𝖗𝖊𝖌𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖘

╰┈ chapter i. | rest.

"You're heading back during the blizzard?" Dark Cacao asked the woman.

"Yes. Is there a problem?" Brown Sugar questioned.

"Yes. It's dangerous to go out there now. It's getting worse." The ruler told his prophetess. "You might get sick during that time."

"I'll be fine. They called me 'The Maiden of The Blizzard' for nothing."

"No one called you that." Dark Cacao deadpanned.

"Whatever. I'll be heading home now." Brown Sugar waved before leaving the kingdom. Dark Cacao frustratedly sighs and holds up three fingers, "She'll be back in three...two...one..."

At the count of one, Brown Sugar barged back into the kingdom with snow piles on her figure. Dark Cacao smirked, "Heh~ Maiden of The Blizzard, huh?"

"Shut up." Brown Sugar glazed before letting out a soft sneeze, "Achoo!"

"Hm. You should get some rest." Dark Cacao told the woman.

"I don't need any rest. I'm fine." Brown Sugar scoffed. "Achoo!"

"Rest now." Dark Cacao demanded.

"No. You can't make me." The prophetess declined.

"Don't make me use force."

"You can't harm a woman."

Dark Cacao growled frustratedly before grabbing the woman then tossed her over his shoulder like a stack of potatoes, and carried her to the room.

"Hey! Put me down! You bastard! Let me go! Ugh!" Brown Sugar cried, trying to struggle out of the male's grasp as she's being carried to the room. He let the woman lay down on the futon. The ruler was going to call the maidens, but he had forgotten that they were away, so he had to do it himself.

"Try to not kick or punch me." Dark Cacao warned the woman before trying to take off Brown Sugar's clothes. She squeaked and punched the male in the chin, "Hey! What are you doing, you pervert?!"

"Gah! Stop hitting me, damnit!" Dark Cacao growled, pinning the woman's wrists on the futon. "I'm only trying to help you!"

"By removing a woman's clothes?! No thank you!" Brown Sugar blushed. "You had seen me naked enough already!"

"S-Shut up and stop being a child!" Dark Cacao argued with a red face.

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After the chaos, Brown Sugar had suddenly fallen asleep while Dark Cacao sat next to her with a bruise on his cheek. He sighed tiredly as he watched the woman sleep. The male had to admit, Brown Sugar looks beautiful if he's leaned close, which he is without realizing it.

"...!" Dark Cacao blushed when he realized how close he was and moved away in a flash. "What the hell am I doing? It's not like she wants me to take care of her..."

The three maidens had entered the room with a greeting, "We're here, my lord."

"Good, I'll leave her in your hand." Dark Cacao said, about to get up on his feet, but felt something tugged on his kimono, nearly making him trip. He turned to see Brown Sugar grabbing on his clothes while still asleep. The raven haired man tried to pull on it, but the woman's grasp was too strong. "Shit...I forgot about this woman's strength..."

"Stay..." Brown Sugar muttered in her sleep.

"Huh...?"

"Or....I kill you..." the woman muttered, harshly pulling Dark Cacao down and hugging him around the neck, almost like putting him in a headlock, choking him.

"She is choking me..." Dark Cacao sweated before his soul left his body.

"My lord!" The three maidens panicked.

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Escaping Brown Sugar's headlock, Dark Cacao laid next to the woman. Brown Sugar arms were already wrapped around his torso as she slept peacefully.

"What am I doing...? I should take care of her cold." Dark Cacao thought as he tried to move, but Brown Sugar kept her grasp on him.

"No...Don't go." Brown Sugar shivered in her sleep. "Don't go...Please..."

Dark Cacao sighed and leaned on his elbow. "I won't..."

The raven haired man reached out and stroked the woman's hair from over her eye, revealing a small scar crossed her eyebrow. Dark Cacao remembers the scar, it was the last scar that Brown Sugar ever had before retirement. Dark Cacao knew Brown Sugar is a strong, independent woman, but he's sometimes worried that her true strength disappeared.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do about you." Dark Cacao said with a small smile creeped up on his face before gently placing a soft kiss on the woman's forehead. The male felt the woman wrapped her arms around his waist and cuddled in his chest. Dark Cacao chuckled quietly, wrapping his arms around Brown Sugar.