gems into a single necklace, and gave the necklace to Cadence as a gift.

Meanwhile, Luna, the strongest of the Everfree folks, became the Protector of the Everfree Forest. She had grown much more beautiful and powerful. One evening, she took to the skies for an exciting flight. She spun as she flew higher into the skies. The darkened clouds spun around her as she finished spinning. She grinned, flapped her wings hard, and dashed towards the river. She hovered above the water, her shadow gracing the river as she flew past the tall rocks. Her long mane rippled and sparkled as she flew high into the headwinds once again.

The moonlight kissed the alicorn's body, and gave her an ethereal, brilliant glow. Luna sighed as she closed her eyes and slowed down for several seconds. Surely, there was nopony so lovely and so well loved as she... yet, there was something missing from her ever since her sixteenth birthday; her lover, the Prince of Equestria, had become more distant than ever. He was less loving and less caring than before, which began to turn Luna off.

Luna's heart ached at the realization as she opened her eyes. Now, the moon lost its luster as Luna's smile disappeared. Clouds blocked the moon from view as she flew to the Great Tree. Feeling dejected, she decided to remain on the branch for the remainder of the night.

She wanted to talk to Celestia, but she didn't want to mention the prince. She knew how much Celestia loathed Equestria's residents and the kingdom's royal family. Well, Celestia didn't deliberately hate the royal family; she tried to make relations with them politically, for she was now the Queen of the Everfree.

Luna looked to the skies, frowned even more, and sighed with disconsolation. "Does he still love me?" She asked nopony in particular. The stars no longer twinkled cheerily as the clouds disappeared; there was an ominous twinkle in the stars.

Oftentimes, she walked alone near the borders every night, and one afternoon, she received a surprise; Sombra waited by the borders. Luna cheerily ran to him and pulled him into a tight, loving embrace.

"Oof," Sombra panted. He didn't know if he loved her for real or not. Perhaps he loved Cadence much more, after all.

"Is that how you say that you love me?" Luna pressed as she broke the hug and backed away, her wings stilled and open as she narrowed her eyes. She seemed ready to attack, but that wasn't part of her plan.

"No. Forgive me," Sombra returned as he bowed before her.

"Thank you. Now, can you tell me the reason why you are always disappearing?" Luna interrogated.

"I was busy," Sombra half-lied. He wanted to become king, so that was what made him busy. He often competed with Shining Armor for Cadence's hoof in marriage.

"Hmm..." Luna hummed, uninterested. "With what?" She tilted her head.

"There is aggressive competition for the crown." Sombra nodded softly, his head bowed in shame.

"You needn't to be ashamed of that," Luna reminded him. "If you're not cheating..." She added.

"I'm not cheating on you!" Sombra shouted in defense as he rose his hoof. "I swear, I swear!"

"No need to get nervous." Luna smiled as she beckoned the stallion to follow her. They strode through the forest and chattered.

A rosy smell entered Luna's nose, and she looked to the stallion. She gave him a sideways glance, and gritted her teeth. She began to wonder if Sombra had cheated on her with a secret lover.

"Have you been seeing someone?" Luna interrogated.

"No," Sombra lied as he nodded.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Sombra shook his head, the fresh feeling of guilt taking over his heart.

Luna tilted her head, perplexed and suspicious. She was suspicious of Sombra's motives, for one thing. A mysterious ache shot through the alicorn's heart like an iron knife as she frowned. "Do you have to go?" Luna whispered.

"Yes," Sombra retorted curtly. "I have to! It's nice spending time with you."

"Okay... bye." Luna bowed her head in sadness as she slunk away from the stallion. She strode into the Everfree,  silent like the night as she searched for the Great Tree.

The nocturnal Everfree creatures and Breezies looked to her, for they wanted to comfort her. Luna didn't care for any kindness from them. Perhaps her dreams would never come true, after all... she was hurt, not for the first time, by love and romance. When Sombra didn't come to her several years since her sixteenth birthday, she was quite hurt.

Luna approached the Great Tree, and watched as Celestia climbed down the tree. "What's wrong?" Celestia wondered.

Luna turned away, and shook her head. "It's nothing," She murmured.

"You seem miserable." Celestia reached out her hoof, and pushed several strands away from her sister's eyes.

The lunar alicorn swapped her sister's hoof away, and gave her an angry look. "It's nothing! I already told you," She blurted out.

"Okay..."

"I'll make you miserable if you continue to pester me!" Luna stood her ground, and stomped away from her sister.

The next night, Luna lounged in the Great Tree on the highest branch. She looked out to the skies, and glanced at the castle in the distance. As usual, the night was gorgeous and mystifying. She smiled as the moonlight kissed the forest floor. She was still naive, for she never understood the greed and envy of most Equestrians. Soon, she was to learn...

The alicorn heard an approaching noise, and looked near the border for a source. As she saw an army approaching, she gasped and froze. She darted into the skies to confront the approaching army.

The Changeling Queen, who led the army, halted her stallions as they approached the Everfree Forest. "The mysterious Everfree Forest, where nopony dared to enter for fear of the mythical creatures lurking within! Well, I say, crush them! Take the treasures and destroy the forest!" She commanded them.

As she looked to the forest's entrance, she saw an ominous figure with a pair of wings and a tall, sharp horn. The alicorn resembled the legendary night mistress that wanted to plunge the world into an eternal night.

Luna stared them down as she scowled. She could imagine how her parents felt, having to face down the army years earlier before their death. Despite being a little frightened, she stood tall, strong, and firm. "Come no further!" She bellowed.

The queen snorted derisively as she shook her head. "A queen does not take orders from a winged unicorn!" She retorted.

"You... are no queen to me! You cannot take over the Everfree Forest! My sister is the rightful queen of the Everfree! I am Luna, Protector of the Everfree! Don't you dare come closer!"

"Look at you, boasting about your position, mare! How pompous and regal," The queen sneered. "How arrogant and brazen!"

A fury rose in Luna's heart, for she was offended by the queen's words. She knew that she wasn't vain, but what of it? The only one who was vain was the queen herself! "I am not arrogant nor brazen," She corrected the queen. "I'm the strongest one in the forest, and that is why I rose to become its protector!"

"Whatever, Princess Luna."

"Agh, shut it!" Luna nearly lost her temper as the thunder boomed. She stomped her hoof, and stared down the queen. She clenched her teeth, growled, and darted into the air. She let out a battle cry as she dashed towards the army.

As the alicorn hovered in the air, she looked for the sentries. "Arise and stand with me!" She commanded, and the creatures emerged into view. The wolverines attacked every soldier in sight, and a tatzlwurm emerged from the ground and chomped on the unsuspecting victims.

"It's the dark creatures!" A stallion exclaimed.

"It's the dark creatures!" Another stallion agreed.

The bug queen looked to Luna, and pointed at the alicorn's face. "Bring me her head!" She commanded.

"Battalion!" The soldiers exclaimed in unison.

Luna attacked the other soldiers, and as she approached the bug queen, she shoved the queen to the ground. "You will never have the forest! Not now, not ever! You-" She hollered.

"I'm called Chrysalis!" The queen sneered as she pushed the alicorn away, the iron brushing against Luna's neck.

The alicorn gasped with pain, and backed away. "I know you're armed with heavy iron armor," Luna remarked.

Chrysalis snorted as she rushed to the castle, and beckoned the soldiers to follow her. She would tell somepony to avenge the royal family soon...

Luna stood near Melvin, and looked on as she nodded. The Everfree Forest had won once again. For some reason, she managed a sad smile. She strode into the forest, and Melvin followed suit.

"Do you think we will be able to foster peace?" Melvin wondered.

"I don't know. I dealt with them violently, so it's likely that there will be another war," Luna worried.

"I'll guard the borders."

Luna only approached the Great Tree, and lounged on the ground as she looked to the skies. Fretful thoughts filled her head. An icy claw of fear began to penetrate her heart. What if Sombra sided with the queen? What if Celestia was right about the neighboring kingdom? What if Celestia actually wanted to thwart the royal family for a reason? Why would Sombra lie to Luna about a potential lover and his ambition to become a king? Would the safety of the Everfree become more endangered?

At the castle in Canterlot, several ponies entered the dying queen's bedchambers. The queen croaked as she spoke. Sombra lighted the candles on the candelabra as he sighed deeply. He felt even more conflicted by the day; he didn't know whether to be loyal to Luna or to be loyal to Cadence. He was seriously in a love triangle!

"Ever since my husband and I became the rulers of Equestria, we promised you that we would take over the Everfree Forest and steal its treasures. Here I am, dying... several years ago, your king died of an illness. Now, I am destined to die, all because of the defeat in battle," Chrysalis announced. "When I pass away, I will allow Shining Armor to be betrothed to my stepdaughter Princess Cadence and to take the throne. Sombra seems to be conflicted, so I won't let him become a king, unless he kills Luna."

Sombra whirled around to face the queen upon hearing the request. He was tasked to betray Luna so that he could become a king! "I am worthy of the crown," He assured her. "I will avenge you."

"Good," Chrysalis purred. "That way, we will no longer be thwarted by the Everfree's protectors."

Sombra nodded, unable to stand up for his love. He decided that it wouldn't be risky to marry Cadence and to take the throne. He dashed out of the castle and to the Everfree Forest. As he approached the borders, he searched for Luna.

"Luna! Luna!" He called out. There was no response. Saddened and disappointed, he turned away.

Luna landed behind him, aware of the potential threat that would doom her homeland. She had been wary of Sombra ever since the war ended. "How is life with the Equestrians?" She interrogated. Lividness, apprehension, and tension were written across her face as she narrowed her eyes and backed away a little.

Sombra turned to face his love. He frowned as he sighed. He shuddered with each breath as he managed to speak the truth. He didn't want to go into detail about the love triangle or about hurting Luna for the sake of achieving the throne. "They mean to kill you. They are horrible. I belong here with you, even though it is risky," He admitted.

Luna's scowl softened as she nodded. "You are forgiven," She murmured, despite herself.

They strode to the Everfree Pond, and sat near the rock. Luna's wing was draped across the prince's back as they gazed at the stars and the moon. She had forgiven the prince his folly and his ambition, but didn't realize that she would run into a lot of trouble and turmoil. She chose to ignore the consequences, anyways. She smiled happily as she rested her head on Sombra's head. As Sombra levitated a flask in front of Luna's face, Luna took the flask and drank from the bottle. She immediately closed her eyes, and snored as she let the sleep take hold. Maybe, she believed, she would get to live happily ever after...