Chapter Text
Love was a foreign thing in this Kingdom.
It wasn’t a very warm place, and Cookies here tended to lean in towards death and danger every day. Cookies here only knew how to fight with weapons they were taught with since they could walk, how to survive in the wilderness during a blizzard, how to hunt down the most dangerous of monsters in solo combat, and to accept death that was constant in everyday life like it was second nature.
Yet these Cookies weren’t heartless.
Hardly any of them would ever consider attacking anyone without reason. While the Dark Cacao Kingdom was brutal, it wasn’t awful. Comradery and a strong sense of loyalty were deeply rooted in their dough, and some even knew how to make a small joke here and there, though not many Cookies had a good sense of humor. Deep friendships could be forged, and many were willing to put their lives on the line to help others in dire need.
But love was very rare in these lands. Not many Cookies ever sought out companionship. At most, unions were only made through arranged meetings of benefits. Elevating standings, better living conditions, strong jamlines, peak prowess of strength that many desired to pass on to their descendants, and a few other things. But unions made from love was very rare.
So rare that it was almost non-existent.
Which made things rather difficult now.
The envelope before him was almost mocking. A letter from one of the few high-positioned families in the Kingdom. Dark Cacao knew this family well. All the ancestors and current descendants had served the Kingdom well. Excellent fighters, rumored to be able to lift and wield weapons the moment they were baked and fresh out of the oven. A strong family that had been faithful Watchers for many generations, who served their king to the last crumb.
Dark Cacao almost felt a sense of pride when the letter came… almost.
Yet the king couldn’t will himself to feel anything but confliction. Confliction that led to irritation that bled into anger that burned and burned for a long while before it dimmed and cooled just enough for him to feel… empty.
A part of him wanted to feel happy. Happy that such letters were being sent to him, but he couldn’t find it in himself to do so. He thought that with time, he would find an answer within, but time had not given him the solution that he desired.
The letter, as like the other four that came before it, was formal. Written in perfect handwriting and making the purpose of this message clear and precise with words that were honey-laced in hope and expectations. The desire was clear. The hope was evident. The offer was tempting.
And Dark Cacao was conflicted.
Long ago, he would have been solemnly pleased by these letters, scrutinizing each one to the very core to see which was the best. He would have assigned his best Watchers who could blend in and be one with the darkness, to scout out these families to be sure their intentions were true and worthy. He would have tested them, see their resolution, determined their worth, and picked one who he would deem worthy enough.
Long ago, that’s what he would have done.
Now?
Now he didn’t know what to do.
The letters were somewhat pleasant, and while conflicting, Dark Cacao was glad that some families were sending him these letters. It gave him a small hope that his son was finally being fully accepted back into the Kingdom, and his people were viewing him as the honorable prince he once was long ago before his exile.
His eyes drifted, looking over to the table his son was working at.
Working on documents was never easy nor fun, and Dark Cacao found himself swamped in such work every day to keep his Kingdom running smoothly. There were days when he could get through them swiftly just before noon, and others that had him stuck in his office for long hours that bled into the night till the next morning. Today had been one of those long days, leaving Dark Cacao no room for breaks and stuck here since morning.
He would have been stuck here through the whole night had Dark Choco not stopped by and offered to help after seeing how many documents were left to be worked on. An offer Dark Cacao could not stop himself from accepting with deep gratitude and slight relief. And thus the pair had been here for long hours, sitting in silence that was hardly broken unless opinions were needed on certain documents or servants coming by to check on them.
It was nice. Having someone he could rely on to help him with his work. Even slightly more so that it was his own son who willingly offered such help, and found his presence lifting an unseen burden that the king had been unaware of for a long time.
It had been a few years since his son returned. Fifteen years since that day, though Dark Cacao would never admit to having been counting the days that passed. Years that his son worked on gaining back the trust of their people and the honor of his title. It had been hard, but Dark Cacao had seen the strong resolution in his son’s gaze, witnessing how far his child would go to make things right and repent for his past misdeeds.
A burden that had been buried deep in Dark Cacao’s heart had slowly melted away each day his son proved himself. Seeing the Cookies of their lands slowly welcome the prince back with open arms and not with cold, uncertain stares. It warmed his soul to know that Cookies were seeing the progress the prince was making and were thoroughly happy for him.
Banishment had not been easy for either of them, and there were many regrets that the king wished he could change. Yet it had opened his eyes and given him time to reflect on his own shortcomings towards his child, seen where he went wrong, and tried to rectify it when Dark Choco finally returned. There were many things that needed to be addressed, and many nights that left him drained but happy when they finally talked, and Dark Cacao would not trade anything just to have his son back.
He had vowed to be a better father, and had been doing it decently enough to be on good terms with his son, and yet… these letters.
These letters, that should have brought him some joy, only brought confliction and doubt to the king’s mind. He knew he should address them soon. It would not be wise to leave such delicate matters unresolved for too long. Cookies of these lands had unwavering patience, but it would be rather rude if a reply did not turn up soon.
A reply that Dark Cacao could not give.
Not on his own.
“… You’ve been staring at me for a while.” His son spoke up, gaze still fixed on the paper before him. “Is there something you need, Father?”
Had he been staring? Dark Cacao wasn’t sure, yet he found himself realizing that now would be a good time to address this certain situation with his son. “I believe I would like your opinion on a certain matter.”
Dark Choco lifted his gaze from the paper, giving the king his full attention. “What is it?”
Dark Cacao hesitated. He was uncertain of how to broach this matter to his child. In the past, he would have likely informed his son of his intentions with these letters, letting him know what his plan was and expected his son to go along with it. Now, however, he tried to be more mindful of his child’s emotions. Trying to be more open-minded and listen to what Dark Choco wanted. He wanted to hear his son’s wishes, no matter how few or simple they were, and wanted his child to understand that he was no longer the cold shadow that had been there and did little in his life.
“Father?”
Dark Cacao was quiet for a moment before wordlessly picking up the recent letter and handing it over to his son. He had never been good with his words, and actions were his best strong suit.
Dark Choco took the letter, confusion flashing in his remaining eye for only a moment before it started reading the contents of the paper. The king silently watched as his son’s face morphed from stone impassiveness to brief confusion into full-blown shock, flicking his gaze between him and the letter. “… Marriage?” He finally said after a long pause. His voice was soft, almost quiet as a whisper. “They… this is…” He watched as his son struggled to find words, looking at the letter with mixed emotions.
“It seems our people see great potential in you.” Dark Cacao said, unsure if he should be comforting his son over this.
Marriage was not something the king had ever expected. He himself never married, having never found the right time, Cookie, or desire to settle down with someone. He saw no point in it, seeing it as less important than running a kingdom, and never been interested in romance before.
That didn’t mean the same applied to Dark Choco.
Dark Cacao had many regrets, most of which revolved around his own son. There were many things he should have done and many things he wished he knew about his child as they grew, and many times the king found himself learning something new about his son that he would have never guessed.
Like how his son preferred a certain tea over others, or that he tended to get nightmares quite often yet never wished to speak about them, or that the prince tended to take long walks on the Wall to clear his head while simultaneously checking the Kingdom’s defences. They had a few things in common that helped them bond, but the king still didn’t know much about his child, and that hurt to a certain degree.
“Potential?” Dark Choco shook his head. “I don’t know how this is in any way a great potential, Father.”
Dark Cacao had to agree with that. Still, though. “They see you as the prince of the Kingdom. Someone worthy to give their heirs to.”
“I’m hardly anyone who could be considered worthy!” Dark Choco nearly screamed, crumpling the paper in his grip. “I-I hardly consider myself someone worth anyone’s time, much less someone worthy of marrying.” Panic flashed through the prince’s face, looking at the letter with a certain terror. “Why? Why would anyone…?”
“I believe it’s to elevate their status.” Dark Cacao grabbed a cup, pouring himself some tea. “It’s not unheard of for Cookies of strong backgrounds to wish to have their heirs wed to strengthen bonds. Even I don’t fully comprehend why they wished to seek your hand for such union.”
Dark Choco pulled a face that the king couldn’t decipher. “Bonds… right.” He looked at the letter, staring at it for a long time before looking up. “I… you don’t expect me to… I mean, I’m flattered but…”
Dark Cacao watched his son squirm, emotions flicking on his face as it twisted and tried to settle on more than one expression. “… you don’t have to agree to this.” He finally spoke, taking a sip of his drink. “The letter is just a formality, not a requirement.”
This seemed to ease the prince. His face slowly settled into disbelief, before shaking his head and setting the letter down and rubbing his face. He was quiet for a long moment before looking up at the king. “What do you think of all this?”
The king shrugged, savoring his drink for a while before answering. “I’m not against it.” He noticed his son flinch. “But I’m not certain if this is something you would want. Having a Cookie from a family like that for an in-law is tempting, but I would rather you choose who you wish to settle with. This is your choice, not mine.”
The prince looked at the letter before shaking his head. “I don’t even know this Cookie on a personal level. I don’t know if I could settle for someone I don’t know.”
“Personally, if you ever choose to find someone, I would prefer you settle with someone who will help run the Kingdom alongside you.” Downing the rest of his drink, the king set his cup down. “Background is important, but the good of the Kingdom comes first.”
“You don’t think they could manage that?”
“Running a kingdom is no easy feat, my son. It takes many choices and mistakes to make a good ruler, but also a strong sense of resolution to keep our Kingdom from falling into ruin.”
“… I certainly managed to achieve that.” The prince muttered quietly, low enough that Dark Cacao nearly hadn’t heard it.
The king wanted to comfort his son and assure him that what happened was long in the past now, yet he knew that Dark Choco didn’t like to talk about it, or even mention his dark sins. The prince still had deep regrets of his past misdeeds, and he would rather try to move on from them than have them lingering over his head.
A silence hung in the office, neither father nor son speaking for a long time. For a while, Dark Cacao debated if he should inform his son about the other letters he received, other potential candidates eagerly awaiting an answer, but decided against it. His son was already dealing with the knowledge of one marriage proposal; he didn’t want to overwhelm him with the fact that four other well-known houses had sent similar letters this past month.
“… Father?” The prince finally spoke up after a long silence. “Do you… think I should marry?”
Dark Cacao was silent for a moment, thinking over his son’s words. “… if it was for the good of the Kingdom, I believe so.” He could imagine his son running the Kingdom fairly well on his own, yet it would be a comfort to the king if someone was there to help his son when he needed it the most. It would ease a great burden from his heart to know the Kingdom would be in wonderful hands, but also someone to be there for Dark Choco when he was no longer around. “However, I don’t believe it to be entirely necessary.” He continued. “The choice of marriage is ultimately up to you, and, quite personally, I would hope you settle for someone who not only will help you run this Kingdom, but someone who will also make you happy as well.”
“… Really?” A hopeful expression bloomed on his son’s face.
The king nodded his head. “Who you choose to spend your life with is your choice. My only wish, if you were ever to think about marriage and wish to settle down with someone one day, is that you find someone loyal, dedicated, brave, just, honest, and truly loves you for you.” He poured himself another cup, looking at his son earnestly. “After all, I do not wish you to spend your life with someone you can not be happy with. Or someone who can’t help you rule this Kingdom.” He let the information sink in, already deciding to reject all proposals for his son’s hand.
After all, how can he be certain that Dark Choco would be happy with any of them? It was like the prince said, he didn’t know them on a personal level, and he did not want to chain his son to someone who would make his life miserable. Dark Choco had already gone through much grief in his life. He didn’t want to throw him into more despair.
He had already ruined his son’s life by not being there for him or showing him the love that he deserved. He didn’t want the remainder of his child’s life to be ruined as well.
… Now that he thought about it, would his son ever be happy with someone to rule by his side? Dark Cacao had done a fair job ruling on his own. Maybe Dark Choco was the same. Maybe he didn’t wish to ever get–
“Father?”
“Mm?”
“There’s someone I wish to marry.”
Dark Cacao inhaled his tea, choking on it for a minute before spitting it back into the cup in a coughing fit. Pounding his chest, he coughed and sputtered, trying to clear his airway as he looked at his son in alarm. “W-WHAT?!”
Dark Choco shrank a little, looking at his father in alarm. “I… I said that–”
“I heard what you said!” Dark Cacao sputtered, getting the air back in his lungs. “I just didn’t think that! A-Are you accepting this proposal?!”
“No!” The prince raised his hands in alarm. “No! Goodness no! This is a different Cookie! A very different Cookie! A Cookie I’ve been seeing over the last ten years!”
Dark Cacao didn’t know whether to be relieved or alarmed at this information. “What?!”
Horror flashed through the prince’s face, his one eye widened in alarm as he covered his mouth. The king’s own eyes widened, revelation flashing through him as he considered his son’s words and realized that the prince had been keeping something vital from him.
“Dark Choco Cookie,” Dark Cacao began, but quickly stopped himself. Getting angry right now was not the answer. His quick temper had not helped in the past, and being angry at his son had led to nothing but bitter pain and regret for both of them. Taking a deep breath, the king counted in his mind till his anger dimmed down to a manageable level, looking straight at his son, who had backed away from his table with his hands still covering his mouth. “A Cookie. That you’ve been seeing. For the last ten years.”
He didn’t know where to begin with that.
Dark Choco was quiet, but his head slowly nodded up and down, looking anywhere but his father.
“You mean to tell me that…” The king took a deep breath, pinching the area between his eyes. “… Explain yourself. Now… please.” He added, hoping that this conversation wouldn’t end in a screaming match.
For a while, the room was silent. Then, quietly, the prince began to speak.
“I… don’t really know where to start. I just… I hadn’t… planned on keeping you in the dark about this. I only meant to keep it a small secret until I was sure that… no, that’s not right.”
“Dark Choco Cookie.”
“I was going to tell you! Honest! Just, earlier than this! I just couldn’t find the right time to bring it up, and I was nervous on how you were going to react.” A small pain fluttered in Dark Cacao’s chest. His son had been too nervous to tell him something important as courting a Cookie. Had he failed his child more than he thought? “And I wasn’t certain that it would last. Neither of us did. We were only just learning and trying to understand our feelings for the first few weeks, just to see where it would go, and before we knew it, a… a few months, then years had passed. I… didn’t know it would turn so serious.”
Dark Cacao looked at his son carefully. Over the years, he had gotten better at telling when Cookies were lying to him or not. Dark Choco wasn’t prone to lying, though he did have moments when he wouldn’t speak the whole truth. Just parts and bits that he thought were important to speak about without telling the whole picture.
It didn’t seem like his son was lying, though he couldn’t help but feel that the prince was withholding something from him. “… how did this all begin?” He asked, curious to know what sort of Cookie his son had been seeing for the last decade. If he had been seeing them for so long and was considering the prospect of marriage… Witches above give him strength.
“Well, I guess it started after a training session. We had planned to meet up and practice archery together since… well…” Dark Choco motioned to his face, over to the single scar over his left eye. Dark Cacao still felt a bit of shame for being the cause of such scar, but his son had long since forgiven him and didn’t hold any grudge for it. “My aim wasn’t as good as it used to be, so we figured that some practice wouldn’t hurt. We were shooting arrows for a while, talking about old times and shared memories and had a few laughs… I guess, by then I hadn’t realized how much I missed being around them and how much they really meant to me until then. We only planned to meet up now and again to catch up on lost time and get to know each other better, but then it started to become more than just small meetups. And after a while, it somehow ended up being a date that turned into two, then three, then four, then more and more and…”
Dark Choco’s cheeks had slowly turned into a shade of red, one of which the king had never seen on his son’s face before. Nor had he ever seen such a goofy-looking smile on the prince’s face.
“There… was a time when I thought I wasn’t good enough for them. And that I would only cause pain and suffering for them. Around that time, I… I didn’t want to hurt any more Cookies, especially the one close to me. I’m not proud of it, but I ended our relationship for a while.” A deep, saddened look came across Dark Choco’s face.
For a moment, Dark Cacao suddenly recalled a year that his son seemed to be miserable. He never knew the reason, and the prince didn’t want to explain it. It had lasted for about half a year before his mood lifted, and he seemed to be in high spirits once again. “… but you got back together.”
“… yeah.” A shy smile crept across the prince’s face. “I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and neither could she. We talked a bit about it and well, we decided to give it another try.” That goofy smile was back. “Best. Choice. Ever.”
“… so it would appear so.” Dark Cacao had to admit that his son did seem quite happy. Now that he thought back on it, the prince had been acting rather cheerful for the last couple of years. Dark Cacao had figured it was because of the progress his son was making in amending his ways. He never could have imagined it was because he was seeing someone. “… so. This Cookie.” He narrowed his eyes at his son. “Who exactly are they?”
“O-Oh! Right.” The prince cleared his throat. “Well, I’m sure I don’t need to introduce you to her since you already know her.”
“I do?” He did? So it wasn’t a stranger? That… was comforting. If it was someone he knew, then maybe he could allow this.
“You do.” Dark Choco nodded his head. “You’ve known her as long as I have, so there’s no need to worry about her loyalty and capability.”
“Alright. But you still haven’t told me their name.”
“Ah! Right! Well, it’s–”
A knock came at the door, interrupting the prince. “Your highnesses? May I come in?”
Father and son looked at each other before Dark Choco gave a nod. “You may enter.” The king permitted.
The door slid open, allowing the Second Watcher to step inside. “Pardon my intrusion, Your Majesties. But a Cookie from one of the outer villages wishes to speak about an important matter.”
“Is it urgent?” Dark Cacao asked, already getting up off the floor.
“Seems so. They were in quite a fluster and could barely make any sense when they spoke. Though the way that were moving, you would think someone had just crumbled a Cookie in cold jam.”
The king nodded his head. “Very well. I will speak with them.” He looked at Dark Cacao. “… We will discuss this later.”
The prince nodded his head slowly. With that established, the king left the office with the Second Watcher.
“Did I interrupt something important?” The Second Watcher asked as they walked.
The king pondered for a moment, wondering if he should tell someone of his son’s intentions of asking someone’s hand in marriage, but thought better of it. It was best not to get anyone’s hopes up. And he had no idea if this Cookie his son was seeing would be good enough for him and the Kingdom. “No. Just state affairs.”
“Ah. The boring stuff, got it.”
⚔⚜⚔
It was late in the night when the king finally returned to the Citadel.
He hadn’t expected the matter to be so serious and take so long to resolve. Nor had he expected something that almost ended in a catastrophe.
A simple prank that had meant to be harmless had almost turned into a full-blown war between two important villages of the Kingdom. It had taken all of Dark Cacao’s wits and resolution to keep the Cookies from fighting each other and finding the perpetrator responsible for it all. Dealing with Cookies who’d goof and cause trouble for fun were a disgrace to the very survival of everyone living in this Kingdom. It was fortunate that most Cookies were rather reasonable and level-headed to talk sense into.
Exhaustion clung to the king as he made his way back to his chambers, wanting to retire early and rest till morning. He was almost there when he came across the door to his son’s room and paused. He had forgotten all about the conversation in the office, and hadn’t thought or recalled about it once. But seeing the door that led to his son’s room, the memory suddenly came straight to the front of his mind that made the king pause.
He stared at the door, wondering. He wanted to talk to his son more about his desire to marry the Cookie he had been seeing in secret for the last decade. It was slightly concerning that his son hadn’t told him that he was seeing someone, but also hadn’t told him who this Cookie was. The only things he knew was that it was a she and that he had known her for many years, so that ruled out half of Crispia and a good portion of the Dark Cacao Kingdom.
Still, he wondered what kind of Cookie had caught the interest of his son that he would consider spending his life with forever? Were they even a good Cookie? Were they strong? Kind? Deceptive? Cunning? Loyal? Brave? They must be good at archery since Dark Choco had mentioned it. But was that the only weapon they could wield? Could they handle other weapons? Were they loners or friendly? Were they only dating the prince to get the crown, or did they really love his son? Was he even serious about marriage? Or was he just saying things to mess with his head?
All these questions swarmed his head, and Dark Cacao found himself growing worried with each passing second he didn’t have an answer to.
He needed answers. Now.
Opening the door, the king stepped inside. “Dark Choc Cookie, we need to…” His voice trailed off, eyes widening in shock.
There, sitting on the bed, was his son, already dressed in his nightwear and ready to call it a night. Yet the prince was very much awake, and seemed to be lost in thought as he didn’t react when his father stepped inside. His gaze was fixed on a single thing in his hands, something that caught Dark Cacao’s breath when he saw it.
A hairpin.
Beautifully crafted, elegant, and simple.
Something that didn’t stand out much and yet held such significant meaning.
Dark Cacao forgot what he was doing. He hadn’t even realized he was moving till he snatched the hairpin out from his son’s hands.
“Wha?! F-Father?!” Dark Choco jumped to his feet, staring up at his father in alarm. “When did you?! Give that back!” He tried to snatch the hairpin back, but Dark Cacao held it up, using his height to his advantage to get a better look at the item he held.
He examined the hairpin carefully, looking at the craftsmanship and small details that were integrated into this silverware. It was beautiful, but it was a subtle beauty, one that didn’t pop out and demand attention. It was crafted in a way that showed importance and elegance that went hand in hand, blended together perfectly in harmony.
Dark Cacao was impressed. Not many Cookies were interested in jewelry outside of showing their ranks, status, and high positions in court. Still, this hairpin, crafted with such small detail with big importance, could only mean one thing.
“How long have you had this?” He asked, looking down at his son, who struggled to even reach his snatched possession. “Were you planning to propose with this?”
“Father! Please!” Dark Choco stood on the tips of his toes, trying in vain to snatch the hairpin back. “I spent good coins on that! You’re going to damage it!”
Dark Cacao considered it for a moment before relenting and handing the hairpin back. The prince quickly snatched it, examining it carefully for any damage done before sighing in relief when he found none.
“… you’re serious about this.” Dark Cacao whispered, unable to take his eyes off the hairpin.
“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”
“You’re serious about this.” Dark Cacao repeated, feeling his head swim with shock. “You’re really serious about this Cookie.”
“… of course I am.”
The confession made the king weak in the legs. He found himself sitting upon the bed, letting the news sink in.
His son wasn’t joking. He was serious about wanting to marry this unknown Cookie.
The king didn’t know whether to be delighted or terrified.
His gaze remained fixed on the floor, keeping it there as the space beside him dipped slightly. Silence hung in the air as the pair sat together. Minutes ticked by slowly. Neither father or son spoke for a long time.
Finally, the king lifted his gaze, looking at his son carefully. The first thing he noticed was how long his son’s hair had grown. It had reached down past his shoulders, hanging loosely and freed from its usual braid. It wasn’t as long as it had been before banishment, but it was a nice length now that Dark Cacao rather liked. There was a new wrinkle on his son’s face, something that made him look more and more like his father each day. It had taken him a while to notice how… old his son was getting.
He was still fairly young, far from being an old man, but Dark Cacao almost swore that he could still see the young Cookie he once held in his arms all those years ago. Who had once been tiny, fresh, young, and new.
How many years had it been since he made that vow when he held his son for the first time? When did his son grow up to be so tall?
“… you’re really planning to go through with this?” He finally asked after a long silence.
“I plan to… I hope to.” Dark Choco’s eyes were filled with something the king could not decipher. “I’ve been thinking about it for over a year and… I think I want to take the next step with her.”
“You really love this Cookie, don’t you?” The king asked softly, seeing the warmth in his son’s gaze as he held the hairpin delicately.
The prince nodded, a quiet, shy smile gracing his face. The king stared at him for a long time before sighing.
“Fine. If you really believe this Cookie is the one for you.” He got up from the bed. “But, I still need to know if this Cookie is good enough for the Kingdom.” He crossed his arms, looking down at his son. “I want them to be brought before me. I want to be sure they will be able to run this Kingdom fairly and justly. I can not approve of your choice if this Cookie turns out to be incapable.” He paused a moment before adding softly. “And I do not wish for you to marry someone who will not give you happiness.”
Hope and delight bloomed across Dark Choco’s face, holding the hairpin tightly in his hands. “You’re… approving this?”
“Partly. I still have the final say about this Cookie.” The King paused for a moment. “… who I apparently know but still don’t know the name of.”
“Well, it’s–”
“Wait, no.” The king held up his hand. “I rather not know. Not now.” He lowered his hand. “You what? Surprise me. I want to keep guessing who this Cookie might be.”
“You sure? I could just tell you right now.”
The king shook his head. “If you spent ten years courting someone without my knowledge, I’d rather not know until they are brought before me.”
I’d rather not know the Cookie who managed to win over my son’s heart and soul to consider marrying, so I won’t scare them away just yet.
The hopeful smile on his son’s face was almost as bright as the sun.
⚔⚜⚔
Dark Cacao Cookie was a king known for his resolution and patience.
He could wait on something for years when he put his mind to it, and he would never waver or back down.
He was a Cookie with a strong will and stubbornness to match his strength, and not many were known to easily persuade him without a long-winded argument.
So why was it so hard to wait for his son to propose?
Dark Cacao had waited years for his son to return. Watched him regain his position as prince and heir to the throne through hard work and dedication. Seen how Cookies slowly opened back up to him and welcomed him warmly.
And yet, knowing there was someone his child intended to ask their hand in marriage soon had somehow flipped something that made him rather impatient instead of his normal resolute self.
It was starting to become evident as days slowly rolled past, and his son still hadn’t gotten around to asking for anyone’s hand. The king kept a sharp eye out for any Cookie wearing the hairpin his son intended to propose with, wanting to see if anyone had accepted his son’s intention of eternal union.
“Your Majesty? Is something bothering you, Your Bitterness?” One of his advisors asked, having noticed a slight irritation that surrounded the king like an aura upon his throne.
“If you are troubled by something, we could assist to ease your burdens and worries.”
“Just tell us your troubles and we will provide any answers that you seek~!”
“I don’t doubt that you three will have good advice for any question that I harbor.” The king said with a sigh, his leg bouncing constantly without stop. It was becoming rather annoying. “But this is something I promised not to speak about to anyone.”
“Why not?”
“Is it bad?”
“Should we be concerned~?”
“No.” The king hung his head, his leg bouncing faster. “I am just waiting.”
“Waiting?”
“For news.”
“News?”
“Though I have no idea how long it’s going to take. It’s been two weeks already!”
“Two weeks since what~?”
“Two weeks since–” The king stopped himself quickly.
The prince had made him swear not to tell a single soul about his intentions. He didn’t want his intentions to be found out by the one he was courting, and Dark Cacao was not one to spoil such a momentous occasion for his son.
“It’s alright if you can’t tell us, Your Majesty.”
“We understand. But if you ever need our wisdom.”
“We are here at your command~!”
The king let out another sigh, sinking deeply into his throne. He wanted to share the news badly with someone, but he promised he wouldn’t breathe a word about it to anybody. Dark Cacao was almost ready to get up and find his son and shake him into proposing faster when the Second Watcher suddenly burst into the room.
“Wha–?! Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?!” The king barked as the Cookie rushed in, panting, wheezing, and all out of breath. Seeing his state, the king quickly lost his anger, thinking there was something important that needed to be reported urgently. He quickly got up from his throne, briskly walking down the steps to the Cookie bent over. “What on Earthbread happened? Why are you out of breath?”
The Second Watcher panted, trying to form words but struggling to breathe at the same time. He managed to choke out the prince’s name, something about the First Watcher, and something about a hill.
“Yes? Yes?!” Panic arose in the king, fearing something awful had happened to his only child and his best warrior. “Speak clearly, for crumbs sake! Get yourself together and–”
The Second Watcher snapped his head back, taking a deep breath, and screamed out his next words at the top of his lungs.
“THE PRINCE OF THE DARK CACAO KINGDOM DARK CHOCO COOKIE PROPOSED TO FIRST WATCHER CARAMEL ARROW COOKIE AND SHE SAID YES!”
Silence engulfed the whole room.
Not a sound could be heard aside from the Second Watcher’s heavy breathing.
“… AH-HA!” One of the advisors suddenly spoke, pointing at another advisor. “I called it! I called it! Didn’t I tell you?! The prince proposed in late spring! I knew he was going to propose around this time of the year! Ha!”
“No you didn’t! You said that Caramel Arrow Cookie was going to propose to him during early winter by next year!”
“You have no proof that I said such thing!”
“Why would I need proof?! It’s obvious that your prediction was wrong!”
“Wrong~! Wrong~! Wrong~!”
“Well, does it really matter?! The prince finally got around to asking Caramel Arrow Cookie’s hand! After all this time!”
“You were certain that they wouldn’t last this long!”
“Wrong~! Wrong~!”
“Can you blame me?! Ten years! TEN YEARS! How long was he planning to make her wait?! Forever?!”
“Well, at least it wasn’t TWENTY YEARS as you claimed!”
“I never claimed it to be THAT long!”
“Wrong~! Wrong~!”
The advisors continued to argue with each other, but Dark Cacao couldn’t hear them.
He couldn’t hear anything.
His eyes remained fixed straight ahead, mind going blank from the revelation he had just heard.
… His son? And Caramel Arrow Cookie?
His son and Caramel Arrow Cookie?
Had he heard that right?
His son and the First Watcher?
Together?
His mind was spinning round and round, unable to comprehend anything around him.
With his eyes fixed ahead, the king was able to watch as his son came running into the room, panting and out of breath, with Caramel Arrow not far behind him.
And that’s when he saw it.
Tucked in the First Watcher’s bun, fitting perfectly with her outfit without drawing too much attention, was the hairpin his son was planning to give to the one he intended to wed.
The king stared.
The world tilted.
And then.
Everything.
Went.
Dark.