The carriage ride to the castle was, oddly enough, filled with silence, giving Twilight plenty of time to think. The mare's thoughts were solely occupied by her friends and the pain she'd forced them to endure. It didn't matter that she agreed to this deal in order to save their lives; in the end, she put them through emotional and potential psychological distress. She only hoped that in time, they'd be able to move on and perhaps even forgive her. She couldn't say the same about herself.

With her mysterious captor thoughtfully staring out of the window, Twilight took a moment to get a good look at King Sombra, really observing his facial features for the first time. His fur was dark gray, like the color of ash after a campfire, his cheekbones high set and his chin strong and angular; the bone structure of a monarch. Sombra's wild, black mane flowed behind him and Twilight actually found herself imagining running her hooves through it. Brilliant scarlet eyes shone in the light, dominating dark scarlet pupils that seemed to burn with a life of their own. His chest slowly flexed with every breath, highlighting the strong, taut muscles that formed beneath his skin. All in all, he was actually quite attractive. For a sadistic, power-mad, evil ego-maniac, that is.

Twilight froze when she found Sombra's gaze upon her. "And how are you enjoying my company so far?"

With a gulp, she nervously tried to hide her apprehension at the sound of his voice, which was shockingly husky and velvet-smooth. "I, uh, so far so good." She forced a large grin, causing the umbrum to lift a skeptical eyebrow.

"Please, Miss Sparkle. I know you think very little of me. So far, I have been nothing but honest and straightforward with you, so I'd expect the same courtesy out of you." Twilight's smile quickly vanished. Sombra's tone was weary, hurt-sounding even. "Don't forget, I can pick up on negative emotions, such as your anger and fear." He tapped his dark red horn for emphasis. "I want you to be honest with me at all times."

Furious violet eyes met curious scarlet eyes. "Of course I'm angry! You just tossed Spike out of the barrier like he was a sack of potatoes! You kept my friends, my family…locked in a dungeon and now, I'm forced to spend the rest of my days away from my home and everypony I've ever loved to be stuck with a selfish, pompous, inconsiderate bastard!"

Sombra stared at the outstretched hoof then at the panting mare that raised it. "Is that all?" He asked with a playful little grin. "Oh, how I missed seeing this out of you! The spirit, the raw fire! This is why I chose you, Twilight. You're feisty, strong-willed, tough and smart. You don't even have a crown, yet you already have the makings of a queen."

Twilight's horn flashed a fiery raspberry light as she scowled, "I will never...be...your...queen."

To her absolute frustration, Sombra peered at her amusingly, his burning eyes twinkling mischievously. "Is that so? Well, I've waited a thousand years to be released from a cold, icy prison and back into a physical body. I can afford to wait for you to change your mind." His own horn glowed black and violet and suddenly, Twilight felt a sharp prickling on her horn as her magic sputtered and went out. Dashing around, she found the metal hoof-rail and discovered her horn was covered in small black crystals, similar to those on Shining Armor, Cadence and the others.

"Take them off right now!"

"Or what? You'll zap me with a pink laser beam?" Sombra tut-tutted Twilight as though scolding a petulant child. "I will remove the crystals once you've calmed down. You have my word."

"I'm calm," Twilight muttered.

"No, you're not. Incidentally, we're here." Twilight's fury took a backseat to shock at the sight of the redesigned Crystal Palace. The crystals that formed around it, which from a distance appeared midnight-black, were actually a dark purple with a soft, thumping glow like a heartbeat. Carefully sculpted and masterfully detailed statues surrounded the castle, each one multi-colored and in the shape of a rearing shadow pony, appearing to leap out at Twilight. A cadre of armored guards hurriedly formed a line on each side of the red carpet leading up to the castle entrance, their motions precise and mechanical.

An unnamed crystal pony, dressed in a black hoofman uniform, opened the carriage door and stood aside with a bow, allowing Sombra to exit with a flourish, his red and white-trimmed cape flapping behind him in the breeze. Offering a hoof frog-up, he stared expectedly at Twilight, flashing her a large grin. Hesitantly, she took the offered hoof, which took hers in a surprisingly delicate motion and gently led her out. She marveled at the softness of the umbrum's touch, leading her thoughts embarrassingly back to her dream back in Canterlot, the way those ghost-hooves touched her softly and intimately. Shooing away such flights of fancy, she found herself being led past Sombra's guards. They all stood ramrod-straight in their spiked armor and gray and black helmets, green lights shining ominously through their slit-like eyeholes.

"Is something amiss, Twilight?"

"It's...your guards. They're very creepy."

"Hmm. Then they're doing their jobs."

A pair of guards promptly opened the massive entrance doors and then closed them behind the new arrivals. The foyer was massive, ten times the size of the Golden Oaks library and featured a giant design of the Crystal Empire sigil on the floor. A massive, shimmering staircase lead to the upstairs and a multi-tiered chandelier hung from the ceiling, emitting a blinding light whenever the sun shined upon it. As Twilight looked around at the familiar settings, it dawned on her that Sombra, with his desire to twist beauty into ugliness, did nothing to change this part of the castle. If he went through the trouble to warp the castle's exterior, then why leave this vital part of the interior alone? Well, only one way to find out, I guess.

"Um, King Sombra?"

The umbrum stopped and laughed, a mocking, unpleasant sound. "'King Sombra?' If you're to be my wife and queen, there's no need to be so formal. 'Sombra' will do." A predatory grin lit up his face as he practically slithered over to Twilight, taking her hoof in his own with the same gentleness he showed before. "That is, if I get to call you 'Twilight.' Will that be alright, my sweet?" His lips hovered above her hoof, his breath lightly tickling her flesh.

It was difficult to read Sombra's expression, being somewhere between warm and friendly and dark and lustful. His eyes burned with desire but also held a sort of hopeful amiability, like he was yearning for her approval. Reluctantly, Twilight nodded and sighed with relief as Sombra withdrew his lips and relinquished his hold on her hoof. A crystal pony mare shyly scooted into the room and stood by awkwardly until caught by Sombra's gaze, shrinking slightly underneath his red eyes.

"Wonderful! Now, Amber here is to be your hoofmaiden; she is to follow your commands no matter what they are," He said, briefly shooting the crystal pony a warning glance. "She will now escort you to your room and will act as your guide should you decide to go anywhere else. The kingdom's your playground!"

"Wait, you mean I don't have to stay in the castle?"

Sombra snorted, "Of course not! You're free to go anywhere whenever you wish. My kingdom is your kingdom too. Except for my bedchambers. That place is off-limits unless I give you consent." He turned to leave when he clapped his hooves together and turned to face Twilight. "Right! I almost forgot!" With a flash of his horn, Twilight felt a soothing pressure relieve itself from her horn as little black crystal shards clattered to the floor. "I'm a stallion of my word. Dinner is at seven o'clock so don't be late!" And with that, he shifted into an amorphous shadow and zipped out of the room.

"My kingdom is your kingdom too."

Sweet Celestia, I'm going to be sick! Sombra's words echoed in Twilight's head as she stumbled around, looking for something to throw up in. Finding an empty flower pot, she emptied her stomach and laid dry-heaving on the floor, leaving the crystal pony to observe her worriedly. Gently helping Twilight to her hooves, the crystal pony smiled gently and wiped her mouth with her apron.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

Twilight looked at what she assumed to be a maid and replied with a shuddering nod. She was a lavender-blue mare with an orange mane done up in a bun, her pink eyes soft but also telling wordless stories of fear and distraught.

"I'm-I'm alright...Amber, was it? And you can call me 'Twilight.' I'm not royalty."

"But if you're marrying the king, then technically you are royalty...Twilight. Besides, His Majesty gave me explicit instructions to address you as 'Your Highness.'"

Patting the mare on the shoulder, Twilight replied, "Well, if I'm the future queen, then you must obey my commands, right? Then I command you to call me 'Twilight.' Sombra will just have to deal with that."

Amber smiled. "You are very brave, Twilight. I...I must show you to your room now. His Majesty doesn't like tardiness." And with that, Twilight was lead up the stairs and past numerous corridors, her every nerve on high alert for whatever dark and depressing lair "His Majesty" had picked out for her. They turned several corners until they had arrived at a light violet door. "This here's your room, Your High-oops, I mean, Twilight." The door swung open to reveal a simple, light blue bedroom with a balcony and a small alcove for a four-poster bed draped with indigo-colored silk drapes. The room also contained a large wardrobe, a writing desk and a private bathroom. It actually rivaled many of Manehattan's fanciest hotel suites but with none of the cost or traffic.

"Here's your key," Amber said with a little curtsy before handing over a small brass room key on a light purple ribbon. "His Majesty has already had the wardrobe filled with clothing and requests something nice for your dinner date. If you need me, there's a rope next to your bed. Pull it and I will come."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you Amber."

The crystal pony smiled and did another curtsy before closing the door behind her, leaving Twilight alone in her new room. This is...my room. In my castle. In my kingdom. With my fiancée. With a disparaging scream, she threw herself on the bed and began to viciously punch and kick the pillows, imaging each one of them as Sombra's smug face. She eventually tired herself out and curled up into a ball, wanting nothing more to be back in her bed, back in Ponyville, among her books and her friends. My friends... The epiphany hit her like a runaway carriage. I'll never see my friends again. She would never see Fluttershy's sweet smile or attend another one of Pinkie Pie's parties. No more boastful feats of awesomeness from Rainbow Dash or local gossip from Rarity. No more of Spike's sarcastic remarks, Applejack's apple pies or having Shining Armor ruffle her mane and call her "Twily."

Mom...Dad...Princess Luna...Princess Celestia… Twilight found her mind swamped with all of the faces she'd never see again, all the laughs she'd never share in or the memories to make. It would just be her, the big empty kingdom and the horrid stallion that ripped her from her home and forced her to be here. Not since Discord's attempts to break up the Elements of Harmony did she ever feel so hopeless. It didn't matter that she was in a beautiful, private suite; a prison cell was a prison cell, even if you dressed it up and called it a different name.

"I...I want to go home!" Twilight sniffled and buried her face into a pillow, keeping her weeping muffled up so that nopony could hear the sounds of her heart breaking.

Author's Notes:

Ooh! I bet many of you are hating King Sombra right now! Don't worry, there's some humanity to him. Just a smidge.

The design of Sombra's royal guards came from The Cutie Re-Mark-Part 1(MLP season 5, episode 25).