She was sitting on the throne her father circled her as if he was a shark looking for any sign of weakness to attack, and in a way, he was doing just that but instead of teeth, there were corrections, the humiliation of not being perfect instead of pain.

Sombra approached her still towering over her with a criticizing glare. Lighting his horn with a blue Aura, twilight felt her back straighten and muzzle go up to a 65-degree angle, it turned her in the throne so that she was directly facing the throne room doors at a 90-degree angle to the seat. Once his warm aura vanishes, Sombra smiled, a smile of someone who had come out of a duel victorious with a prize

She inwardly Groaned "dad, we have been doing this for an hour now, who cares if I'm just a millimeter off-centered in the throne."

He sighed before stepping back. "Princess Twilight Asteria Everfree of the Lunar Court, I am sorry to correct you" he started with a half bow, showing that they are equals "but when representing the royal family if something is off about you the nobles will notice, in Equestria the nobles will see anything imperfect as a weakness to exploit it."

Twilight Slumped and groaned at his attempt of role-play. "Really dad? Please, I'm being serious."

His gaze turned serious in response, "twilight, you are now heir to Equestria." he state climbing up the Dais. "I admit your grandma, Amore, believed that the best way to learn was for radiant hope and me to learn through trial and error. He shuttered at that, one of the first things I've learned was everypony you meet of the noble, common and some of the ruling class they don't see you as a pony. But a well of political power to drink from and abuse for there own goals, oftentimes at your expense.

"Dad I don't think everypony is like that, I've actually met some friends at the school, and they dont seem to care too much about politics"

He smiled at her, "that's great, I'm happy for you, friends wherever you can find them, will always be a boon to you in the darkest of times. But you must also know who is your friend, how can you tell them apart?"

"W-Well they seem nice"

"Have you told them who you really are?" he raised a brow in expectance

"No..." she sighed

"Then you can't be sure, and when you're ready to reveal the truth to them , you need to know how to tell if they are truly your friends"

"What, do you really think that they would turn on me for being a princess?" she exclaimed, Appuld that he would think of such a thing of other ponies

"Ponies can be Greedy twilight, and greed fogs the mind of the pony so they cannot see what is truly important, in a friend learning something that important about you can change everything. If it does change things and they see you as the nobles see us, they will seek your weaknesses and they will swarm you, and devour you like a murder of crows on a fresh corpse!"

Twilight grimaced at that mental image before banishing it from her mind. She opened her mouth to continue the argument only to find a hoof covering it.

"No more, about that my star its time for our next lesson," Sombra said covering her in his magic and dragging her along as he cantered out of the throne room. "I'm Famished, so, its time for our next lesson On how to properly drink tea what forks to use"

Twilight groaned...

"The Day is finally over" she groaned taking off her crown and placing it on her nightstand, she then proceeded to throw herself onto the bed with a loud thump, "Oof".

Closing her eyes she went over the day, it was more when it came to her Training then other days, think back on it she was certain that her father was acting a bit off but she could not tell why

'Thankfully it was all finally over' she thought then a knock came from the door.

She let out a sigh, "Enter".

Her door opened a Sombra walked in, "good there you are I've been looking for you. Its time for our next lesson"

Twilight shot up and looked at him wide-eyed "what! But I... no Dad I'm tired please, I want to sleep" she half wined

"oh well that's perfect this lesson involves sleeping," he said poofing in a pea pod into his magic Aura "all you got to is sleep he said levitating a pea out of the pod."

it took her a moment to understand what was happening, then her eye twitched in annoyance "really dad? I know for a fact you got that from an old filly's tale. the book is right there!" she said pointing at her bookshelf "Why would I even need to learn how to sleep with a pea under my mattress?"

"well, i umm" he stammered, clearly coming up with something "well, perhaps a noble will try to keep you up all night so you would be too tired in court so he could slip something past you."

twilight just stare at him.

"Yeah, yeah I knew it was a longshot from the beginning," he said teleporting the peas away

"so then, what up with today lessons, you kind of went a bit crazy with the singing with birds part, then this... wait does this have to do with what shining said this morning"

he took a step back, giving her a sheepish smile "I-I well, yes." his gaze fell to the floor "I suppose i just wanted a reason to be by my Daughters Side, besides almost all of those lessons were real and should be taken to heart while ruling"

twilight rolled her eyes before she jumped off her bed and threw herself at him in a hug, "daddy, it's not going to be forever." she felt him stiffen, and it made her feel cold "you're coming back right?"

Sombra Sighed "i plan to, some time. it just there is so much happening at the crystal empire, your brother is only taking over as regent until the investigation comes to an end."

"what about Grandma Amore when will she take back the throne?"

Sombra paused clearly picking his words carefully. "not anytime soon, because of her age. she feels it is best for her to rest and retire."

twilight heart froze in fear, she was not dumb, yes some times even she admits she can be quite childish, but she was more perseptive then people gave her credit for. and by how shaky he had become mention it did not help her keep the coming dread away

he sighed "I-i should not even be here, twilight right now the empire need its new 'king' but i wanted to see you one last time before my duties take over."

"When are you and shining leaving?"

"tonight." he answered

"When will you come back home?"

he hugged her tighter "i don't know, not anytime soon, there is too much needing to be done. I..." he shook his head, as it to clear his thoughts. then smiled, it was clearly forced "that just means you and mommy will have to come and visit!"

Twilight nodded

sombra picked her up with his magic and layed her in her bed tucking her in he kissed her forehead. "good morning twilight, my little star, sleep well" he said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.

The Silence quickly became Deafening, despite his words she knew for sure that she was not going to sleep tonight

~ ~ ~
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Author's Note

this was a Chapter of The Nightmare within and was to lead into a side story called 'The Nightmare Within: Fall of an Empire' about Sombra and shining armor going to the Crystal Empire to rule, there was going to be a Threat that ended with the corruption of Sombra and the fall of amore