In the Princess's Grip

Quiet Moments

Sombra woke up abruptly, feeling a shiver run through his body. He turned in the armchair and extended a hoof, searching for Twilight beside him, but found only the cold emptiness of the worn-out sheets.

“Sparkle?” he murmured, still groggy. He blinked several times, trying to clear the sleep fog as his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the library. Where could she be at this hour? he wondered, his mind still dazed.

He remembered the last time he saw her, immersed in her books, engrossed in some research late into the night. That last tome on magical distortion hadn’t been very helpful, and he didn’t want Twilight to spend another sleepless night chasing answers in vain. Why was he so concerned about this pony? He didn’t know, but there was something about her that stirred an unexpected need to protect and care for her.

He sat up in bed, scratching his head with his hoof. It wasn’t normal for Twilight to disappear in the middle of the night, and a part of him felt uncomfortably worried.

His red eyes scanned the room, but there was no sign of the purple princess among the bookshelves crammed with books.

“Where the hay has she gone?” he muttered, getting up and stretching. He approached the door to the room and peered into the hallway, which was equally dark and silent.

He decided to investigate. He walked down the hallway with stealthy steps, making a conscious effort not to trip over anything. As he advanced, he thought about all the times he’d seen her buried in some reading at odd hours, but this time she wasn’t buried in an old book.

At the end of the hallway, something caught his attention. A soft silver glow filtered through a partially open door.

Curious, Sombra approached the source of the light and peeked inside. There was Twilight, standing on a balcony, gazing at the night sky. Her eyes were fixed on the stars, and her mane floated lightly with the night breeze. She seemed so focused that Sombra hesitated to interrupt her.

But of course, he couldn’t resist the temptation to make a sudden appearance. After all, what kind of fearsome king would he be if he didn’t know how to approach unnoticed?

With a mischievous smile, he slid up to her, making sure to make no noise. He stopped a couple of steps behind Twilight, enjoying the moment when she was unaware of his presence.

“Sparkle,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence with his deep voice.

Twilight jumped, spinning around quickly with wide eyes.

“Sombra!” she exclaimed, putting a hoof to her chest. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“It would be a loss for Equestria,” he replied with a sarcastic smile. “But I admit it was fun seeing you jump like that.”

Twilight looked at him with a mix of irritation and amusement, then let out a small laugh, shaking her head.

“You shouldn’t be scaring princesses in the middle of the night,” she said, turning her gaze back to the sky. “I was thinking…”

Sombra moved closer, this time with no intention of surprising her. He stood by her side, watching the stars along with her.

“Thinking about what?” he asked, trying to sound casual, though he felt some curiosity.

Twilight sighed, her expression softening as she kept her gaze fixed on the sky. She couldn’t sleep, consumed by a feeling of guilt that wouldn’t let her be. She hadn’t intended to deceive him, but she had acted impulsively, and now she found herself trapped in the web of her own decision. Was it too late to confess? She needed to sort out her thoughts, find a way to correct what she had done wrong.

“Just about everything that’s happened lately. Sometimes… I need a moment of peace to sort out my thoughts.”

Sombra nodded, understanding more than he’d like to admit. Since he arrived in this place, he had learned to value those moments of tranquility, something that was a rare luxury in his own world, where chaos reigned almost every day. Though he would never openly admit it, he had started to find a strange comfort in this unexpected calm with this princess.

“The night is good for that,” Sombra said finally, surprising himself with the sincerity in his voice.

Twilight glanced at him sideways and then gave a small smile.

“You’re right.” She fell silent for a moment before adding, “Thank you, Sombra, for being here.”

He raised an eyebrow, half incredulous.

“Me? Doing something good? That’s unusual.” He chuckled softly. “It’s the first time you’ve told me that.”

Twilight let out a little laugh.

“Don’t ruin it now,” she said, gently nudging him with her wing.

Sombra let out a small laugh, more sincere than he expected. They resumed watching the sky together in silence, but this time, there was no trace of discomfort, only a peaceful companionship under the stars.

Twilight looked up at the sky, losing herself for a moment among the stars, before turning her gaze back to Sombra with a mix of curiosity and confusion. This unicorn made her feel in a way she hadn’t experienced before; rarely had she met someone she connected with so deeply. Yet, a part of her still doubted, tormented by memories of that dark being, but the contrast between that Sombra and this Sombra became more noticeable with each passing minute.

“Why are you so different?” she asked in a whisper, her soft voice laden with genuine intrigue.

Sombra fell silent, surprised by the question. He knew exactly what she meant, but for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. He had never opened up to anyone like this before, and the idea of sharing his feelings with someone felt strange; after all, who would want to hear the feelings of someone as old and disheveled as him? His mind searched for an appropriate response while uncertainty enveloped him. Finally, a small laugh escaped his lips.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he replied, a spark of amusement in his eyes.

Twilight frowned slightly, not entirely understanding what he meant. Was he evading her question as boldly as always? It was to be expected, with all the quirks of this unicorn and his peculiarities.