An uneasy alliance [closed]

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield started the day in his little town home along the streets of Canterlot. He had been notified he was supposed to meet Sombra at the Ponyville train station. To make a trip to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Stretching out of bed early in the morning. He headed down stairs to make himself some breakfast. After finishing up he started to gather his stuff for this trip. He had to come prepared, Especially with the company he would have. Tucking a belt with bags attached to it under his wings. Tightening it, Heart put all his things in it, checking them off as he did. First things first Binoculars. Never know when you might need those. Probably would be good for looking at the castle from afar, to determine the best way in. A lantern. Being a old ruin, It was a given that it was going to be dark inside. Among with tools to open locks, several other small tools and items that might be of use. Last but not lest. His sword. who knew when he might need to protect himself. Not being able to use the one from the guard, He had saved up his bits for his own personal one.

 

Checking one last time that he had got everything, He opened the door to his little home, and headed out into the streets. Heart Shield had originally thought about flying to Ponyville, But with all these items on him he was a bit weighted down. Trotting down the street, he headed for the train station. Approaching the ticket booth he asked for a ticket to Ponyville. Handing over his bits, the station master hoofed over one ticket. Heart shield hadn't waited long on the platform before the train came into the station. Boarding it he wandered down the aisle finding a seat. Getting comfortable, Heart stared out the window at the scenery as the Train began to chug along the track. Admittedly he began to zone out a bit as he watched the scenery wiz past him. Suddenly the train lurched to a halt. They where in Ponyville station it would appear.

 

Standing up. the gray Pegasus filed out of the train. It was a busy cool morning, Taking a deep breath in he could feel the air was still moist from the rain that night. Looking all around the platform, He hadn't noticed Sombra any where yet. Trotting across the station platform he found an empty bench that he decided to sit in and wait. Heart Shield watched as ponies went to and fro about their  business. He figured Sombra would have to be easy to spot among a crowd of ponies like this. His blue eyes scanned over the crowd. He was starting to have second thoughts about this trip the more he thought about it. After all he was taking a trip with Sombra to a ruined castle where no average pony dared to tread. It just all seemed a bit risky to him. Heart shield decided he would have to keep his wits about him at all times, and watch his back. Who knew what or who might try to trap him in there. All tho maybe he was over thinking all of this.

[dragonofruin]

As much as Sombra hadn't wanted to, he chose to go out into the city under a disguise when the time came for him to leave. The disguise was that of a generic unicorn stallion, pastel fur, white mane, green eyes. It worked well enough for his purposes, as much as he hated to hide his good looks. He boarded the train, and he wasn't sure if he'd glimpsed Heart Shield at one point- he'd met him once and only ever saw him with his armor on at that time. Whether or not it was that very stallion, Sombra made no attempt to greet him or make his presence known. He just picked an isolated section of one of the train cars to sit in and stare out the window, to watch the world go by once the train started moving.

 

The train's journey down the mountain to Ponyville seemed, at least to Sombra once it eventually reached Ponyville's train station, like it'd fallen into this strange in-between place where it simultaneously felt like it'd been an eternity and like it hadn't taken long- he certainly wouldn't say it 'took no time at all'. It still seemed to stretch on for a time.

 

Sombra was glad when they finally reached their destination, and he rose to disembark once the train's assistants finally opened all the car doors. He sauntered out, eying the crowd of ponies for a semi-familiar pegasus. He knew, at least, that Heart Shield stood out just enough with his grey fur and the blue streaks in his mane- that is, if he was remembering him correctly. The tyrant himself, while disguised, could've been easy enough to spot- all a pony had to do, at least those who either knew or had interacted with him, was look for his signature grumpy expression, apparent even in any disguise that he crafted for himself.

 

As his eyes swept across the crowd between himself and the train station's wooden building, he spied Heart Shield out on one of the benches against the wall. Looking a bit more alert, Sombra headed straight towards him, green eyes boring into the grey stallion's own.

 

"Good to see you came."

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield hadn't been sitting long on the bench when he spied a white maned unicorn get off the train. Initially he had dismissed the pony as just another local pony, and had continued to look around at the ponies in the Train station. Somehow he knew Sombra wasn't going to show up as himself. It was only a matter of figuring out which pony was him. Gazing around at the crowd of ponies, Heart shield studied each one trying to determine which one was him. His memory went back to the White maned stallion he had seen get off the train. If he remembered correctly he thought he saw that stallion board the train at Canterlot. As he watched this pony as lingered around the station a bit. The stallion seemed to glimpse at him a moment, before heading his direction, A grumpy look on his face. This had to be Sombra. Before he knew it the Unicorn was standing next to him staring him down. "I'm glad to see you made it as well." Heart said with cheerful tone looking up at the Unicorn. A smile rose on his face, He had to comment on his disguise. Perhaps it would be like poking a bear with a stick, but after all Sombra had given him enough grief at the castle. "I must say, this look rather suits you. Its a big improvement from before. Why you look rather cute, and handsome now." The grey Pegasus said just loudly enough for others around them to hear. Suppressing a little giggle Heart shield stood up from his seat. "Well we have the whole day ahead of us. Have you brought everything you need?" He said before looking back at Sombra to ask him a question.

[dragonofruin]

Sombra's snout immediately wrinkled. "Don't be foul. This disguise is hideous compared to my actual appearance," he snapped back and strode past the pony, his tail flicking behind him; he may or may not have attempted to flick Heart Shield in the face with it. Whether or not that he managed, he didn't bother to look.

 

"I do," he deigned to answer, heading towards the edge of the platform. The umbrum was eager to be off, and he knew just where to go. It wasn't as if traversing Ponyville to reach the Everfree Forest would be hard, it only bordered the south side of the town- right across from the very station they were still at. He'd looked at the maps, of both the Equestrian map and the map that involved the area Ponyville was in, all found in Canterlot's libraries.

 

Without another word, Sombra was off, intent on getting across town so that he might finally shed his disguise in the heavy shade of the Everfree Forest, and find that old castle. He'd never gotten to see it before, not when it was newly built, nor when it was in ruins. There was something of a depiction of its ruins on one of the maps that he'd managed to find, but drawings and depictions could never really do the real thing justice.

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield chuckled to himself at Sombra's response. Rearing his head back a moment to avoid the tail flick. It had seemed Sombra was ready to set off for the castle with him or not. Turning on his hooves the grey Pegasus began to follow the disguised Sombra. Stepping down off the platform as they made their way towards the edge of town. Somehow Heart shield just knew this trip would feel like an eternity. Just in the Horizon past all the little homes of Ponyville one could see the border of the Everfree forest. A very dark forest where the daylight just didn't seem to exists even during the day due to the dense tree cover. Nearing the Everfree forest Heart shield thought for a moment as he trotted behind and to the side of Sombra. "So, I'm assuming you know your way through the Everfree without getting yourself lost?" Heart asked curiously. His mind wandered for a moment imagining all the valuable items that may be still hidden within the old ruins. Perhaps he should make an effort to bring some back to the castle in Canterlot. That begged another question in the back of his mind. Just what was Sombra after? Surely he didn't come here just to go see the place. "Is there anything your going to the castle for in particular?" Heart Shield asked suddenly after a moment. His conversation had felt awkward with Sombra. After all they weren't exactly friends.

[dragonofruin]

His ear twitched back towards the stallion's voice, the only sign that he was acknowledging that Heart Shield spoke at all. He could hear the hesitance in the pony's tone. "Beyond wandering the very edges of the woods, I've never really set hoof in the Everfree Forest before," he replied, and there was a brief pause, one he purposefully left to see if the statement created any dismay in Heart Shield. "However, I've looked at the maps and it just seems to be in the southeast part of the Everfree Forest, somewhere just east of the Ghastly Gorge. It shouldn't be terribly difficult to find it. If I recall correctly, we can either follow the river that seems to flow through the woods, or we can simply walk until we find the cliffs." There was a dry tone to his voice that suggested he found the question a waste of his time to answer. Of course he wouldn't get them lost- or at least, he wouldn't get himself lost..

 

Sombra lifted his eyes to the sky and snorted softly. The second question Heart Shield had to ask had to be given some consideration. What was he seeking? Well, information mostly, as well as a chance to look in on the royal sisters' old castle. There was something else, something he was equally curious about, but it was something he decided against telling Heart Shield; just as he'd decided not to tell anypony else. Sombra couldn't remember if he ever mentioned it to Raven, as she was the only he just might consider telling.

 

"I have some curiosities. I'd like to see what old books survived the castle's near destruction and what secrets might be hidden in those ruins. What of yourself? I don't remember if you ever told me."

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield was surprised for a moment at hearing that Sombra had never been into the Everfree besides its edges. He paused in anticipation waiting for Sombra to finish his thought. Sombra had mentioned two different ways to the castle. The river had seemed like the obvious and easiest route, but then again Sombra would have to decide. Knowing him he already probably had his ways set. "Might i suggest that we follow the river?" Heart shield asked curiously "Out of the two. That would seem like the most obvious way to go. It would certainly ease navigation seeing that it would give us a constant landmark in which to follow."  Heart shield could only suggest as he followed Sombra thorough town to the edge of the Everfree forest. The grey Pegasus's belongings rattled around slightly in their bag, as he trotted along with Sombra.

 

Looking up The Everfree had loomed directly in front of them now. Its dark shade under the dense tree tops had a heavy and creepy feel to it. Any path leading into the forest seemed to just disappear into the darkness. Heart Shield looked in thought for a moment as Sombra returned the question. "Well, I'm always up for the adventure, and love exploring. I might search for some books as well, as any other valuables. That i might return what i can to be preserved at the Castle in Canterlot. 

[dragonofruin]

His eyebrows rose and Sombra glanced over at Heart Shield with half-lidded eyes. "I suppose we could. It'll get us there most of the way," Sombra replied with a sigh, as if he was relenting to a demand instead of a suggestion. Before he looked away from the off-duty guard, he glanced down at the stallion's saddlebags, curious about what could possibly be making that rattling sound. He'd just have to find out later, wouldn't he?

"If you're here for books and valuables, why did you bring saddlebags already full of.. whatever that is?" Sombra thought to ask, as he looked ahead. It hadn't taken them long to get through the winding streets of Ponyville and out onto the outskirts where soon, the Everfree Forest loomed. It was nothing like anywhere else in Equestria he'd seen, and perhaps he liked it for just that reason. It was unique. It was also dark, and ponies avoided it for its dangers. Sombra trotted into its heavy shade, undaunted, a small smirk crossing his muzzle. The dark shadows cast by the trees, even during the day, didn't bother a creature such as he- he could see well enough in the dark without needing a candle or a summoned werelight to see by, and it was far better than the numerous sunny days that seemed to plague Equestria.

 

"We'll see what sort of adventure we find here in the Everfree, even if we might not find the 'books and valuables' you seek to pilfer from the royal pony sisters' old castle," Sombra spoke up again, his powerful voice carrying his words easily. "I wonder what they'd say if they found out. I also can't help but wonder why they, or at least Celestia, didn't get their remaining belongings out before she decided to move to Canterlot. Though if I recall the information from the history books correctly, Canterlot was still being in the process of being built by the unicorns then. I wonder how pleased they were when their great savior chose their city as her seat of power," he mused, some sarcasm lacing his tone in the latter statement.

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield gave a little smile as Sombra seemed to at least consider the suggestion. "Oh, um. My things, yeh. They are stuff i brought along to help with the exploration. Like a lantern, compass, tools to open locks, and what not...... You can never be to prepared. " The gray colored stallion replied upon Hearing Sombra mention of the things in his saddle bags. Watching as Sombra entered the Everfree in front of him Heart shield looked around as he neared the narrow path leading into the forest. The thick growth of the Everfree leeched in on the narrow path ways that lead in a labyrinth through out the forest. Paths hardly trodden by ponies, and easy to get lost in. Hesitating for a moment the Pegasus trotted into the forest, carefully  looking around as he did. To be honest with himself he didn't like this one bit, but decided to press forward anyway.

 

Heart shield was a bit shocked and unnerved that Sombra suggested that he was stealing things from the castle. "I wouldn't exactly call it stealing if i where taking them back." He exclaimed a redness on his cheek "To me they are valuable pieces of history, and i would hate to see them go to ruin with the castle." The Pegasus tried to explain. Listening to what Sombra had to say for a moment. Heart shield silently trotted along in thought. "It's beyond me why Celestia would do that. Maybe they where forgotten, or simply overlooked. Then again even if that was the case. Why didn't they come back for them?" The stallion now had questions of his own.
 

[dragonofruin]

An audible snort escaped the umbrum at the brief list of belongings he was given. A compass was useful, perhaps.. and for any non-unicorn ponies, lanterns too; but Sombra was here with all his magic at his disposal. Who'd need lockpicks, or any other such tools, for that matter, with a unicorn (or at least one that had the appearance and abilities of one) present? Maybe what Heart Shield had brought along was useful, at least that he'd been told of thus far, but he could have doubts that the rest of it could be.

 

His tail swished behind him and he glanced back at Heart Shield, pleased to see both the red possible shame on the other stallion's cheeks, as well as the fact that the pegasus was beginning to question the princesses. Of course it was only about something like 'why didn't Celestia go back for her things?' instead of anything bigger, like why Celestia ran Equestria the way she did and had history told a certain way, close to the manner in which stories and foal's tales were sometimes told. Why was everything built up the way it was? Among many other questions. Maybe Heart Shield had some potential..

 

"I suppose. Some of the knowledge that must reside there could be the only copies of those books left from that era. I'm sure the Canterlot Archives and other libraries have updated versions, but the original books? What might they contain?" An eyebrow quirked upward as another look was cast back at the pegasus.

 

"Who really knows? We won't, unless we get to that castle and see what we can uncover about your supposedly good and benevolent rulers."

[DreamWanderer]

The everfree forest seemed to get darker the further one went in it. Trotting along Heart shield glanced back, the sunlight in the open fields bordering the forest where quickly becoming distant. The Pegasus had felt a little uneasy about all this. Being in the Everfree forest, Going to the old ruins of the castle, and doing both while in the company of Sombra over top of all that. Focusing his gaze on the path ahead of him again. Everything way silent in the forest as Heart tried to ease himself. A little ways off the side the path something suddenly rustled the leaves. Startling him for just a brief moment he snapped his head in that direction to see it was just a bird that had taken off from the bushes. Heart shield sighed to himself as he once again returned his gaze to the path Sombra once again speaking up. "Who knows what might still be in that castle." Heart shield casually said. "Whats not to say that the old books left there could just be old novels and what not that they just no longer wanted?" He questioned. To tell the truth he was rather much excited to get to the castle, and finally get to see it himself.

[dragonofruin]

The shadow king only glanced over at the rustle of a bird escaping from the low foliage, unperturbed, but he had noticed how it'd startled Heart Shield. He smirked, eying the stallion for a brief moment before he looked ahead again, recalling his memory of the Equestrian map- specifically this part of it. The river that flowed around the east side of Ponyville split off into the Everfree, though if he recalled correctly..

 

Sombra angled their stroll through the forest to the left, intent on making sure they could run into the river so that they could follow it as close to the castle ruins as they could manage. Some of the maps and information he'd come across suggested it would be on a cliff.

 

"We won't know until we get there," the umbrum thought to remind Heart Shield with a lift of one eyebrow. "I can't really see how they'd just be old novels. I don't think modern things like that existed a thousand years ago, although there were certainly plenty of stories recorded on pages. Many myths and legends and snippets from history, supposedly. I would know, the Crystal Empire had some of its own." The rumble of his voice filled the near-silence of the forest where they walked. There was still enough quiet ambience that when silence fell between them, it didn't fall entirely. The soft rustle of leaves and faint birdsong, and eventually.. the silvery sound of water. They were getting close.

 

They'd come across it soon enough, a murky green-blue. The waters weren't running terribly fast, but even then Sombra had no intention of even ending up in it. He turned away, moving along the river's edge instead- and at a distance, too.

 

 

[DreamWanderer]

Twitching his wings a little as a small spot of red grew on his cheeks again. To be honest with himself. Heart shield was a little embarrassed to be startled by the birds, After all how embarrassing would it be for a member of the royal guard to be startled by what, birds. "I guess not." Heart shield gestured lightly, as he lightly trotted along the path his eyes glancing back and forth at each side of the trail, Focusing his gaze to pieces of the forest off in the distance. He couldn't let that little embarrassment happen again, but still he to keep his guard up just in case. "It just baffles me that if it where to be anything of important knowledge, why they would leave it behind." The gray pegasus wondered to himself. "Even if we don't find much there. I suppose we could at least say we been there." Heart shield thought to add after a few moments of silence. Soon he began to hear the soft sound of flowing water off in the distance. Before long the river was with in view, Its waters where a sahde different then one would find out in a populated area, but after all the forest was heavily shaded, and the only sun the dark forest got poked through gaps in the leaves here and there where trees where a little further apart. Following Sombra Heart shield trotted along the rivers banks, staying just a bit off of it.

[dragonofruin]

Sombra had set them on the path of following the river, which was going to help give them some direction to go in despite how the river wound through the wild forest. This allowed him to take some of his focus off of where they were going in favor of looking back at Heart Shield and caught a glimpse of that faint blush on the stallion's grey cheeks. There was always something about making ponies blush that sparked something in him that Sombra could never really place a hoof on. He could only puzzle over it and discard it for now to be studied and picked at later once he had the time to himself to do so.

 

"Who knows? Perhaps Celestia simply abandoned the place after what happened with Princess Luna- she couldn't face the shame of what she was responsible for, something all those stories and legends fail to account for. They only praise Celestia for what she did, if they mention names or any identifying details at all." His snout wrinkled. It was easy to see, from an outsider's perspective who'd never grown up with such a butchered version of history to thoughtlessly consume, to pick out all the flaws in the telling of it and how ponies had viewed what happened through what they'd written.

 

"If there's anything I might agree with, it would be that. Although I might word it differently, that we'd at least bothered to investigate and learn something, or at least find something in those ruins. I just wonder how bad those ruins must be after a thousand years, or if we'll be able to navigate it well enough."

[DreamWanderer]

Traveling further into the dark forest Heart shield began to ease up a little bit from when he first stepped in, beside the little spook from the birds. The soft sound of the flowing water from the river was a bit calming for him, and decided to put his focus on that. "i guess that could be it too." Heart shield thought to himself.  "Oh yeh, I have heard stories as a colt about what happened to Luna. Being imprisoned on the moon for a thousand years. All tho I don't remember much from the stories about what all caused that. What did Luna do to get banished to the moon for a thousand years?" The grey Pegasus asked curiously "I couldn't imagine spending a thousand years completely alone like that." Heart added in thought. "I think i heard that she had turned into something called nightmare moon?" He asked trying to remember the stories he was told as a colt. "couldn't Celestia just use her magic to change Luna back?" Heart shield began to ask thinking to himself. Trotting along for awhile in silence he glanced over at the river below, and then back to the path ahead of him. "Its hard to say. I wouldn't imagine the upper levels would be to sturdy, if at all they exists any more." The Pegasus guard said after a brief bit of silence after listening to Sombra.

[dragonofruin]

A grey ear flicked back towards Heart Shield's voice, pondering the details of Princess Luna's story aloud and about her thousand year banishment. The king had been banished for as long as she had, if not a little longer.. He already knew that detail. Before he could think to tell Heart Shield about the general details behind Princess Luna's banishment, he overheard Heart Shield's thought and Sombra's hoofsteps faltered.

 

I couldn't imagine spending a thousand years completely alone like that. 

 

"It's not the least bit fun. I could only imagine what it was like being banished to the moon. I had to endure an icy void," Sombra put in softly with a small twitch of his tail. It was something that bothered him, and while it was still relatively recent by a few months. Not a day went by he wasn't glad he was free of that place, and he never wanted to go back for any reason. Perhaps something had favored him when Celestia changed her mind about him so quickly, although he still wasn't quite sure why she had.

 

"It wasn't so much what Luna did than it was what ponies had done, or rather.. what they failed to do." Picking up a different thread of conversation in the brief silence, the umbrum pushed on, acting as if he hadn't just shared that little tidbit. "All the stories say that ponies failed to appreciate Princess Luna and favored her sister more, all because her sister raised the sun and ponies being a diurnal species.. of course they would adore the princess of the day." Sombra cocked his head. "I imagine, in the details left out of such foal's tale-like stories and legends that Princess Luna was largely nocturnal, and she was likely left isolated and left feeling unappreciated and alone because of it. That, and her sister's failure to listen to her about anything, or perhaps brushing off her concerns and feelings, was what eventually left Princess Luna to grow angry and jealous about being treated so differently. So.. she gave in and had a confrontation with Celestia, and in that it corrupted Luna, turning her into something else. I'm not entirely sure what, but she'd shed her old name and took on a new mantle. Celestia apparently used the Elements of Harmony, and banished her."

 

He frowned in thought, puzzling over Heart Shield's question. Why hadn't Celestia used the Elements to do what they'd later done? Maybe Celestia was in such a panic she hadn't thought to, or simply viewed Luna as another dangerous villain to lock away. They certainly had a habit of doing so, from what he read of old legends and alleged history. Discord, himself, Tirek..

 

"I can't really say, not knowing any of that personally. Perhaps you could ask Celestia when we're back at the castle," Sombra put in with a proverbial shrug. "As for the ruins, we'll see. It shouldn't be much further now."

[DreamWanderer]

Tilting his slightly in wonder when Sombra seemed to stop for a moment. Heart shield could only think to himself as he trotted along listening to Sombra's explanation. He trotted a long in silence for a bit thinking over what all he had heard. Following the river for awhile as it wound through the dark forest, Heart shield finally spoke again. "I just kind of don't understand. If She was feeling alone and isolated. How was a thousand years of even more isolation going to help." The grey Pegasus tried to think logically. As a royal guard heart knew he had no place questioning the princess, but he couldn't help but wonder. "I mean i have no place to ask such questions, being as i am."  The Pegasus guard tried to explain. I guess i can't say much, as i was not there." He added. Heart shield had a little bit of surprised look on his face when Sombra mentioned asking Celestia. He knew, or at least thought that asking such questions would get him in trouble, or even worse! After all being a guard meant not questioning the princess. Following the river for awhile more it soon turned away in different direction. Looking ahead one could see a break in the trees a way off in the distance. The sun seemed to make the area glow like that of a beacon in the dark forest. Could that possibly be it?

[dragonofruin]

"It almost sounds as if you think Princess Luna chose that. I doubt Celestia understood what she was doing, either," Sombra put in with a small frown still lingering on his muzzle. His pace slowed so that he could drop back to walk at Heart Shield's side and look down at the off-duty guard. No place? How could any of these ponies think they couldn't question their leaders? Sombra knew from personal experience that princesses were terribly flawed, imperfect, despite their attempts to fool everypony into thinking otherwise, and he felt that to not question them was to be foolish to trust them. He trusted one once and look at how that turned out!

 

The umbrum scowled. "You should always question them. Questioning your 'superiors', or anypony, is to have a healthy skepticism in those that are strangers. The only reason the princesses even have power is because they've made you believe they do, when really they have no say." Tossing his mane, he strolled ahead, spying the glint of sunlight finally shining through the trees. It meant there was a clearing, and one that meant they were close to the cliffs the castle sat on.

 

"Besides, I doubt Celestia would do anything if you simply asked a curious question about her life and what happened with Luna," Sombra rumbled, flicking his tail as his pace increased to a quick trot. Their path to the castle would let them break away from the winding river and step back into the woods, but the brush was thinner here, and he could already spy the silhouette of something tall and jagged in the distance: the ruins.

[DreamWanderer]

"No, that is not at all what i meant!" Heart shield tried to explain frantically. 'I meant that if Luna was feeling isolated, Then why did Celestia banish her to the moon to be isolated even more?" He tried to explain his view as clearly as possible. Noticing now that Sombra had been walking right beside him, glaring down at him. Glancing back ahead as he strolled along the path nearing the break in the trees. Heading off the path back into the forest, Sombra quickened his pace. Trotting along, Heart shield tried to keep pace. "What do you mean they have no say?" Heart shield asked surprised. "they are the princesses after all? I'm just a mere guard, while they are the leaders of Equestria!. What say would i have? I just follow as i am ordered." The gray pegasus tried to humble himself, as he explained in between breaths while trying to keep up With Sombra. Looking ahead now through the forest, and the bright blinding light of the sun compared to the dark forest, He could see a glimpse of a jagged structure standing in the midst of the clearing. That had to be the castle! To tell the truth he was rather much eager to see it for himself as well.

[dragonofruin]

Sombra made a noise in his throat, amused by the frantic tone in Heart's voice. "As I said, I don't think Celestia had a clue to what she was doing.. Unless she was being malicious, if she saw her poor little sister as just another 'villain' to beat." He inclined his head. "Although, as I know the mare to some extent, it sounds as if it was the former." The umbrum glanced back at Heart Shield, a frown back across his muzzle in response to how stubbornly the guard was insisting that they, as princesses, just couldn't be questioned because of their status.

 

He snorted softly and slowed his pace once the trees began to thin out and ahead, the castle was more visible against the open sky. There was a chasm, over which hung a very old, rickety rope bridge. Some of the planks were missing, and the remaining ones Sombra didn't trust in the least. He'd much rather teleport across than try it, but before he did anything he chose to try to get through to Heart Shield for a moment longer.

 

"They're not perfect. They're flawed individuals, like mortals are. They weren't always royalty either, from my knowledge.." The history books never mentioned where the royal sisters came from, only that Starswirl approached them about leading Equestria so they could rule the three tribes impartially. Sombra shrugged. "I get that you have to follow orders as a Royal Guard, but it's always.. healthy to question those orders and those who give them. They're not always right about everything." He wasn't entirely sure that he could say a thing to help Heart Shield begin to think more for himself, but he could try. Regardless, they were here now after.. what? A couple hours' walk?

 

Sombra moved ahead, magic briefly flickering around his horn as he teleported himself across the chasm in a flash of dark magic.

[DreamWanderer]

Making i through the last of the forest Heart shield trotted into the clearing. The darkness, and shade of the heavy forest gave away to the bright warm sun. Walking for a bit into the clearing Heart glanced around at the scenery, The old castle now stood before the two. dominate over the landscape with its dark and jagged silhouette. Being surrounded by a deep chasm, only bridged by that of an old rope bridge that looked just about as old as the castle itself. Slowing down just before the bridge the gray Pegasus stood for a moment to take it all in. "Wow, I can only just imagine what this place looked like in its prime." Heart said thoughtfully studying the place over. "They weren't?"  He asked in a surprised and curious tone at the mention of the Princesses always being royal. After the long walk to the Castle, Heart shield was excited to see what was inside, or see what was left of it anyway.  Watching as Sombra teleported across the gorge, Heart shield approached the ledge spreading his wings as he lept to fly over the chasm using his wings to help himself across. With the saddle bags around him, It was a bit of an extra weight but he manged to fly across the gap. Landing front hooves first he folded his wings against his side again. Trotting up the path from the bridge Heart shield climbed the steps leading to the very large main door, before turning to wait on Sombra. Up close now one could see that the castle was being reclaimed by the forest, by its vast overgrowth with its occasional tree growing in the midst of the rubble that laid about.

[dragonofruin]

A shadow overhead prompted Sombra to look up and catch a glimpse of Heart Shield soaring over, having crossed the chasm himself and avoiding the rickety rope bridge. His expression was one of mild annoyance as, because of this, Heart Shield had taken the lead, the first to reach the old castle doors; tall, double doors, with metal rings for handles. The wood was faded and worn from age and weather, and the metal on it was rusted.

 

"I'm sure it was pleasing to look at. I still find Equestrian architecture interesting, and what it might've looked like a thousand years ago was likely far better than the eyesore of Canterlot or.." Sombra trailed off with a frown. Well, Canterlot castle wasn't so bad. It'd taken him a while to get used to it, but it wasn't bad. "No, the Crystal Empire's palace is what I was thinking of." He sneered, a lip lifting back from a fang. The expression faded once he strode up the stairs alongside Heart Shield and used a hoof to push the doors open onto a grand foyer, a large hall that was a fair bit longer than Canterlot's with a few doors on each side of it leading off towards various parts of the castle. There were metal brackets mounted on the walls by each where torches would've burned once, and up ahead were stairs. It branched off into two that lead up to the left and right, leading up to the same landing that had possible paths that lead off through the castle's second floor.

 

Sombra wasn't sure where to start on finding the library in this place- whether in its prime or in ruins, it was likely going to be a maze of halls and rooms.

 

"According to some stories, they weren't. Some say Starswirl approached them, as well as the leader of each tribe, thinking that alicorns might rule them indifferently. Ponies couldn't rule themselves because of their racism, so outsiders were a better option to them at the time." He paused, blinking after he realized something. "You know, I've never thought to ask Celestia for the truth of all that happened. I'm around her often enough and yet I never thought to until now." Annoyed with himself, Sombra rolled his eyes and strode into the gloom.

 

The interior wasn't quite as worn as the exterior, but there was visible damage, and chunks of the ceiling were missing. Plants grew up through the cracks in the stone floor, pillars were chipped, and two old fraying banners hung from the arched ceiling. These Sombra eyed with interest.

 

Spoiler

 

[DreamWanderer]

The old castle doors creaking open with the push, almost like they where going to fall off their hinges, but somehow stayed on. Stepping in Heart Shield glanced around the foyer. There where hallways leading in almost every direction. Up ahead was a grand stairway, or once used to be that lead to the upper parts of castle. To be honest from what he could see the upper levels looked a little sketchy. Trotting down the foyer the gray pegasus glanced down each of the long dark hallways , and then up the stairway. He honestly didn't know where to start, and it seemed all to easy to get lost in the castle with its labyrinth of hallways, and rooms. "So where do you suppose we start?"  Heart Shield questioned curiously as he stood at the base of the crumbling stairs. "It looks like it would be all to easy to get lost in this place." He commented looking over all the hallways, before noticing Sombra eyeing up the old banners hanging above the foyer. Taking a glance around the room Heart Shield imagined just how lively this had to be at one point in time.

[dragonofruin]

The king rumbled softly as he looked around, trying to figure out what doorway would be the likeliest looking one to lead them to the library. The second floor could wait; they could just work their way up if they couldn't find anything on the ground floor.

 

"I think I might like to start with the halls to our right, first. Judging from how this place looked on the outside, it might be somewhere off in that direction," Sombra mused, heading off across the worn stone floor for the closest arching doorway. They, he noticed, were a fair bit taller than himself. Perhaps a little taller than Celestia at her strange height, and the hallway looked wide enough for a few ponies to walk side by side. At least the castle was roomy.. and perhaps plenty of places to get lost in.

 

Not him of course, but perhaps somepony else.. if ever Sombra felt inclined to lose poor Heart Shield in here.

 

The umbrum had to stifle a chuckle and moved in to the dimly lit hall.

 

"After we find the library, or perhaps before, I wouldn't mind getting a good look at what's left of this place. Do a bit of sightseeing. I'd like to see what the royal sisters left behind with my own eyes."

[DreamWanderer]

Standing for moment at the end of foyer Heart Shield glanced around at the various hallways branching off from the main foyer. "That sounds like a start i guess" Heart softly replied to Sombra's mention. Heart shield had no trouble navigating the Canterlot Castle, but of course this one was completely different from the new one in Canterlot. On top of that it was in ruin making physically navigating the Castle dangerous, Not to mention it was dark enough inside that one could hardly see. Walking towards Sombra as he seemed to have a hallways in mind, Heart Shield followed behind entering the dark hallway on the right nearest the entrance. "At your own pace." The gray Pegasus remarked. "I wouldn't mind doing a little bit of sightseeing myself here. I suppose not many ponies can say they have been here after all."  Heart shield thought for a moment. Stopping just inside the dark hallway, Heart shield opened his saddlebag with his wing, and reached around with his head to pull out his lantern. Setting it on the ground before him he lit, before picking it back up and hanging it on the side of saddlebag, so he wouldn't have to carry it with his mouth seeing that he lacked a horn. It wasn't much of a light, but it illuminated a small portion of the hallway around him. The yellow flickering light cast an enlarged shadow of him on the wall beside the gray pegasus.