A New Life // Cookie Run Kingdom AU

♣〰Chapter 2 // Another failure〰♣

"I'm sorry, my king... we couldn't find him..." 

Those words, that very sentence, are always being replayed over and over. Like a broken record player. But, that didn't shake king Dark Cacao cookie's hope one bit. For months, he's been sending out search parties, watchers, and even Caramel Arrow cookie to find his son. And every time they would return, those words would always be repeated. 

"Another failure...?" Dark Cacao sighed.

"Unfortunately... yes... I'm beginning to think that we'll never find him."

"We will find him! We must not give up hope!" Caramel Arrow cookie firmly stated. 

"Thank you, Caramel Arrow cookie... now, if you'll excuse me. I need some time alone." The king replied as he stands from his throne. 

"Of course, your majesty." The watchers said with a bow. As the watchers fled the room, Dark Cacao was left alone with nothing but his thoughts. 

"Those words.... those vile, vile words..." he quietly said to himself. 

'In this kingdom, I knew no love or sweetness but rigid cold! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT YOU, OR THIS FORSAKEN LAND?!'

....

'I have nothing left for the pathetic traitor, who has given away the last specks of his pride!'

'STUBBORN OLD FOOL! WILL YOU STILL BE CLAWING AT THAT PRECIOUS SWORD OF YOURS, AFTER YOUR KINGDOM HAS FALLEN?! WILL YOU PERSIST, EVEN AFTER HAVING SLAIN YOUR OWN SON?!'

'YOU WHELP! YOUR WICKED ARROGANCE KNOWS NO BOUNDS! So be it! It's my life's greatest regret to have called you my son!'

"If only I could take those words back..." 

Dark Cacao clinched his face to soothe his aching head. Filled to the brim with guilt and shame for the poison he spewed from his very mouth. What has he done? The citadel's wall is in shambles, he lost half of his watchers, and Affogato cookie used him as a puppet, causing his reputation to be destroyed in two. His very son hates him! All thanks to his arrogant stubbornness. 

"Such a waste..." The king groaned as he got up from his throne. Then made his way to the Shelter of Solitude. A safe space to clear his head, when it's too filled with thought. However, the unsettling scent of a foul incense never lets him put his guard down. 

As he looked over the view of mountains, covered by the wrath of the winter climate, Dark Cacao soon covered his face into his hand and sighed deeply. Feeling the cold wind blow against his flowing hair, as his thoughts only stayed, clear as a tropical sunny day. Where could his son be? Maybe, he didn't want to ever hear from his own father again? If only he could see his son's smile once more. And tell that smiling face that he's sorry. 

"My king?" a voice called from behind.

"Caramel Arrow cookie..." Dark Cacao sighed while looking away.

"I couldn't help but notice that you've been here longer than usual... is everything alright?"

"No...." 

"You're thinking about him... aren't you?"

Dark Cacao sighed. "After everything that has happened... I doupt that we'll ever find him. I don't want him to return... that's the least of my worries. I just.... want to give him a proper apology... an apology that he deserves."

"Indeed, the prince wasn't... the best behaved, nor the most honest... but, he was a very kind, just and noble warrior... until he... you know."

"I let my anger cloud my judgement... how could I let myself do such a thing...? I taught him to never let anger cloud his mind. To be the voice of reason. When even I, his own father... couldn't do neither."

"My king... that could happen to anyone. Not just you. True... you did jump to conclusions too early in time and can't change them... but, that's all in the past now. It's better to try and mend old wounds, rather than to let them rot. The best thing to do is to not give up hope. You weren't there for him in the past. But you can be there for him now."

"You're right, Caramel Arrow cookie. We must not give up hope. Not when he's still out there. Not when we still have a chance in finding him."

"Great. Shall I send out another search party?"

"You may. For now, I have other worries to attend to."

"Understood."

As Caramel Arrow began to leave the shelter of Solitude, Dark Cacao continuing his train of thought. Replaying an old memory, as clear as day in his mind. 

...

"My King...!"

"What is the problem?"

"It's the prince! We've tried everything! We just can't get him to calm down!"

"Have you tried feeding him?"

"Feeding, playing, rocking, everything! Nothing is calming him down!"

"Hm... let me see him."

One of the watchers soon brought in a tiny and cranky little freshly baked cookie. Crying for his father's attention. Dark Cacao Cookie only sighed as he picked up his son and held him in his arms. Wiping his little tears away as they only grew in higher numbers.

"Oh Dark Choco cookie... there's no need to cry. I'm right here." He said as he rocked the little cookie to help calm him down.

"Seems you're putting up more of a fight that usual, I see. Well, let's see if this will put your crankiness to rest." Dark Cacao slyly said before singing a little lullaby.

"星　星　星　星体投射...
星　星　星　星体投射...
星　星　星　星体投射...
星体投射　我去看你了"

As the king continued his lullaby, Dark Choco began to calm down. Letting out a small yawn before the song was done. Only a few moments later, the room was silent once more, with a sleeping little cookie in his father's arms.

...

"星体投射　我去看你了..."

(for context, the lyrics are from a song by Kikuo, called "astral travel". More specifically at time 2:36. It's in Mandarin btw. Here's the link if you wanna listen to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHH2KKN0xoc)