Flurry Heart and the Imprisoned King

Twenty minutes went by as Flurry and Cadence stared each other down as they waited for Shining Armor to come back from the dungeons. The tension could be cut with a knife. Flurry sat with her front hooves crossed in front of her while Cadence gazed down at her from her throne. Finally, Shining Armor came through the doors and slammed them shut behind him. His face was twisted by rage as he looked at his daughter. He tossed her notebook and quill in front of her. She looked at the items and scooped them up, hugging the notebook tightly. She opened it and looked through it to make sure it was okay. Relief washed over her, everything was still intact. She looked back at her parents. Anger and fear were painted onto their faces. She cleared her throat but before she could speak her mother addressed her first.
“What were you doing in the dungeons talking to that monster?”
Her voice was flat and authoritative, Flurry had never heard it like that before. At least not aimed at her before.
“I was talking to Sombra.”
She admitted, asking back.
“How did you know I was there? I kept it a secret and even kept up an elaborate ruse so you wouldn’t suspect a thing.”
“It wasn’t so elaborate. The roses you gave him were your downfall. Honestly, why would you give that thing any… *huff* Your lies started to fall apart, Flurry.”
Shining said in a stern tone. Flurry felt whatever courage she had fizzle away.
Sombra was right about the roses.
Her father had never been this angry with her before but it was clear he was beyond that emotion. Cadence asked.
“How did you even know he was there? We kept it hidden from the masses and you for sixteen years.”
“Well um.”
Her voice failed her as she met her mother’s disapproving gaze.
“Answer her, Flurry!”
Shining Armor shouted at her, she shrank as she answered.
“I started to notice a guard heading in that direction when I was ten. I always thought it was odd but one day I followed behind the guard quietly. I saw he went to the dungeons and that bothered me. Since no pony was down there. After that, I started to pay more attention to the guards heading in that direction. After a year and a half, I realized that every three months a new guard was assigned to the dungeons, except for that pegasus guard who was always there. So, I figured somepony was down there. I didn’t know who but I had a feeling it was King Sombra.”
“You didn't think to ask us about it? Did you even think that maybe we had a reason to send a guard down there?”
“No, I never thought to ask about it because, because…”
Flurry took a deep breath and yelled.
“I didn't ask you guys about it because I could tell you were hiding something from me! I mean come on Dad, you didn’t think that I wouldn’t notice the same guard heading that way for years. I may be young but I’m not blind!”
Feather Lane is a top soldier. I’m surprised to hear about this. I gave him that assignment because of how loyal he is to the Empire and how quiet he is. He would never tell anyone what his position is. So, why didn't he notice Flurry before?
The pair looked at each other and then back to her. Thinking about what to do with her. She bit her lip.
“I just wanted to know the truth about the Crystal Empire.”
Candance addressed her.
“Flurry, we were going to tell you when you took over but now that you know the truth.”
“Was knowing the truth, really worth it?”
Shining Armor asked. She couldn’t meet their eyes, their disappointed glares stabbed into her. She answered them.
“It wasn't worth, you being mad at me but it was worth meeting Sombra.”
She trailed off knowing that they didn't hear the end of her sentence. Cadence inhaled ready to tell her the real truth since she figured Sombra had filled her head with lies.
“Alright Flurry, here's the truth you so desperately wanted. Sombra invaded and tried to take over the Empire and failed. He somehow came back and held you hostage as he took over the Empire again. I called in Twilight and her friends before any real harm could be done and they defeated him. They didn't kill him like last time but we made it seem like they did since the crystal ponies fear him. They fear him so much that any mention of him sends them into a panic. So we sent him to the dungeons to rot and he's been there since. And only a few ponies know this. Any guard who talks about it has their mind erased since they are breaking their oath to the Empire.”
“I knew all that already.”
Flurry said. Her courage returned to her as she addressed Cadence.
“I know that because he told me. He told me how he came back something that to my knowledge you don't even know. He also told me about himself. I even know about his past and what happened the first time he took over. Something you probably don't know about. I even know how the-”
“I know about his past Flurry and it doesn't change anything. But I would like to know how you know of his past or why you believe him.”
Cadence cut her off. Her stoic expression had transformed into rage. Flurry’s ears flattened against her skull as she looked at her saddlebag. She pulled out Sombra’s journal and held it out to her mother. Cadence stared at the familiar book as she addressed Flurry.
“How did you get that?... Did you go into his study beneath the throne?”
She shrank again.
“Yes.”
“How did you know it was there?”
“Auntie Twilight.”
She whispered. Cadence was livid she didn’t know what to say. She just stared at Flurry.
Twilight, why did you bring her there? I can't even begin to imagine why you brought her down there in the first place? What where you thinking?
Cadence spoke.
“Shining Armor, you’re better at punishments than me, what should we do with her?”
He stepped up and glared at her, she could feel his gaze burning into her.
“She is grounded for a year and a guard will be with her at every moment. Also, the passage under the garden will be sealed so no pony can use it again. A curfew will be in place during this time and she will have no study time at all. You will be spending a lot of time helping other ponies and doing chores around the palace.”
“This is unfair!”
“And lying to us is fair? We raised you better than that.”
Shining Armor retorted. Flurry felt a pit in her stomach as tears welled up in her eyes.
“You lied too!”
They didn't flinch as she yelled back at them. Astonishment started to cross her face as she asked.
“How did you know about the passage in the garden? I didn’t tell any pony about it. Not even Uncle Sunburst.”
“The gardener thought some pony was messing with her daisies and it turns out she was right.”
Shining answered. Flurry felt awful, she started to feel anger boiling inside. She asked.
“How did you know I was down there when you saw me go to bed early? Were you watching me?”
“We had Sunburst watch the garden tonight. He saw you enter the passage. The passage only you knew about. We also know you didn’t pick those flowers for a potion they were found in front of the monster's cell. As I said before your lies fell apart.”
Flurry had heard enough although she loved her parents, she had lied to them. However, they had spied on her. She knew what she did was wrong but what they were doing felt worse. She protested.
“He is not a monster. Did you even give him a chance? Even if you didn't, you allowed the guards to hurt him.”
They appeared surprised to hear her defend such a beast and the actuation she was making. She continued.
“Do you even care!? I thought you believed in redemption or at least giving some pony a chance to do better. You two never gave him a chance, did you!? You know you should have told me sooner about King Sombra. I’m not five anymore!”
“You're dismissed, Flurry. Knight Shield!”
A unicorn guard came into the room and bowed before them. Shining addressed him.
“Escort Flurry to her room and stay there. Once she gets into her room, call in Sweet Spear to guard her after that.”
“Yes sir.”
His voice was gruff as he got in front of Flurry.
“Come along, princess.”
Flurry looked at him; she recognized him. He was the guard she saw hurt Sombra. She flared her nostrils at him.
“You're the guard who hurt Sombra! I’m not going with- Hey!”
The guard picked her up in his magic and started walking away
“Let's go princess.”
Flurry tried to get out of his grip but couldn't as she shouted and yelled as they left the throne room.

Cadence and Shining Armor felt exhaustion wash over them as Shining Armor collapsed onto the floor. They both felt awful and conflicted; they didn’t know why Flurry had defended a monster. Cadence was the first to speak.
“Do you think we were too harsh on her? I don’t think anything happened to her down there but still.”
“No, I think we did the right thing.”
“Why do you think she defended him? She shouldn’t have but she did.”
“I don’t know… How did you know about that journal of his or know about his past?”
Cadence bit her lip knowing she had to tell Shiny the truth about that.
“I also went into his study with Twilight and we read it together. I know I should have told you but it didn’t have any useful information in it. And it felt wrong to move it so we left it there.”
Shining Armor sighed heavily as he rubbed his temples.
“Oh, Twilights, getting an earful about this.”
“I’m sorry, honey.”
Cadence's ears folded back as she looked away from him. Shining walked up to her and held her face kissing her lips. He pulled away and gave her a reassuring smile.
“It's ok, we can’t dwell on what's happened. We have to stay focused on the here and now. We have to keep Flurry safe.”
Cadence gave a smile back and answered weakly.
“You know she cares for him now, right?”
“Ugh, I know. Why does she have to be like that?”
Cadence laughed a bit.
“You mean so forgiving and loving.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, she gets it from us.”
Shining let go of her and yawned.
“Let's go to bed. It's going to be a rough morning.”

Flurry was tossed into her room by the guard who scowled at her. She scowled back and stuck her tongue out at him. He slammed the door to her room and locked it as he went to get Sweet Spear. Flurry paced back and forth in her room dropping the notebook with all the information Sombra had given her. She didn’t care, her anger was seething. She grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. She collapsed on her bed
“Why didn’t they listen to me? Sure, I lied to them but they lied to me… THIS SUCKS! And they pulled me away before I could comfort Sombra. He was devastated but nooooo it's all about what they want.”
She huffed as she pulled her hooves over her eyes.
“Mom read his journal but still doesn’t care about him and doesn’t want to help him. That is… It’s just aggravating can’t she feel how heartbroken he is? Or how much he loved Hope? Or that he was probably used by his people? Why can’t she talk to him? Is he so arrogant he won’t tell her anything or is it because she doesn’t want to talk to him because of what he did? Ugh, that was like sixteen years ago, let it go mom, dad!”
Just then her door unlocked as a light pink mare clad in armor walked into her room, her emerald eyes landed on Flurry. She bowed and spoke in an oddly sweet tone.
“My princess, I've been appointed to watch you during your punishment. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sweet Spear.”
Flurry eyed her and sighed.
“Whatever, I'm going to sleep. Tomorrow is going to suck."

They were right, breakfast was dreadful. Flurry eyed her parents with anger and discontent as they watched her carefully. Neither wanting to back down from getting their point across to the other. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Flurry spoke.
“I want to see Sombra. I want to help him, last I knew he was having a breakdown and I want to help him.”

Her tone was stoic.
“Absolutely, not! He was going to hurt you.”
Shining fired back, Flurry kept her composure this time.
“No, he wasn’t. He was upset, very upset but he wasn’t going to hurt me.”
“You don’t know that. He was aiming his attacks at you. He was going to hurt you, his spell was strong enough to pierce the sealing spell on his cell.”
Cadence answered, worry laced her motherly tone. Flurry could tell she wasn’t seeing Sombra anytime soon but she was going to get through to them and see him as soon as she could. She got up.
“Fine, I’ll be leaving now. I have to go help out at the local animal shelter and then the orphanage.”
She walked past her parents giving them a resentful glance. Sweet Spear followed close behind her.
“Did I mention it's the orphanage Sombra grew up in. Where he was teased and only had one friend.”
They looked at her with complex expressions something between anger and wonder, as she continued.
“Just thought you should know.”
She left them in their silence, her words weighing heavy in the room. They exchanged worried glances. Shining saying what Cadence was thinking.
“This is going to be a long year.”
Cadence nodded in agreement.