The Prince of the Republic

Daydream

"Marriage is what brings us together today," Archbishop Cream Cookie spoke carefully, gazing upon the two Cookies before him at the altar. He had watched the couple grow and change after the journey to defeat the Blue Dragon; everyone in the republic had! Captain Caviar Cookie, Oyster Cookie, many of the Pearl Legion guards, and all of the convocation had witnessed their consul and their peacekeeper truly become one and change alongside each other.

Clotted Cream Cookie and Financier Cookie had finalized the end of the engagement the moment they docked. Clotted Cream Cookie was eager to begin a life with his true love, and Financier Cookie had been excited to meet with Caramel Arrow Cookie once more after the trip had ended. Things were hard, and Royal Milk Tea Cookie would have been lying if he didn't admit that the shift in relationships was hard; Financier Cookie didn't move on for a while, even while seeing Caramel Arrow Cookie. After many sessions of simply talking things out, the paladin and her consul eventually let feelings go and settled as great friends.

Oyster Cookie had sponsored the pair, purchasing them a mansion by the sea to dwell in peacefully, checking up on her son every once and a while as Royal Milk Tea Cookie accommodated himself to life away from home. Or rather, life in his new home.

They weren't newlyweds quite yet. Royal Milk Tea Cookie had been very serious about waiting until they knew things were going to stay steady before either Cookie popped the question (that was to say no more dragons were going to come after anyone anytime soon).

A month passed living together, then two months, and soon it had been nearly a full year of living in domestic bliss, waking up happily next to each other day after perfect day. Royal Milk Tea Cookie would dress himself in his royal blues and Clotted Cream Cookie would compliment him in his golden garb. They were a wonderful couple, and everyone in the Republic agreed.

It was on a warm, summer evening that Clotted Cream Cookie organized a picnic by the sea with his beloved. There was a classic tartan blanket laid across the sand, far enough from the waves that a rising tide wouldn't interfere with the meal. The consul had packed sandwiches and fruit as well as some ancient Hollyberryian berry juice, often reserved for only the most special of occasions, like the council meeting from what felt like so long ago.

The sun was setting, the breeze was perfectly salty, and a photographer was secretly waiting to capture the proposal on camera from a few dozen feet away in a coral bush.

"Oh, Clotted Cream Cookie, it's beautiful!" Royal Milk Tea Cookie breathed, staring at the sun dazzling across the ocean.

"Yeah," Clotted Cream Cookie sighed, as though he was out of breath. "It really is," His eyes hadn't left the Cookie sitting before him. He reached behind into the basket, pulling out a small, shell-shaped box. He nestled it to his left before reaching an arm around Royal Milk Tea Cookie and pulling him closer. They enjoyed the berry juice as the sun continued to set, landing at just the right height for a perfect engagement photo.

"Why did you bring us out here, anyway?" Royal Milk Tea Cookie turned to his partner, head tilted, smile dancing across his face. "Is it some sort of anniversary I forgot about?" The smile started to fade.

"Oh, no!" Clotted Cream Cookie reached for the box. "Or, not yet at least."

"Not yet?"

Clotted Cream Cookie shifted, maneuvering onto one knee, opening the shell-shaped box to reveal a golden band with a beautiful pearl as the stone, shining in the evening sunlight. "Royal Milk Tea Cookie," The consul spoke, voice only wavering slightly. "I have loved you since the day we first met, and I know you've always felt the same. We've been through Hell together and I want you by my side wherever we go next. Will–"

"Yes!" Royal Milk Tea Cookie was tearing up and threw himself into Clotted Cream Cookie's arms before he could finish the proposal. He smashed their lips together, too engulfed in passion to focus on being gentle with any of his movements. "Yes, of course, I'll marry you!"

The pair were laughing like children, searching the picnic blanket for the ring that had just been tossed aside in urgency to embrace. Finding it, Clotted Cream Cookie slipped the ring on Royal Milk Tea Cookie's hand, kissing him once more.

The pictures turned out great. Royal Milk Tea Cookie had decided they'd be the portraits shown at the wedding, actually. He was impressed with the timing, the photographer in the bushes, and the angle captured from such a weird position. The golden light of the pair falling into the sand, glitter on the waves, the ring being searched for... it was such a beautiful moment and the pair were lucky to have captured it.

"What would you have done if I'd said no?" Royal Milk Tea Cookie whispered, standing at the altar as Archbishop Cream Cookie spoke.

"Oh, I'd have tossed myself into the sea." Royal Milk Tea Cookie giggled. Archbishop Cream Cookie gave him a glance but continued, letting the pair whisper as they waited to be married. "I'm serious!"

"Clotted Cream Cookie!" Archbishop Cream Cookie started, interrupting the loving jokes. "Do you, take Royal Milk Tea Cookie to love and to cherish, through sickness and through health, as long as you both shall live?"

His smile spread across his face and his heart filled with love for the Cookie standing before him. "I do." Clotted Cream Cookie said, proudly.

"And do you..." There was a faint smell of smoke, Royal Milk Tea Cookie noticed. He turned his head in a couple of directions to see where it might have been coming from. No other Cookies seemed to have noticed the scent. He shook it off. "... both shall live?"

Clotted Cream Cookie looked concerned. Royal Milk Tea Cookie shook his head and smiled. "I–" Before finishing the agreement to marriage, the church began to shake. The floor was quaking and Cookies were trying to steady themselves on the benches as they wondered what was happening.

Laughter began to chime from above. It was deep, menacing laughter that only a few Cookies truly recognized. It was the Blue Dragon.

"OH ROYAL MILK TEA COOKIE," The voice began to speak. The audience started screaming, trying to flee the church as fast as they could before this creature decided to crumble them all. "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME, CHILD. NOT EVEN IN YOUR DREAMS WOULD YOU BE FREE FROM ME. OUR DEAL ISN'T UP YET!"

"What?" Royal Milk Tea Cookie cried, looking up and seeing the dragon peer in from the stained glass window above the altar. "But I thought we defeated you?"

"OH, YOU WERE WRONG!" The dragon shattered the glass, sending an arm hurtling at the little blue Cookie, picking him up, and pulling him out of the church. Royal Milk Tea Cookie tried to summon his licorice pearl minions, but the dragon was compressing him too tight. He couldn't focus!

"Let me go!" Royal Milk Tea Cookie cried, slamming his hands on the dragon holding him in place. "Please! Let me go!"

The churchgoers were all screaming, looking up at their beloved Cookie who may have met his match for a final time. Clotted Cream Cookie was screaming too, but Royal Milk Tea Cookie couldn't hear anything anymore.

"TIME'S UP, LITTLE ONE!" The dragon had smoke emerging from the corners of its mouth. The clouds got darker and larger as the dragon opened its jaws wide, almost as though it was splitting its head in half. Royal Milk Tea Cookie got closer and closer to the jaws before he realized that he was about to be its next meal.

"NO!" He screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks. "NO! NO, PLEASE!" He cried, but it was no use. The dragon snapped its jaws shut, leaving Royal Milk Tea Cookie in darkness.