Cold wind blew across the desolate land, small shards of ice shooting from the dark skies. Most Cookies were safe from the sharp icicles, inside their homes, nice and warm beside the crackling fire. Tonight seemed as if it was the coldest in history, and would soon be tainted in blood. Just beyond the kingdoms was Dark Enchantress's fortress, cake monsters prowling the area almost at every hour. Tonight was a night where one cookie would fight against the odds. Tonight was a night where someone would escape the grip of the darkness. Tonight was redemption.
Dark Choco Cookie walked silently on a road of solitude for as long as he could remember. Ever since he was young, most of the time he spent his time in his room or training with his sword out in the courtyard. All he ever did was wave, make decisions, and kiss babies. He remembered wanting to impress his father, to make him finally notice his heir. But all he ever did was push himself farther away from Dark Cacao.
The kingdom was put at a state of shock. How could he strike at his father? How could he do something so cruel? How could he almost kill the one who brought him into this world? Almost every single cookie in the kingdom was now against him, even ones he once considered his friends. But one stayed. Even through all he did, all the harm he caused, she stayed.
Her name was Winterberry, a relative to the Milk Tribe while having a slight taint of Hollyberian in her dough. Winter was a royal guard, standing next to the dynasty during their trips outside of the kingdom, and was also sent as a representative for when the king couldn't arrive. She helped him train, taught him how to cook and help others, along with a few medical procedures. For some reason, Dark felt like Winterberry saw him in a different way than the others. She saw something in him that was worth looking for.
Sometimes, the prince and the guard would sit together by the flames, while Dark Choco vented. "I'm a monster." He whimpered, his voice getting more hoarse by the week. "Look at what I've done- why do you stay?" Winter brushed a tear from his cheek. "May I have your hand?" Hesitantly, the prince placed his palm into hers, Winterberry's soft fur gloves trailing along the scars.
"Mmmh.. A long life." She whispered, reading the lines on his hand. "Two- no, three children and.. hm. That's strange." "..Is it something bad?" He blurted out, prepared to begin to cry again. "I don't see any monster lines." Winter gave him a warm smile, folding his hand up into a fist and placing it on her chest. "All I can see is a handsome hero going down in history." "Oh, shush." He hissed, a soft, teary blush waving through his cheeks.
Through the comfort and pain, Dark Choco had realized something. He fell in love. He loved her, and not in a platonic way. The fallen prince sat shocked in his tent, holding his chest while staring at Winterberry's sleeping figure. 'I love her.' He thought to himself. 'But does she love me?' The question stuck in his mind for so long, he hadn't even noticed how much closer he had begun to be with her. He had begun to hold her, hug her, cuddle her, and, rarely, kiss her.
He felt like he made an oath, a promise to protect her. This was is purpose. This was his life. Winterberry didn't seem to mind the affection- nevertheless accept it gratefully -and still stayed by his side. Then.. something happened. In the middle of a cold winter night, Winter suddenly shook herself awake and bolted outside of the tent to vomit.
Fear struck him harder than he expected. Was she poisoned? Had someone found them and dragged her out? Was she going to die?! Dark Choco rushed outside with the Strawberry Jam Sword, only to find an ill Winterberry. "Winter!" He knelt down to her side, pulling her up from the ground. "Are you alright, dear?" The knight held her head, shaking it as if she was getting rid of a brain freeze. "I.." She muttered. "I'm alright, thank you." Winter wiped her mouth off with a piece of cloth. "I don't know what happened.. I was asleep then had major stomach pains.."
Winterberry clutched her abdomen to show Dark where is hurt. "What do you think is wrong?" His voice rumbled. "I think it might be an infection, but only time will tell." Grayish-blue eyes glanced over towards the prince, stuck in a trance of fear and love. Over the months of traveling, time did tell them what was going on. Or, at least, to Winterberry. Dark Choco never knew what had truly happened to her, or what caused the swelling and cravings. Strangely, she was getting very plump and heavy, as if a little cookie was growing inside of her- perhaps two? Three? Who knows?
A creamwolf howled in the distance, reminding the forgotten hero this wasn't the time for sulking on the past. Dark Choco focused once more on his surroundings, heading up the mountains, quite far from the citadel.
