If there was one thing that Luna had learnt this month, it was that nothing was permanent. Three weeks ago, he had visited her in the dungeons, and they had agreed to work together. After that, she had spent the time building up trust when he came to visit her. A few days ago, the black crystal locks on her door were removed. It was risky, but it tested her loyalty.

Now, she was a queen.

Or soon to be queen. Her coronation hadn't happened yet, after all.

The last hour spent getting ready had paid off. A form-fitting gown blended from dark blue to pitch black, and a belt of crystalline diamonds completed the look. Her long, black cape trailed behind her. She had painted her lips a deep red, and applied rouge to her cheeks. Blue curls were swept up into an elegant updo and held in place with diamond pins.

Ten minutes before the coronation. It was much more suited to royalty. The bed was large and plush. Thick blankets kept out the cool evening drafts. A polished bookshelf lined the wall to her right, but noticeably all the books about war and combat were gone.

A small smile came to her lips. Very smart. But I caught you.

A knock ruptured her thoughts. She rose and turned the handle.

Sombra looked every bit the King of Shadows, as they now called him, with his spiked crown and luxurious clothes.

He gently took hold of her hand and kissed it. "Luna. You look beautiful."

"Thank you, your majesty," Luna replied and curtsied.

Small traces of hurt found their way into Sombra's eyes. "I'm still me, Luna. You don't have to act differently."

"Oh," Luna answered softly. "You've just changed so much...."

"Only in ability and appearance. Are you excited to see the kingdom?"

Sombra led her to the large set of double doors that overlooked the balcony. And she instantly regretted eating the breakfast that might just come up.

"You'll do great, don't worry," Sombra reassured her, sounding so much like his old self that Luna couldn't help but regret her plans.

In the moment, she pecked him on the cheek, like they did before everything had fallen apart.

His face beamed with pleasant satisfaction, before he strode out through the double doors, and she stood off to the side.

Score.

"Citizens. I bring you here today ...." Sombra started his speech.

So far, so good. Luna couldn't help but think about how two-faced he was. He played a violent, ruthless king, staging executions and destroying mercilessly. But just now, he had shown her the doting boy who wanted nothing more than to make her smile.

But aren't we all?

"And a king needs a queen by his side," Sombra continued.

Luna got into her place behind the closed doors.

"So I would like to introduce her to you!"

The doors creaked open slowly, groaning and stretching their weakened bones. Her cape rustled against the floor. Her heels clicked on the marble. She had never heard such silence in her life. The slaves, defeat in their eyes, stood below them in neat rows, flanked by guards.

Horror flashed across the citizens' eyes as they realized who their new queen was. She saw a whirlwind of emotions. Pity. Distrust. Betrayal. Anger.

She could see her reputation being crushed into smithereens. She would now be a hated figure. She had sacrificed so much for a strategy that might not even work.

And Sombra knew that. He wanted to be the only person who loved her.

They played a whole game with their eyes alone. Checkmate.

You snake.

"Will you be my queen, Luna?"

"Yes." A knife went in and twisted in multiple directions.

A boy to her right held a red velvet cushion. On it rested the most beautiful tiara she had ever seen. Blue topaz stars embellished in polished black crystal. The tip held a diamond carved into a crescent moon.

They were a matching pair: The King of Shadows and the Queen of the Night.

The tiara was lifted from the cushion, and gently placed on her head. Sombra's fingertips gently brushed a few strands of hair as he set it in place.

"I hereby pronounce you, Princess Luna of Equestria, Queen of the Obsidian Empire!"

********

Luna had been to many feasts in her life. She had enjoyed none of them. It wasn't the food, which was always fabulous. Or the socializing. It was the fact that everyone was trying to be louder than the next. Talking, but never listening.

But this will be different, she told herself as she changed into a flowy blue dress with a heart-shaped neckline. She smiled when she saw the near-invisible pockets in the folds of the garment, remembering how she complained to Sombra about how inconvenient dresses could be.

Luna opened her bedroom door, but remembered her light blue cape lined with white fur. It was always cold in the castle, no matter how many fires they lit.

*******

Her fist was raised above the door, but she couldn't garner the motivation to knock. The last time she had attended a banquet, it was in the exact same castle, the exact same room. It was insane to think if she had simply skipped that banquet altogether, none of this would have happened.

It was the same old story over again, but with someone new on the throne. Another tyranny. History repeats itself, no matter what.

She pushed the door open. The first thing she picked up was the mouth-watering aroma of flavors that hit her. Spices mingling perfectly together. Cumin. Lemongrass. Cayenne pepper.

She was astounded to find a small table set for two, nothing like the never-ending banquet table she had imagined. The room felt too empty without it.

"Luna!" Sombra rose from his chair. "I'm glad you made it. Come sit."

She hung her cloak on a rack, hesitantly making her way over.

Despite the tantalizing smells, Luna wasn't quite sure if she could stomach a multi-course meal. The way Sombra changed his personalities was...nauseating. He could be sadistic. Desperate. Violent. Hopeful. Charming.

All the times she had encountered him, he had put on a different face for her.

"Luna," Sombra's voice cut through her thoughts. "Are you ok? You look...worried."

She quickly fumbled for something to say. "I...I'm not really used to this. It's hard adapting."

She could already tell Sombra didn't believe her.

The starter came out. Yellowtail crudo. Red bell pepper cubes. Citrus wedges.

Good food makes everything better, she thought, then realized she and Sombra had both said it out loud at the exact same time. They burst into laughter, similar to the way they used to.

The dishes passed one by one, Luna checking the menu every now and then.

Luna stared down at her new plate of food: stewed berries resting atop juicy venison, with a side of sweet potato puree.

Even though she had loved it before, somehow she couldn't bring herself to eat the venison. It was too red. Once alive.

"You can't kill the venison, Sombra. It's already dead," Luna muttered sarcastically as she watched him cut through it.

Sombra laughed. "I can see that. Wait, it might be sleeping. Should I check?"

Luna cut the meat as well. She couldn't just let this go to waste. Not when others were out there starving. Besides, if she had any chance of taking down her opponents, it certainly wasn't going to be on an empty stomach.

"Luna, I wanted to ask you about dark magic," Sombra told her.

She immediately perked up.

"How do I use it without being corrupted?"

"Think of it like money. You have none, but you need some instantly. So you borrow five hundred dollars. When you're asked to pay the money back, you don't have any. So they take your house. But, you can always get a job. At some point, you'll make enough money. You won't need to borrow anything," Luna explained in a way that was more in-touch with Sombra's experiences.

Sombra nodded. "You're suggesting that I focus more on mastering my ability."

"Yes. That way, you can avoid losing parts of yourself."

"But what about when someone launches a surprise attack?" Sombra challenged. "My raw abilities wouldn't be enough to defeat the Duskans. They're still a threat. They've taken Canterlot."

It makes sense. With me and Tia gone, of course they would seize it.

"I'd need to put a lot of time into honing my magic. Which would mean...." His eyes glimmered dangerously.

"What's in it for me?" Luna asserted calmly, using her diplomatic voice.

"I'd need someone to rule in my place," he finished. "I didn't just choose you as my queen. I chose you as my equal."

"Shit," she whispered to herself. The citizens would either see her as a puppet he played on a string, or his equally cruel companion. Everyone now hated her. Surely there was a way out-

Don't forget, I still have your sister-

"Why do you think I'll agree to this?" Luna countered, relishing how appalled Sombra looked.

"Because if you don't, I'll kill her," Sombra threatened.

"And what, that will stop me from doing things my way?" Luna refuted.

"Yes. My powers-"

"Your powers are destroying you. You would never use them against me," Luna emphasized. "Not after what happened last time....."

"Have you forgotten what they can do? You've always underestimated me, my dear. There's a reason both you and your sister are still alive."

"If you use your powers, Sombra, you'll lose me. You have everything you want but you're still alone. Do you realize that?" Luna tried to hide her shaking hands.

Before he could reply, Luna had risen from the table and pressed the steak knife against her throat.

She saw the smoke start to spew from Sombra's eyes-

"No." She held out her left hand. "We made a deal."

He reluctantly lowered his hand. She set down the knife.

Score. And then there was that unexplainable look in his eyes. The look when he realized he had been outsmarted. His weakness was his love for her. And she had played him.

Yet his lips curled into a grin. Congratulations, Luna. They call me a monster but you're just as evil and twisted as I am.

Dessert arrived in time to break the suffocating tension.

"Apple crostatas," Luna murmured. "My favorite."

"Oh," Sombra said with a hint of surprise in his voice. "They're also my favorite."

It brought back so many memories.

"The first time I tried it, Tia and I were in the dungeons. We got captured by draconequus. And the son of the leaders, Discord, took pity on us, and snuck one to us, which we shared."

"The first time I had it was on a roof, with my brother Jet. We bought it from a real bakery. This woman, Lenina, was so nice to us. But we were nearly turned away. No one wants to feed the rats."

"We can be shown kindness by anyone, even the enemy," Luna reflected, remembering how cold the dungeon was.

"Kindness," he paused. "Cost you your kingdom. There's a reason why the Duskans are so powerful."

Drained from today's events, Luna took a drink of water, as if clearing today's dirt away.

"It was a pleasure having dinner with you tonight." Sombra was back to his old self.

"You too," Luna replied. She shifted closer to him, almost close enough to kiss. But then she drew back, reminding him what he might lose.

******

Back in her room, Luna stuffed her hands in her dress pockets to bring a little warmth to her ice-cold hands. Her right fingertips brushed against something papery. When she pulled it out, she found it was a letter. How did this get in here?

Evie's immaculate cursive was scrawled across the paper in blue ink.

Dear Luna..... 

Hey guys! I know this chapter doesn't really have action, and it was a more intellectual chapter. But, I just want some feedback from you guys, as I know Part 2 is definitely very different from Part 1. Do you like where this is headed? Do you want more action?