Chapter Text
Prince Dark Cacao had never really thought about love.
One day, he was taking a trek through the town square with his hood on to minimize recognition. Something he did rather often, but today was different.
“Ah- I’m sorry!” Someone had bumped into him, he turned around to see who it was, and laid his eyes on possibly the most beautiful person he had ever seen
The person infront of him was a petite looking girl(?) around his age, with long blonde hair, nearly touching the ground. They wore a knee-length pure white dress with blue flower accents. The dress looked more like royal robes. A white Lily was in their hair and they had seemed to drop their basket, which was full of wool. “I’m sorry! Im usually better at noticing when people are there..” they bowed to him to apologize, had they recognized him?
“It’s alright.. just look where your going next time” he was about to turn when he saw the other searching the ground for their basket, clearly not knowing where it is despite their eyes being open. Fuck, were they blind? Cacao felt like an asshole now. “Here..” he picked up the basket and placed it in their hands “Oh thank you- sorry again..” they stood up and bowed again before running off to a nearby stall, beginning to speak with the vendor there.
“Ah, look! It’s the Shepards daughter! She’s as beautiful as always”
That must be who they are, so the people around know more about them? Or wait- that person said she, so they know more about her?
He walked up to a bystander, “Excuse me, I don’t come to town often.. do you know about that.. uh.. girl with long blonde hair?” He didn’t know why but I felt wrong to call her a girl, why? Isn’t that what everyone else is saying?
“Oh, She’s the daughter of the shepard’s who live right outside of the town. She stands out dosent she? Most people in this town call her the town beauty”
Well, he wouldn’t argue with that. The blonde was certainly gorgeous.
Wait, why is he thinking that? He doesn’t even know her name- she had common courtesy once to him and nothing more. There’s no reason for him to be thinking about her.
He returns to his business, before returning to the castle. His thoughts occasionally drifting to the blonde.
He returned to the town a couple days later, it had nothing to do with the girl, really, he just needed something from a shop in town.
And of course, he encountered her again. She was taking care of something near the stall, before realizing his presence, turning around to face him. “Oh! It’s you! It is you right? You have the same footstep cadence and breathing”
He nodded before remember the person infront of him can’t see him. “Yes it’s me. I wasn’t expecting to run into you again”
She dug into her pockets, pulling something out of them “I wasn’t sure either, but I hoped so so I could give you this” she opened her hands, revealing a small plush of a sheep, clearly hand-made, and bandaged fingers from its creator to prove it.
“What- what is it? And why did you make it?”
“Well.. you seemed really upset that I bumped into you.. I’m not sure why but it’s not my business anyway. I thought I would make you something as an apology, I was always taught to make something rather than buy it when apologizing because it’s more sincere”
She held her hands closer to him, trying to get him to take it. He tentatively picks it up, examining it. He noticed it was made of real wool. Which made sense, she was the child of the town Shepards after all.
“We don’t get many wool sales around this time of year so we have plenty of unused wool. I didn’t know if you like sheep but it’s the only thing I can use as a model, since I have to be able to feel it..”
“No.. it’s ok, I like it” the blonde visibly brightens at that, giving him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Then she bowed again. “Sorry for taking your time again, I’m glad we could reconcile” then just like last time, she rushed off.
In Dark Cacao’s opinion, he’s the one who should’ve had to apologize but she was long gone by the time he registered what was happening. He looked at the small sheep plush in his hand, remembering the bandages visible on its creators hand. It’s possible that was from something else, but he was almost certain the poor girl had pricked herself several times while making it.
He pockets the thing, it was small enough to not even make a noticeable bump in his pocket. Then again, he wore rather large clothing.
After his outing, he returns to the castle only for his father to call him almost immediately after he gets back.
“Dark Cacao, you are going to inherit the throne soon. You will need a way to produce an heir. Tomorrow I will go to town and find a wife for you, I want you to take care of things at the castle while I am gone. Think of it as a trial run for when you become king”
He nodded curtly to his father, then returned to his chambers. As he was getting ready to change to his nightly attire, he remembered the sheep plush. Placing it on his nightstand, he stared at it for a moment.
When children get plushies, they name them right? Maybe he should name the sheep.. he tried to avoid childish actions like that, but one indulgence won’t hurt. The sheep had a faint scent of vanilla, so he decided on the name of flower. Vanilla is extracted from a flower right? Well whatever, its scent is pleasant just as a flower’s is, so it still fits.
——————-
As you know, prince Dark Cacao is going to inherit the throne in a few months. The king will traverse to the town square when the sun is at its highest point tomorrow to look for wife for the future king. All eligible bachelorettes between the ages of 19 and 24 are expected to be there to be chosen from.
Failure to comply will be met with harsh action.
——————-
French Vanilla couldn’t believe what she was reading, this is their chance! “Lite Vanilla! Come quick, I have wonderful news!” Her husband rushed into the room, “What is it?”
“This letter from the castle! The king is looking for a bride for his son, Pure Vanilla fits the requirements! If the king chooses her, we’ll be set for life!”
——————-
“White Lily, it’s good to see you again. Did you find anything in the silver kingdom?” White Lily has been Pure Vanilla’s friend since they were very little, the two were practically inseparable. White Lily was the closest thing to an older sibling Pure Vanilla ever had
“Yes, I found what I was looking for but I found something else too- remember that thing you told me a couple weeks before I left?”
Pure Vanilla nodded, of course he remembered. That was the day he told her that he never felt like a girl and didn’t like it when people referred to him as such.
He told her that it felt wrong, like there was something weird about him because of it. She suggested trying out calling him by male honorifics and see if it made him feel better, and it did. Especially when he got his other friends, golden cheese and Hollyberry in on it too.
“What about it?”
“I found a lot of books about it, apparently it’s something that happens a lot! You’re not the only one! A lot of other people have that same feeling you did” that surprised him, but not in a bad way. Maybe with this he would have enough confidence to tell his parents..
He was maybe a little nervous to tell his friends, but nothing compared to his fear of telling his parents. Ever since he lost his vision, he felt like they were just waiting for him to do or say something that will ‘justify’ throwing him out. Maybe he was wrong, but that’s how it always felt.
He smiled, knowing that maybe, just maybe, he can live life as a man and no one will care.
“Pure Vanilla, come inside!” His mother called from the small cottage they lived in. He had left to talk to Lily outside. What could they want now? He could’ve sworn he did all his chores..
White Lily gives him a quiet “go ahead, I’ll wait” and he walked the direction of house.
“Yes mother?”
“We will all be going to the town square tomorrow, make sure you look your absolute best. We’ll help you of course” he tilted his head in confusion, they didn’t usually go to town all together, and his parents never cared about appearance.
“The king is picking a bride for his son tomorrow. You fit the requirements”
“Wh-what-? But- I don’t want to marry the prince, I want to marry someone I like and-“
“Hush now Vanilla, we’ve already decided on this. I don’t think the king will want his daughter-in-law to be blind so just do it.” His father wasn’t one to talk much, let alone take his side in an argument.
He slowly nodded, he knew he couldn’t argue his way out of this.
—————-
It was a rather beautiful day, not that the king cared very much. All of the maidens of his son’s age were gathered in the town square for him to assess.
One in particular caught his attention, her blonde hair looked like it hadn’t been cut in years, but not in any sort of bad way, it was like silk. The dress she wore was rather simple in comparison to the others, and she wasn’t wearing makeup, but that was what he was looking for.
He didn’t say it in his letter, but he wanted someone who doesn’t fake how they look to get attention. That’s WHY he didn’t put it in his letter. It was clear the blonde was just looking as her natural self. He approached the girl, who was accompanied by what he assumed to be her parents.
“Tell me, if there was a reason to not choose her, what would it be? You have followed even the instructions I did not put in my letter, there must be something. Is she infertile?”
“Oh no, not that.. but she is blind. It’s not genetic! She was perfectly healthy as a baby, she was just attacked by a wolf when she was three.. she’s recovered everything except her eyesight”
The king hummed. That’s not the worst outcome. And he would rather have someone who is blind over someone who presents a fake version of themselves.
He walked away from the trio, going around to some of the others before approaching his advisor.
“Affogato, tell me, should I choose the blind girl?”
The petite man thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes sir, she can clearly follow instructions despite it. And there is a small amount of confidence in showing up despite it, and truthfulness in how she’s chosen to present. I think she’s the best option.”
Affogato had his own reasons to favor her, but the king doesn’t need to know them.
“Very well. Do you have her name?”
“Yes sir, she is the daughter of the town Shepards, Pure Vanilla.”
The king hummed, turning around and telling them all to gather, he’s made his choice.
“After consideration with my advisor, my son’s future wife will be Pure Vanilla. Go and pack your bags, we will be picking you up to take to the castle in three hours”
——————-
Pure Vanilla felt like he couldn’t breathe. He thought for sure his parents were right, that the king would never pick him! He barely registered his father’s surprised grunt and his mother’s excited gasp, followed by happy rambling.
He couldn’t focus as him mother packed up all his favorite clothes and other belongings
He needed to use all his focus not to cry as the kings guards came to get him
“W-wait- before we go.. am I going to be able to come back?”
The guard probably thought he wanted to see his parents often. It wasn’t totally wrong, but he really wanted to be able to still see the sheep and his friends.
“Yes of course, you’ll be able to visit as often as you like after the wedding”
That made things slightly better he supposed. At least he won’t be a total prisoner in the castle. He said a quiet goodbye to his parents and the sheep that were flocking around them, before reluctantly allowing the guard to hoist him up atop the horse.
——————-
Dark Cacao was called by his father again. He knew today was the day the king would pick his wife, so it was probably to tell him about her.
“I have chosen who your wife will be” yeah, he guessed that.
“The wedding is tomorrow, you will meet her then.”
“I won’t meet her until the wedding? What if I don’t like her?”
“Whether you like her or not, I’ve determined that she’s the best choice of the bachelorettes your age.”
He sort of expected that kind of answer, but he thought he would try.
‘Best’ he says, the prince decided not to think about it.
——————-
After Pure Vanilla arrived at the castle, the guards escorted him to a guest room along with his bags. He laid down on the bed and tried not cry.
He tried to think about other things. His friends, his sheep, but nothing was working.
Maybe the prince will be kind and understanding. Maybe he’ll even allow him to be called a boy. All the king wants with him is to help the prince provide an heir right? He can still do that if they call him a boy, so no one will care right?
…..right?