Even though the request had been heard as plain as day, she still could not believe it. She was just a regular pony, but was now being asked to meet with one of the most important people in their nation. Amber Waves, a mare of the newly-returned race of Crystal Ponies, had, like the rest of her kind, only just returned to the world after a period of one thousand years. In ancient times, she and her kin had endured under the brutal reign of Sombra, a unicorn tyrant who had enslaved them all and claimed the Empire as his own. Although defeated, he'd cast a dark spell on them all, casting them adrift in time, having only now returned.
Remembering that terrible times caused a grimace on Amber's face. Nopony wanted to remember those dark days, her least of all. Instead, she tried focusing on happier thoughts, mostly the fact that she had been summoned by none other than Cadence herself, the newly-appointed Princess of the Empire. Along with her husband, a group of ponies from Southern Equestria, and a very brave baby dragon, they had been freed from the cold grip of Sombra forever. Naturally, she and her people were immensely thankful for this, and being invited to her presence was an honour to say the least.
As Amber made her way towards the heart of their great city, the Crystal Palace, her eyes looked down towards it's centre, the Crystal Heart, now safe on it's pedestal. She smiled as she gazed upon the most important thing in their Empire, before turning her attention back to the great gates of the palace. A pair of crystal guards were flanking it, and they used their magic to open the gates as she approached, bowing to her as she entered. Although ponies like her were never forbidden to enter this place, even before the reign of Sombra, it was still a rare thing to see, and a beauty to behold.
Amber could have spent all day here, just admiring the sparkling crystal formations that made up this place. However, she knew it wouldn't do to keep the Princess waiting, and so she walked on towards the throne room. After a brief journey, she found where she needed to be, and looked on at Cadence, her Princess, sitting upon her throne, smiling to Amber as she entered. The young mare returned the smile and, as soon as she was a few feet from the throne, bowed in respect to her monarch.
"Princess Cadence. It is my honour that you would call me here."
To her surprise, the response was not the formal words she'd expected of royalty, but a small giggle. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, she lifted to see Cadence now walking towards her.
"I appreciate the gesture, Amber. But there's no need for that. You can just call me Cadence".
Amber, still somewhat unsure about all this, nevertheless did as requested, getting up from her bowing position. She waited there, still not quite sure why Cadence had asked her to come here, but it was not long before it became clear, as the Princess soon spoke up.
"Although much has improved for the Empire in recent weeks. I felt that it would be best if I did as much as I could to help the ponies in my charge".
Amber tilted her head, still not knowing why she was needed for this, but Cadence carried on.
"You are not the first I have spoken to, nor will you be the last. But I just want you to know, whatever you need talk about, I am here to listen".
It was here that Amber started to become uncomfortable. The way Cadence's expression had changed, going from jovial to serious, and the tone of her voice, all served to give Amber some inkling of why she'd been summoned. If she was right, then this would not be the pleasant visit she'd assumed it would be, but rather a return to a memory she'd hoped to bury deep. Cadence, seeing the worried look on the young mare's face, stepped forward, her eyes never leaving her.
"Amber...though you and your people were gone from the world for many centuries, you nevertheless retain the memories of your lives from before the curse fell upon you. You remember what it was like to live as...his subject".
Amber's instincts were correct. This summons was indeed what she'd feared. Cadence could see this worry on her face, and lifted a hoof onto her shoulder in an attempt to calm her.
"Please, it's alright. I know that fiend forced you and your people to endure terrible things. I have spoken with both mares and stallions alike, helping them through what that tyrant inflicted on them. And I know that nopony was untainted by his influence. So..."
Cadence looked right into her eyes, capturing Amber's complete attention. The young mare knew what was coming, but hearing the words did not make it any less painful.
"...how did Sombra hurt you?"
It was a question she'd hoped would never be asked. She'd known that everypony had suffered under him, but a few, like herself, had suffered far deeper wounds than mere enslavement. She did not resent Cadence for asking, for she knew the Princess was only doing what was best for her people. But even so, the pain that question had unearthed was immense, and it brought forth perhaps the darkest moment in Amber's life. A moment that she'd hoped she would never have to endure again for as long as she lived.
...........................................
It was something every mare, stallion and foal in the Empire feared. The cruelty of their self-appointed ruler was known far and wide, and everypony knew that one day, he would call for them. Today was Amber's day. The summons had come late in the evening, when she was getting ready to join her neighbours in their assigned quarters to rest after the day's labours. Although his dominance over them had stripped them of their once shining coats, when she'd heard that he had sent for her, what little colour that had remained in her face faded.
The guards, once devoted protectors of the Empire, now pressed into being little more than unwilling henchmen, had been sent to bring her to him. She said nothing, merely looked on in horror at the dark and twisted mockery of a tower that had once been their glistening palace. The guards who accompanied her said nothing, but every once in a while they'd steal a glance at her, and would see her bearing a look of terror. Having been forced to serve their new master, these guards were just as much slaves as the rest of their people, perhaps even worse, given that he actually made them help him on days like this.
Amber was quietly escorted into the terrible spire, entering the twisted doors that led to the grand throne room. And it was here that she saw him. Sombra. Sitting upon his dark throne, bearing his cloak, as red as blood. His eyes, corrupt and peircing. Nopony had ever been more feared than him, and only now had Amber ever been this close to him. Mostly, she had only ever caught glimpses of him from afar, as he stood on the balcony of the palace, looking out over his conquests. Seeing him now, she wished she could go back to seeing him that way.
Sombra grinned, a look that sent shivers down Amber's spine, before gesturing to the guards, who promptly made an about-face before making their way out. Before he left though, one of the guards leaned in close and whispered to Amber.
"I'm...so sorry".
She bore him no malice. Amber knew he'd meant what he'd said to her, though it was small comfort. She stayed in place, partly out of terror for being in this place, and looked on as her master rose from his throne. The dark unicorn walked towards her, with Amber remaining perfectly still during his approach. When he was mere feet away from her, he grinned once more.
"You know, I usually expect my subjects to bow in my presence".
Amber's eyes widened at that and she gave a hurried bow in front of him, keeping her head down. For a brief moment, she feared that he might turn violent at her lack of subservience. Instead, she merely heard him laugh. It was a sound that would cause nightmares in even the most stone-faced of ponies, and not something she would ever want to hear. However, she saw one of his hooves lift up and gesture in an upwards manner, giving her permission to stand upright again, which she did. Now looking him in the eye once more, she saw that he was looking her over. The glint in his eyes as he did so made her sick to her stomach. She knew what was coming, and was steeling herself to hear it.
"Tell me, slave. Do you know why I have called you here today?"
Amber shook her head in response, to which Sombra merely chuckled before responding.
"As a King, I have so many worries during my day. I find that I need some relief from it all every once in a while. Thankfully, many of the mares in my kingdom have been very helpful in that regard".
Her heart sank as those words were spoken. So it was true. Her greatest fear had been realised, and she now knew the true reason for her summons. It was no secret what Sombra did when the urge took him. Every few days, a young mare would be summoned from her home, sometimes even dragged out screaming, and brought to him. Nopony had said anything, but even an ignorant foal could tell what he did to them. The mares would return the next morning, as Amber had seen them many times. She hadn't asked them what had transpired, because she never needed to. Their tears were proof enough of what this despot had inflicted on them.
And she knew deep down that, by the time the sun rose on the morrow, that would be her. But she said nothing to her master, merely watching as he began walking around her, like a hunter stalking his prey.
"It is quite a boon for a King, wouldn't you say? To have such fine subjects at his beck and call? Though I must say, you're prettier than most".
Amber kept silent, and had to fight with all her might against the urge to back away. This was especially difficult when she felt Sombra lean in from her left, burying his muzzle in her once-shining mane, and smelling it in a lustful manner. But she knew she couldn't do anything. One step backwards, one word of anger, the slightest hint of resistance on her part, and he would turn his terrible dark magic on her, ending her life in an instant. For the sake of spite, he might have even gone after her family afterwards, something he'd been known to do with others that had fought against him. She knew she had to endure this, for their sake if nothing else.
So she kept waiting, forced to put up with every advance he made on her in this moment between them. She would see him discard the armour that covered his front hooves, freeing them so he could properly feel her back, her haunches, and anywhere else he knew he had full license to explore without consequence. Amber's only refuge in all this was to shut her eyes as tightly as possible, desperately pretending that this was all a nightmare and that she would wake in the safety of her home. But that fickle hope merely led to greater despair as her eyes opened and her reality sunk in.
Eventually, Sombra tired of toying with the young mare and stood in front of her, his grin sending waves of disgust right through her. He smirked and tilted his head a little before gesturing to a doorway behind him.
"Well then...shall we?"
This was it. Amber knew what was coming. Ever since this creature had taken over their land, ever since the rumours had spread of what terrible things he did to mares like her, she'd hoped beyond hope that she would be spared. Now that hope was crushed, and all that was left was the dreadful truth. She was his, and unless some great power came to challenge him, there was nothing she could do. So, having no other choice, she nodded at her master's command, walking towards what she knew was his bed chamber, with him close behind her. Before she entered, he spoke a final few words to her.
"Fear not, young one...at least I'll enjoy this".
............................................
That terrible day had been with her ever since. Like many of those who had been violated by that so-called King, Amber had done what she could to get one with her life, even though from the perspective of her and her people, these events had only been a few weeks ago. Before they were freed, they were little more than property to him, to be used and then discarded, as had happened with her. When she was there, not so long ago, seeing his face again as it emerged from the darkness, it was enough to bring all of her nightmares back to her.
But here she stood now. A thousand years in her future, and looking like her old self again. The damage had already been done though, and the absolute last thing she'd ever want to do was bring it back to the surface. Even so, she stood before her new Princess, Cadence, who was still waiting for her to come forward and tell her what had been done, thinking she could help. But Amber knew the truth. There was no help for her. What had been done could not be undone. It was a scar on her life that would be with her until the end of her days.
There was only one comfort she could take from all this. One bright spot in the darkness that had been her life until now. He was dead. The fiend was gone from this world. Never again would she and her people have to endure one more moment of his sadism or cruelty. And realising that, understanding that, at long last, she was free of him, Amber now had the freedom to let out everything that had been bottled up for all this time. Her knees buckled and she collapsed on all fours as Cadence looked on. The young mare's eyes welled up as tears flowed down her cheeks.
"He...he...he..."
She wanted to reveal all to her Princess. Every twisted thing she'd experienced. But all that came out was a sob. All the grief and despair was now flowing freely from her like a waterfall. And Cadence, so concerned for the lives of her new people, knelt down beside her, lifting her front hooves and embracing Amber warmly, all the while listening to every grief-ridden sob she was letting out.
"You poor girl...what did that monster do to you?"
