Julius Sombra

With her forces severely weakened, my father had no doubt in his mind that Princess Amore had retreated from the Crystal Empire. News of her disappearance was spreading like wildfire among her subjects, who were praying for her safety. However, my father had a plan, a plan to seize the throne only if Princess Amore was dead as a doornail.

"Find her, Julius," ordered my father as he and his forces prepared to return to the Crystal Empire and wait for Amore's death. "Find her and kill her with the sword I have given you. Do not return until I see that her blood is on the blade."

"Father," I asked, part of me not wanting to kill the Crystal Empire's most beloved leader. "Wouldn't it be better if I just capture her and you kill her yourself?"

I could remember my father raise an eyebrow in disgust, almost as if to say that he thought I was being stupid and disobident.

"You dare disobey me now?" he asked, pulling me in his magical aura. "You dare?"

"No, father," I said, nervously. "It's just that….that…"

"Yes? Yes?" he demanded. "Get on with it!"

"Well, I know that it is my destiny to succeed you," I answered. "But have you ever thought of any…I don't know…consequences?"

The word "consequences" seemed to ring in my father's head. For as far he was concerned, his only consequences to me, were that he shouldn't have done this now. By now, the sun was beginning to set and my father knew that time was of the essence.

"If Princess Luna has anything to do about it," he remarked, looking up at the sky. "She will use the night to help Princess Amore take shelter. You must go at once, Julius. I will send some of my best warriors to accompany you."

Just as I was about to leave, however, my father had one more piece of advice.

"I have to warn you, however," he cautioned in a stern sounding voice. "If you fail this mission, I will make perfectly sure that you will wish that you never have come out of your mother's womb. Understand?"

Nervously saluting him, I departed the battlefield and with five of his best warriors, I went on my mission to do away with the ruler of the Crystal Empire.

…

THE ROADS NEAR THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE

...

Frightened and worried for her subjects, a dirtied and bruised Princess Amore and what's left of her army retreated as far as they could go from the Crystal Empire. The good-natured Princess that my father was jealous of for being a goody two shoes, was frightened and scared.

"We should be far enough from the empire to regroup, your highness," said Amore's captain of the guard.

"Good," she answered, taking a look among the 100 remaining soldiers of her army. "Then, Sombra's forces will not be able to reach us in time. You will all take up positions along the road. I want any of his forces to be neutralized if they cross this road. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your highness," said the soldiers, splitting up along the sides of the road.

Once they were gone, Amore tossed off her helmet and threw it onto the ground with her magic, while also letting out a cry of frustration.

"Why must he do this to me?" she cried to herself. "What have I done to him and to his family that he would want to take my empire from me? I've been deceived, Captain, deceived to the point where blood must flow and that their must be widows and orphans."

Amore's captain attempted to care for his leader and tried to get her mind to focus on a positive outlook.

"We didn't ask for this, Princess," he remarked. "Sombra is jealous of you and we didn't see it. But, I can assure that if he decides to face us again, he will pay for all of this with his life."

"You're right, Captain," replied Amore, looking up at him, her most trusted officer. "Sombra will pay for all of this! He made a mistake rebelling against me and he will pay for it as will his family and anypony loyal to him!"

…

The sounds of Amore's anger echoed through the mountains and we heard the anger, which meant our target was getting more and more closer to being killed for the glory of my father and our family in general.

"Amore is furious," cautioned one of my father's warriors. "We cannot let our soon to be leader suffer her wrath. How do wish to carry out this plan, my prince?"

"We must eliminate any possible resistance from any soldiers accompanying her," I suggested, drawing the sword I would use to kill Amore. "Do all of you have your killing spells ready?"

"Yes, Julius," said another warrior, charging up his horn which glowed a sickly green color and the other warriors followed suit.

"Then, we will wait until they are all asleep," I whispered. "Until then, we wait. Is that understood?"

…

Heeding my order, we all took shelter in ditches along the road waiting until the silence fell upon Amore and her soldiers. The hours ticked by and finally, it was quiet enough for us to make our move.

"All right," I whispered, climbing out of the ditch I was taking shelter in. "Clear a path for me and keep me covered. Clear?"

Nodding in reply, my father's warriors set about using their killing spell on Amore's soldiers. The whispered killing spells pierced the otherwise quiet roads and with each one of her guards falling over dead, I came towards the spot where Amore was sleeping. Her captain of the guard was standing in front of her and to be honest, part of me wanted to turn tail and run away.

But, I couldn't. My father's target for assassination was right there in front of me and I couldn't turn back now. In fact, I could hear my father's voice in my head reminding me:

"If you fail this mission, I will make perfectly sure that you will wish that you never have come out of your mother's womb. Understand?"

Drawing the sword, I made my way towards the sleeping princess, but I had to dispose of her Captain of the Royal Guard. Activating my horn, I closed my eyes and fired a killing spell at the captain. But, his screams awakened Amore and she turned to face me, almost immediately recognizing me.

"Where is your father, Julius?" she cried, as I took the sword in my aura, ready to strike at Amore. "Why couldn't he come himself if he wishes to kill me?"

However, as I held the sword at Amore, I felt my emotions bottling up deep down inside of me. Here I was, about to kill a pony who looked to my family with camaraderie and respect just as we looked up to her.

"Princess Amore, please," I pleaded. "My father, he has been jealous of you for some time and there was no alternative. I don't want to this, but my father demands of it!"

"Then, if you wish to carry out your father's wishes," Amore replied, accepting her fate. "Do so at once. But be warned, Julius, that killing me will destroy every single bit of respect that I have built between me and you. The Royal Sisters will hear what you have done and they will not rest until you and your father are captured and punished for this heinous act."

Shutting my eyes, I let out a loud yell and the sounds of the blade entering Amore's body were heard. For a moment, I could feel my life stopping around me. Opening my eyes, I saw Amore's dead body, with the sword in her chest. Her eyes were closed which was probably a good thing. But, I couldn't believe what I had done…I had done the deed and Amore was dead not by my father's hooves…but my hooves.

"I didn't want to do this Amore," I said to the dead body of the Crystal Empire's beloved princess. "But, my father commanded it."

Not wanting to look at the body anymore, I motioned for my father's warriors to come forward.

"I have done the deed," I said quietly, throwing the sword onto the ground. "Now, we must return and allow my father to begin his rule. Is anypony alive?"

"None, Julius," one of the warriors said. "They are all dead."

"Then leave their bodies to the Timberwolves," I ordered, knowing that Princess Amore would need to be given a proper burial. "But, the body of Princess Amore will be given a proper burial before my father takes his rightful place. Help me bring the Princess back to the empire."

So, we did just that, bring Princess Amore's body back to the Crystal Empire. Leaving the bodies of her soldiers behind, we entered the Empire and there at the balcony overlooking the empire and smiling evilly was my father…the newly crowned, King Julius Sombra I.

…

Meanwhile, word of Amore's assassination would soon reach the Castle of the Two Sisters and set in motion a chain of events that would end my freedom and begin my imprisonment…