Twilight sighed, turning the letter over in her hooves one more time. It was an official invitation from the King, and not one she could turn down. Absentmindedly, she tapped her horn, wishing she could simply use magic to burn it away. All it would take was a simple spark, yet she hadn’t been able to do that in years.

Sombra had made quite clear that she was not going to be casting magic for a long time. Her life wasn't bad, per say, but magic in particular was something she missed intently. Her wings had long ago been clipped, but they had never been as much a part of her as her horn.

At least she still had books. Each and every floor of her tower was filled to the brim with them, and he allowed her to wander her tower with impunity, only posting a couple of guards at the base. She’d escaped more than once. The guards didn’t bother trying to stop her. She’d always make it about halfway through the courtyard before some contingency spell teleported her back to the top of her tower with a quiet “pop”.

The irony didn’t escape her. The princess of magic was trapped by the tyrant king with a spell, while she was rendered powerless by the black crystals he’d peppered throughout her leylines. The other princesses hadn’t been as lucky, and decorated the courtyard garden as statues. At least Flurry and Cadence couldn’t see what he’d done to their empire. Twilight had been kept around like a pet, trapped in her tower, stripped of magic and flight, while otherwise disgustingly pampered.

She took the invitation and held it over a candle, waiting for it to slowly burn the old fashioned way. He could rot for all she cared. She watched the fire spread slowly through the paper, causing it to crumble and ash in her hooves. If she had been mortal, it might have burned her. As the smoke cleared she heard a laugh.

“Ha! Always so dramatic, Princess,” his voice lingered like a sickly cloud, befouling her senses.

“Hello, Sombra,” Twilight growled, “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?”

“I had hoped you got my invitation, and I thought to bring a gift. After all, it is Hearts and Hooves day.”

She turned to look at him, anger flickering in her eyes. “We both know I wont be allowed to turn down your invitation.”

He smirked. “You can always turn down my invitations. Never once have I forced you to do anything but stay in this tower.”

She let the anger do more than flicker. “Perhaps I’d like to leave this tower.”

“But then you’d deprive me of my most beautiful flower!”

Twilight felt her voice go cold as ice. “Your flower is wilting, Sombra. It’s bright petals are drooping from lack of sunlight and fresh rain. I think it’s time you let it die, or at least dry it out and put it on display with the others.”

Sombra sidled up next to her as one of his smokey tendrils coalesced behind her head and held her neck with a cool grip so that she had to listen. His voice was lower, more threatening. “Are you suggesting I pick my flower?”

“If that’s what it takes, then yes.” She shivered.

His green and red eyes narrowed. “If I’m forced to pick it before it’s ready, then I’ll put it in a bouquet. It will go from being my favorite to being one of many. I’ll enjoy the bouquet for a time, but when I’m done it will be pressed with the rest. Just another dried out flower to add to my collection.”

Twilight’s shiver slipped into her words. “That’s more than you deserve.”

“Also the least that I’ll get. Though, I’d prefer the other possibilities. Flowery innuendo aside, have you considered my other offer?”

“I’ll not consider it.”

“A shame. Your mother would want to see you married before she passes on. She’s aging you know.”

“I have only your word that she still lives, and your word is not something I trust.”

“I haven’t lied to you, Princess. I never do. Well, enjoy the flowers. I’ll take you for a walk this evening, after I set the sun. You did ask for fresh air, after all. Do wear something nice.”

Before Twilight could answer, he was gone, leaving only a tiny puff of black smoke. She hated when he did that. He’d say something quick and harsh, usually bossing her around, and then leave before she could say anything in return. Of course, she’d follow his instructions. He never threatened her with more than she asked, but there were implications.

Twilight was dangerously, sickly aware of the implications. She’d been his prisoner for years now, and never once had he forced her to do anything. He’d been rude, occasionally demanding, and certainly evil, but he’d never touched her on more than her neck or face. Once, he’d absentmindedly brushed her flank, but it had truly seemed an accident and he’d even apologized.

Of course, his verbal sparring had dared into the realm of degenerate rudeness on more than one occasion. Even in this encounter, he’d threatened something foul and disgusting. It was far from the first time he’d made such a threat. Perhaps most unnerving was that he never threatened her life, only her dignity.

Usually he only threatened her when she asked him to turn her to stone. It seemed to anger him, and when he was angry he talked about what he’d do to her before he turned her to stone. Flowers were a frequent metaphor, but she’d been compared to an unopened wine, a wild animal in need of taming, a petulant child, and even an unread book.

She’d almost liked the last one, he’d promised to put her on the shelf with the other books he’d read. He certainly “read” often. Sometimes he’d have the gall to show up immediately after one of his sessions, letting his wet penis dangle loosely from his sheath while he still smelled of sex. He never said anything about it, but he’d occasionally stare at her with an unabashed hunger.

If that was the price to pay for her final rest, she was considering it. One night of vile humiliation, and in return she’d get an eternity in a silent and still stone prison. Humiliation was nothing new by now, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t taken everything else anyways.

The girls were alive, at least, but it had been years since she’d seen them proper. Sometimes she watched from her tower window, and a mare that looked suspiciously like Fluttershy occasionally visited the garden, checking the statues and cleaning them.

She was probably waiting for the day that Twilight joined the rest. Twilight had asked him about their fates once. Applejack was tending her farm and family, Rarity was allowed to work as a seamstress, and Pinkie was still working at Sugercube Corner. Apparently, Fluttershy worked in the castle on occasion, tending to the animals. Rainbow, though, had suffered an ill fate.

He kept her as a guard. While they’d all tried to rescue Twilight at least once, Rainbow had almost succeeded. Two years into his rule, back when hope was still possible, Rainbow had managed to lead a small rebellion of pegasi that had almost assassinated Sombra. Rainbow’s little squad had actually impressed him, and that wasn’t something anypony wanted to do.

Now Rainbow stood guard over his bedroom. He’d let Twilight know, very explicitly, that the only reason he’d allowed Rainbow to live after the attempt had been because of his affection for Twilight. She’d almost been grateful, until he detailed exactly what he’d done to Rainbow and the rest of her pegasi. Rainbow would had rather have been killed than suffered through that.

Sombra was a monster. His soft spot for Twilight stood alone against his horrifying nature. Rainbow was now one of his royal guards, and also one of his concubines. Twilight wished that she didn’t know how much he enjoyed Rainbow’s trim figure and bright colors. He liked to gloat to Twilight, sometimes arriving with his dick still wet and his hair disheveled.

She’d yelled at him once for leaving a pool of slime in her tower. He’d thought her anger hilarious, but at least wiped himself off now when he came to taunt her. Secretly she’d been ashamed that she hadn’t yelled at him for what he’d done to Rainbow. It felt so alien, so extreme that she usually tried not to think about it.

On days like today it was important to think about it. No matter how charming he would be, no matter how polite he was or what gifts he showered her with, she needed to remember his crimes. She needed to remember how he conquered Equestria and the Crystal Empire with violence and dark magic. She needed to remember how he took what he wanted from everypony without remorse. She needed to remember how he made everyone suffer.

Because tonight he would once again put on an overly friendly smile, be polite and handsome, and attempt to charm her. It was hearts and hooves day, after all.

Author's Note

Twilight doesn't have access to any major arcana while she's in her tower.