Princess Celestia sat statue-like in her chair, her eyes widened with disbelief at her sister. She was dictating a letter addressed to Spike to check up on him when Luna burst through the door, breathing heavily and her mane a mess. After enquiring about Luna's state of distress when the dark blue alicorn dropped a massive bombshell: Twilight Sparkle and King Sombra were apparently soulmates! Shaking her head, Celestia regained her composure and took several deep breaths. "Luna, this isn't a subject one should discuss lightly. Are you certain?" Every few centuries or so, there would be a select few that were decreed by fate to be bound to one another, both in love and in life. It was extremely rare and only happened in the instance that a couple was meant to be together for a singular purpose, the reason of which varied from pairing to pairing.

"I'm very certain, sister. Before she left for the Crystal Empire, Twilight had a very...sensual dream about Sombra, one were she wore a crystal tiara and a blue gown. She never told him of this fact and when I spoke to him, he admitted to having a similar dream. He even created the very same tiara as a gift for Twilight. That's how it always starts: with a shared dream. Just like Mother and Father."

Celestia rubbed the bridge of her snout and sighed. "That can't be possible, Luna! I mean, Twilight and Sombra? Why in the sacred name of Hyperion would fate bring those two together? Twilight is young and innocent and Sombra…" A tight ball had formed in her chest. She remembered the days she and Sombra spent together, laughing and kissing and it hurt to think of the stallion she'd loved become such a monster. Now it would appear that her former love and her best student, who in many ways was like the daughter she'd never had, were destined to be together. "I just don't understand."

Luna crossed the room to place a foreleg around Celestia. "He saved her life, he's kind to her and I think...I think deep down he may even..." Her next words came out in a whisper, skeptical with what she was saying but still considering the possibility given what she herself had witnessed with her own two eyes. "...Be in love with her."

Those words echoed in Celestia's head as she shoved Luna away. "No! No, it's not...it's just not...." The Princess of the Day was struggling to keep herself from crying. "This has got to be a trick of some kind. Sombra is long gone. Once you've gone down that dark path, there's no coming back."

"I went down that path once and look at where I am now," Luna replied sharply. "Perhaps it's best that you should remember that before you condemn somepony else for their past deeds."

"Luna, I..."

It was no use; Luna had already turned and stormed away, leaving Celestia alone with her conflicting thoughts.

At first, everything was dim and murky. Groggy eyes fluttered open and Twilight inhaled deeply with her nostrils, inspecting her surroundings as the veil of sleep was raised. She was back in her room at the Crystal Castle, her body still slightly atrophied from an undisclosed amount of time spent asleep. What happened...? A sharp pain shot through her foreleg as she attempted to prop herself up and bit back a scream. Twilight winced lightly and inspected her injury, finding her shoulder and left foreleg bandaged. Right, from the wolf attack. And Sombra saved me...

As if on cue, a dark gray stallion bolted up from his chair and rushed to Twilight's bedside, a relieved grin on his face. "Twilight, thank Tartarus you're okay!" The unicorn had to do a double take at Sombra's appearance. His mane was flat and matted and he peered at her through puffy eyelids, looking as though he hadn't slept for days. Then there was the smell, like heavy sweat and peppers. When was the last time he'd taken a shower? "How are you feeling?"

"A little sore but fine. How long was I...-?"

"Three and a half days. You scared me to death!"

Twilight paused and blinked. "You...you were worried about me?"

Staring at her as if she'd stated the obvious, Sombra replied, "Of course I was! Would I have bothered to travel through heavy snowfall and a pack of amaroks if I wasn't?"

"'Amaroks'?"

"The wolves. It's strange; they never hunt in packs. The cold must've brought them together."

"I brought you some bread, Your Majesty and you'd better eat it..." Amber paused in the doorway before dropping the tray she was carrying on the floor and racing towards the bed. "Twilight! Oh, praise Cintamani! You're looking so much better! I'm so relieved I could just die! Are you hungry? I have some bread. Or perhaps you'd like soup instead?"

"Soup would be nice, thank you. Tomato if you have it."

Sombra stood up and stretched, a small yawn escaping his mouth. "Well, if everything's fine here, I'll be taking my leave. Get well soon, Twi." He lightly brushed her right forearm with his hoof and shut the door behind him.

"Twi"? He's never called me that before. "Is Sombra okay? He looks...awful."

Amber held up her hoof and raced to check the door. Finding nopony waiting on the other side of it, she sat on the edge of the bed and looked guiltily at Twilight, as if she were sharing the biggest secret in the world. "His Majesty would be furious with me for telling you but he refused to leave your side until you woke up. He hasn't eaten, slept or bathed for the past three and a half days."

A wave of mixed emotions washed over Twilight, her heart beating wildly in her chest at Amber's words. Sombra waited by my bedside without food or rest just for me? Her last ordeal with the umbrum was suddenly rendered mote, overshadowed by this devotional act. He was no longer just the fiend that kept her prisoner. Perhaps he could be...more. She wasn't sure what that meant but knew that fear wasn't one of the feelings she had for him.

After bathing and gorging himself on some apples, Sombra slept and dreamt once more of his beloved Twilight Sparkle, again adorned in her crystal tiara and shimmering blue dress. They were dancing in the castle's ballroom, which had been vacant ever since he was young only now it was shiny and lit with thousands of candles as a band of crystal ponies played soft music. She rested her long-maned head on his chest as he held her close, a sense of peace he'd never felt before working its way into his heart. The music stopped and the two stared into one another's eyes, with Sombra's visage being reflected back at him in a pair of brilliant violet eyes. I could die right now and have no regrets.

Is that so? Clearly you've learned nothing, Sombra my boy.

Sombra whirled around, the ballroom suddenly dark and empty, no sign of Twilight nor the band. He searched around the room until he spotted a vague shadowy form perched in the rafters and glared at his old "friend". "No more games, Darkness. Why are you here?" The shadow dashed across the ceiling and wrapped itself around a pillar, slithering down it like a constrictor. Two pinpoints of red stood out in its featureless face and it cocked its head at him curiously.

You should know why. This, all of this, is not possible. It can only exist in your mind.

"Says you! I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. It can be real if I make it so."

The Darkness cackled, a mocking sound that echoed throughout the room and in a thousand wicked laughs. Indeed! Remember the last time you held onto that foolish notion? How well did that go down? Hmm? Oh yes, that's right! That princess rejected you! Who's to say history won't repeat itself?

"Shut up!"

Twilight Sparkle is here because she HAS to be, not because she WANTS to be.

"I said, 'Shut up!'"

Then again, who'd want to be with you anyway...kin-slayer?

"SHUT UP!"

Glowing green cracks splintered across the ballroom, smashing its elegantly carved windows and bathing it in a sinister glow. Jagged black crystals shot up through the floors and walls while purple flames whooshed up at Sombra's hooves. Deep crevices opened up, revealing thousands of shrieking crystal ponies all reaching out to him, howling for release from their torment.

"No...no, this isn't me. Not anymore!"

It was, is and always shall be you. You are the King of Shadows and that means you're the villain. And the villain can only do three things: do evil deeds, lust after the pretty maiden he can't have and die at the hooves of a dashing hero. It's time that you accepted it. Purge yourself of these coltish feelings you have for Twilight. She'll never want you.

"Sh-shut up," Sombra protested weakly, sinking to his knees as fresh tears gathered in his eyes. Deep down in his heart, Sombra couldn't fight the Darkness' words. Despite hoping with every fiber of his being, he knew that Twilight could never love him, not as he was. "Nopony could ever love an umbrum," his father had told him and so far his words rang true. He was just too damaged, too tainted for somepony so divine and pure. Sombra might as well try to reach out and touch a star.

Meanwhile, a pair of alicorns watched the event unfold from the skylight, shocked and outright heartbroken by the spectacle before them. It seemed impossible but even in a dream, Sombra's gaze of adoration towards Twilight was no different than how he used to look at Celestia. She knew that their breakup had wounded Sombra deeply but she had never grasped at the full scope of his agony and self-loathing. I'm so sorry, Sombra. "Luna, take us out of here. I've seen enough."

Author's Note

"Innamorata" is an Italian word meaning "enamored," which is used to describe one's female lover (the male form is "innamorato") and just sounds more old timey and poetic than "Darling" or "Sweetheart."

Sombra is quoting the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley

Looks like Twilight's feeling something for Sombra! Oooooh

Will Celestia and Luna play matchmakers? We'll see...