They approached the prison cell; Flurry ran ahead of everypony. Twilight spread her wings, keeping Shining and Cadance behind her as they continued walking. Flurry stopped in front of his cell and gazed downward at Sombra. She smiled warmly.
“Sorry, I took so long to come back.”
He didn’t move, he didn’t even look up at her.
“Sombra?”
She sat down to be at his level and looked into his eyes, her face pulled back into a frown and her eyes bulged a bit. His eyes were dull, any luster they had before was gone. They were flat only displaying sorrow and despair. Flurry’s ears folded against her head as she stared at him. Twilight, Candance and Shining Armor just looked at the scene before them. Shining Armor and Cadance felt a pit forming in their stomach. Twilight was the one to move closer as she sat next to Flurry and looked at Sombra. She turned to Shining and Cadance addressing them, asking calmly.
“Cadance, what do you think?”
Cadance’s head jumped up a bit as guilt washed over her. Twilight gazed at her, waiting for a response. Cadance pulled her eyes away from Twilight and looked at Sombra. She could feel his despair but it wasn’t over Flurry it was over Radiant Hope. As the princess of love she could always tell when a relationship would blossom or fall apart. She could feel a pony’s undying love or their bitter heartbreak but looking at Sombra. All she could feel was crushing despair. It was the worst heartbreak she had ever seen in all her life. Cadance couldn’t look at Sombra any longer as tears filled her eyes, unable to answer Twilight. Shining Armor looked at Cadance in disbelief. Seeing her cry over their prisoner was unthinkable. He then turned his attention to Sombra. He gazed at him dumbfounded and was at a loss for words. The arrogant king was broken; he showed no real signs of life besides his breathing. Shining Armor didn’t know how to feel; he never knew Sombra actually had feelings. He only ever saw Sombra acting arrogant or defiant. This quiet, sad pony before them wasn’t Sombra. Silence set in as no pony knew what to say.
“What do you want?”
Despair and defeat laced Sombra’s voice. Everypony turned to look at him. Tears fell down Flurry’s face as she replied weakly .
“I-I’m um… I'm here because we're friends and I wanted to say, I’m sorry.”
He finally looked up at her, his dead eyes piercing her soul.
“Why?”
Flurry’s ears folded back, his words stung but before she could answer, Cadance answered.
“Why? Because Flurry cares about you, Sombra.”
His ear twitched as he finally moved again, his dead eyes met Cadance's.
“And why do you care about that so suddenly? You should leave me to rot. A monster like me should be forgotten from history.”
He turned back to Flurry, meeting her gaze once more. Cadance and Shining folded their ears, Shining spoke.
“You...I *ahem* You can’t mean that. YOU’RE King Sombra, tyrant of the Crystal Empire. You're an arrogant and boasters pony. And this, this isn’t you. I mean you don’t mean that.”
Sombra didn’t even register what he said as he kept his gaze fixed on Flurry. Twilight got up and pulled Cadance and Shining Armor back to speak to them privately. Flurry just gazed at Sombra, finding the courage to speak.
“I’m sorry about Radiant Hope. I could have just lied to you and told you she was a princess but that wouldn’t have sat well with me.”
“...”
“I know you loved her. You loved her more than anything else in the whole world.”
“She was the only thing, the only pony I cared for more than myself. You were right about that, you know… And knowing I caused her future to shift for the worse is the worst thing I’ve ever done to somepony. I wish I could have remained in ignorant bliss about Hope but the truth always finds a way to come out. ”
His words pierced Flurry like a knife, she bit her lip. Her stomach was doing somersaults as she spoke.
“You know, I had an idea before, I got pulled away. Would you like to hear it?”
“...”
“You said that Grogar told you that Radiant Hope was alive. So, what if I find her for you?”
He finally regained some color in his eyes as he looked at her. The color that came back didn’t last. As he spoke the color faded.
“You're too kind. Grogar probably lied to me, you know. And even if she was alive, what's the point? She wouldn't want to see me anyway."
She smiled at him.
“Even if Grogar did lie to you, I’ll look for her anyway. I'll even get her to come and see you when I find her. Until then I'll visit everyday.”
He chuckled weakly.
“If you say you can do it, then do it…. You’re something else. You’re something I can never understand, Flurry Heart. You’re too kind and too loving. One day those things will betray you.”
He smiled weakly at her. Flurry felt a deep warm feeling fill her as Sombra had finally used her name, she smiled back reassuringly.
“I promise, I'll look for her and find her. You know, you finally said my name.”

Twilight led Cadance and Shining Armor to the entrance of the dungeon and addressed them both.
“I'll admit, I wasn’t expecting him to be so… depressed. But you two have seen how Flurry cares for him and how her compassion has affected him.”
“Depressed!”
Cadance shouted out surprised.
“That doesn’t even begin to describe how he felt. He was like a black void of negative feelings. I have never felt anything like it before.”
Cadance hugged herself and shuttered trying to forget how his aura felt. Shining just looked away from Twilight, his ears plastered to the side of his head.
“He’s not himself. Just like Feather Lane said… Now, what do we do with him?”
Cadance and Shining stared at one another, neither knowing what to do exactly. Twilight stared at the pair and coughed to get their attention, they both looked at her.
“Well first of all I think you should unground Flurry.”
They gave each other defeated looks as they turned their attention back to Twilight
“Second, I think you should allow Flurry to visit him whenever she wants. Besides, don't you think sixteen years of isolation is enough?”
They gazed at Twilight. They both sighed heavily, Cadance closed her eyes and spoke.
“You're right Twilight. I hate to admit it but you're right.”
He’s completely defeated. He’s not going to do anything to anypony in that condition.
She continued.
“We’ve been keeping Flurry away from him for years. But she wanted the truth and she got it. She found him anyway and she cares for him. *sigh* I suppose she can visit him as long as Feather Lane accompanies her. Right, Shiny?”
Shining Armor couldn’t believe what he just heard. He didn’t think as he spoke.
“No, this is hardly a reason for her to see him. I mean he is not well but this is… not safe.”
Twilight sighed.
“Shining Armor, I know you want to protect her and everypony else but you saw him. He's not going to do anything to anypony.”
Shining Armor bit his lip.
It could be a ruse but then again, two months like this. I mean he hates me so much and he didn’t even insult me. I… I hate that she's right. He hasn’t done anything in years, he just stayed here imprisoned.
He closed his eyes.
Flurry, why did you have to find him? Why did you have to grow to like him? I absolutely hate this!
“It's too risky.”
Twilight was about to protest but Cadance beat her to it.
“Shiny, I know how you feel but there is nothing Sombra can do now. He's completely defeated and even if it is a ruse Feather Lane will be with her.”
He snapped back.
“You saw what he can do! That his magic can break through our spell! What if he harms her to get back at us? What if he decides to use his magic to break out? He's deranged Cadance! We can’t let him near Flurry.”
“Shining Armor!”
Shining Armor flinched. Cadance raised her voice, she rarely did that.
“Our prisoner, King Sombra, is heartbroken and will not do anything to Flurry! You can't feel it but I can. A heartbreak like his, is something that leaves you empty and unwilling to do anything. He isn’t going to do anything.”
Shining Armor swallowed.
That look…. She's serious about this.
“How can you be so sure, Cadance?”
“I'm not sure and I'll never be sure.”
Cadance straightened herself out.
“But I do know that if we keep denying Flurry the chance to see him or speak with him she'll grow to resent us. She is sixteen Shining Armor. We can't stop this but we can make sure it's safe.”
Shining Armor was seething. He knew Candance was right and that was worse than Twilight being right. He didn't know what to say, he wanted to argue with her but everything he came up with he had already said. He snorted, he couldn'tbelieve what he was about to say.
“You’re both right… I guess we should unground her.”
“And?”
Twilight smiled at him. He felt a pit form in his stomach.
“And… have… short periods of visitation. BUT I MEAN SHORT! LIKE AN HOUR OR LESS!”
Cadance smiled as relief washed over her.
I'm glad he's coming around. I didn't want to argue with him.
“Shiny, that's a little harsh, maybe just three hours max with Feather Lane watching.”
His eyes bulged out of his head as he looked at Cadance. Twilight just watched the two with a smile upon her lips. Her ears twitched, she turned in the direction of the approaching hoof steps. She saw Flurry. Twilight addressed her.
“Oh, Flurry. What happened? How is he?”
Cadance and Shining Armor looked at Flurry. A hopeful smile was plastered to her face, she looked at her parents.
“I’m going to find Radiant Hope for him and visit him everyday till he feels better.”
Her smile faltered for a second. Cadance and Shining Armor exchanged worried glances.
“That sounds like a challenge, honey. I mean Radiant Hope may not be around anymore.”
“I know but I want to try anyway.”
Cadance sighed.
“Alright, I'm sure you'll find something out about her. And you'll be able to let him know when you find anything out. Right, Shining Armor?”
Cadance looked at Shining, nodding her head at him. He begrudgingly agreed.
“Sure… Visiting him seems like a great idea… As long as Feather Lane goes with you and stays with you the whole time, got it?”
“Got it.”
Flurry nodded in agreement. Twilight looked on, smiling warmly at the scene before her.
I'll be checking in on them. I know how Shining Armor can get. He may need a reminder as to why Flurry is visiting Sombra.
Twilight spoke.
“I’ll be heading home, now. I see that this issue is on it’s way to being resolved but I’ll be coming to visit more often. I want to make sure everything works out and that there's no more problems. Oh, and I'll bring Sweet Spear home.”
“Thank you for all your help, Auntie Twilight.”
Flurry ran over and hugged Twilight, giving her a warm smile. Twilight hugged her back.
“You're welcome.”

Flurry was trotting down the hall with the complete collection of equestrian fairy tales in her magical embrace along with a few other books in her saddlebag. She was smiling warmly as she walked towards the kitchen. She was picking up a nice cup of honey milk tea and a few tea cakes before she headed down to the dungeons. It had been a week since Twilight had convinced her parents to let her see Sombra. She was still in disbelief over the whole situation but was happy it turned out this way. She may have had to have an escort now but Feather Lane was better than any other guard she had encountered throughout this whole fiasco. Flurry looked at the cakes and smiled. She was trying to get Sombra out of his slump by bringing him tea and other nice treats and although it helped, it didn’t really do much to make him feel better. Today she figured she would try reading a book to him. It seemed like he enjoyed fairy tales or at least she was hoping he liked fairy tales. She knew Hope believed in fairies so she was hoping he believed in fairies too. She met up with Feather Lane, she smiled at him as she handed him a tea cake. He smiled at the gesture and quickly ate it. The two of them walked down the corridor of the dungeon, Feather Lane asked.
“What do you got there, princess?”
“Oh these, they're fairy tale books. I figured they would cheer him up a bit.”
“What makes you think that? I know he’s still acting strange but reading him fairy tales? You think that will cheer him up?”
“Well, I think there are some good uplifting stories in here that he may like. According to his journal Hope believed in fairies so I’m guessing he does too. Besides who doesn’t like a good fairy tale?”
Feather Lane just looked at her and gave a little smile as they stopped in front of the cell, Flurry sat in her usual spot. She placed the tea and the cakes down into the cell. He looked at them with his broken eyes and then looked at Flurry asking monotone.
“What do you want today?”
Flurry gritted her teeth as she smiled.
“I’m here to read you a story book and tell you that I made a poster with Hope’s picture on it.”
“How did you do that? There are no photos of her anymore.”
Some color returned to his eyes as he questioned her. A playful smile crossed her lips as she answered.
“Well with the way you described her to me last time I was here before *cough* you know… I was able to have an artist draw her portrait for me. Here.”
She pulled the poster she had made up out of her saddle bag and gave it to him. He grabbed it up in his magic and looked it over, she could see a sliver of hope return in his eyes. He gazed at her, he sat up and then picked up the tea. He took a sip of the tea and then looked at it, disgusted by how sweet it was. He asked her bitterly.
“What book is it?”
She gave him a toothy grin as she answered.
“It’s a complete collection of equestrian fairy tales.”
He chuckled to himself.
“I’ve heard every story in that book. I’m pretty sure by now I’m a fairy tale in that book but be my guest read it.”
She smiled smugly.
“It does have over a thousand stories in it. So, let’s put that to the test and see if you really have heard them all.”
She began with the story of the princess and the timberwolf prince.

Deep in the Frozen North a blizzard raged on as a lone figure shrouded in a cloak emerged from a red crystal. The figure trucked across the frozen wasteland, until they arrived at the Crystal Empire. They walked across the whole Empire and boarded the train. As the train left the station, the pony dropped her hood. Revealing her purple crystalline coat, light blue mane and sky-blue eyes. She looked out the window of the train and whispered to herself
“Where are you, King Sombra?”
Radiant Hope gazed out the window, as the train barreled towards Canterlot.

Author's Note

We made it! It's done. Thanks for reading. I am planning a sequel which is in progress. But mostly I wanted to thank you all for sticking with the story. I know it took way too long to post it all cause life stuff came up and I lost motivation at one point but I appreicate everyone who stuck with it and read til the end. Truly, thank you.