King Sombra coughed gently into his hoof as he leaned back into his death bed. "Mmm... My servant." Looking to the side of the room, out the window at the softly falling snow. Realizing this was the eve of the old celebration of Hearthwarming, before he outlawed such a wasteful event.
"My king?" A stallion stepped forwards after being addressed.
"Soon I depart to rule the next world. Tell me, was I not the best of stallions?"
The stallion blinked, nodding hesitantly. "Of course my lord. You are the strongest and most powerful ruler the world has ever known!"
King Sombra waved a hoof dismissively. "Oh I know that, and at other times it would be entirely proper for you to say such. But I have not long left here so speak plainly. Was I a good pony?"
The stallion stared at the king, not having any idea what was desired of him. "Uh... Good is a subjective term."
After a long pause, King Sombra frowned. "Have I done nothing worthwhile in my life, servant?"
The stallion swallowed nervously and licked his lips. The king was known for ruthlessly dealing with any who defied him. However he was not known for shooting the messenger, so the stallion took a chance on giving the king the truth. "Worthwhile, if you value power, yes. But by most standards, you are not good."
"Mmmm... Explain." King Sombra straightened up slightly.
The stallion shook his head. "My king, you have literally killed and enslaved hundreds of thousands of ponies!"
King Sombra paused, giving a gentle nod, that was true. "True. But they all worked for a greater glory!"
"Do you remember when you invaded Equestria? You burned down the churches!" The stallion waved a hoof. He was glad of King Sombra's strange view of the world. Other ponies would take this as a criticism. King Sombra just took it as a record of history.
King Sombra scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Well, how would I know they were churches!?"
Staring at the king for a moment the stallion couldn't stop himself. "You specifically yelled 'spare none of the nuns!'"
King Sombra took a long moment to think, but then nodded slowly. "Mmmm... I suppose I did that. But really, that is very fun to say."
"And do you remember the invasion of Ponyville?" The stallion shuddered slightly. Even as King Sombra's advisor the stallion had to admit that was a brutal battle.
King Sombra chortled to himself, "Ahh, yes, one of my greatest victories. Truly a great accomplishment."
The stallion shook his head. "Not what I meant, lord." At King Sombra's raised eyebrow he continued. "Ponyville doesn't exist anymore. You wiped out the entire town!"
King Sombra scoffed indignantly. "Now that's not even true! I left Mrs. Cake alive!" Then after a long moment King Sombra frowned slightly. "Oh... Wait... No I killed Mrs. Cake too." Then, with a rather dark smile and a nod, he added. "In front of her children..."
The stallion shook his head, he was a fairly brutal stallion. One had to be to work for King Sombra, but even he had thought that one was going too far. "Not to mention this day of all days to be the one you ask such a question on."
King Sombra sneered in response to that one. "Oh, because I took away their stupid little Hearthwarming holiday? Why should they complain? It's not like they celebrate anything important! It's just an arbitrary date they picked to celebrate..." Sombra shuddered slightly as he spat out, "togetherness."
The stallion raised an eyebrow. "Uh... My lord, the... Whatever, let's say universe, was so angry it sent you three spirits to try and dissuade you from doing it."
King Sombra laughed with genuine mirth. Loud and long as he shook his head in mild amusement. "Yes, and what did that accomplish? I'm not some powerless, crippled old man who can be scared out of my chosen course. Or some ignorant mare who needs to be 'educated' in the 'right way' of thinking. I know the right way! The strong lead and the weak follow! That is the way of things."
After the conversation flagged for a minute, the stallion motioned to where King Sombra was laying. "And... This."
King Sombra looked at his bed, frowning slightly. "What?" The covers and blanket were perfectly normal.
"This!" The stallion pulled up the edge of the cover to reveal the pony skulls that made up the bed's base.
King Sombra rolled his eyes, now the complaints were just getting petty. "Oh please, it's not like they're using them anymore. It is a great honor for them to be a part of my bed!"
The stallion sighed. "I mean, I'm fairly certain you invented decapitation!"
King Sombra smiled widely at that, nodding. "Indeed, it was a great invention!" He chuckled darkly. "Though I do have to wonder how no one thought of it before me, because it's so very obvious."
The stallion took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The world will remember you as the most brutal dictator ever."
King Sombra gave a slow, accepting nod. "Mmm, very good. So I did accomplish things in my life. Thank you, servant." King Sombra smiled as he rested back into his pillows. He had accomplished much in his life, he was indeed a good stallion. The stallion nodded and started to back out of the room to leave the king to his final moments in peace, before King Sombra called for him. "Oh! Servant."
Pausing, the stallion looked back to the king, inclining his head slightly. "Yes, my lord?"
"Can you make sure that Applejack delivers my eulogy?" King Sombra would be very happy if someone known for their honesty outlined all his impressive accomplishments at his funeral. It would truly remind all how great he was.
"You executed Applejack, my lord."
After a long pause, King Sombra nodded in recollection. "Ahh, yes... In front of Mrs. Cake's children."
