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The clouds overhead cast a whitish-gray scenery around; a thick, crunchy, snow blanketed the ground. It was as cold as Dark Choco remembered; he looked around the forest, deep evergreen trees blocked the view in front of him, and snow fell peacefully on top of them. Everything was peaceful after he left the sword, after he had to encounter his father, after all those years of being away, after he had to fight him in cold-blood once more, after he-
Dark Choco shook his head slightly, even though his mind was free from the corruption, his dark past always haunted him. It never stopped its attack, his regret, his guilt.
The words his father spoke during their last, dreadful meeting. How he saw the heart his father truly had, how he stuttered over his words, how his dear father looked like he was in so much pain. They had both suffered at the expense of each other, Dark Choco had come to terms with that. It was the sad truth that both chose to suffocate.
Trekking through the forest, his boots made a soft crunch under him. A thin sheet of snow lay on top of his hooded head. He brought his hands to his mouth and let his hot breath warm them slightly; the more he walked, the more his homeland came into view. He could see it, the grand, strong structure his father built from the ground up. The walls cemented so strongly the harsh waves of the Licorice Sea could not break them. The torches that burned and flags that swayed gallantly, showing their pride. The drums beating loudly, the people in the markets, and the children playing in the snow; it all still seemed like a memory.
His heartbeat, once matching the beat of the drums, began to beat much faster. He was finally going back home , but was it truly still his home?
How would the people react? He almost murdered his father, that is nothing to forgive. Would his father even welcome him home? Or will he banish him once more? Will he be put in chains, publicly humiliated, shamed for even thinking he could come back home?
Dark Choco’s breathing was labored, he could see his quick breathes in the frosty air. He placed his shaking hands to his chest, gripping it in fear. What was he thinking? Trying to calm his panic, he sat down on a nearby log, taking deep breaths to stop shaking. He looked up again, and then all around him. All the critters of the snowy forest going about their days, the snow falling calmly, and the wind wisping gently; it brought a wave calmness in Choco. Eyes still glossy, Dark Choco stood at his feet and continued his walk towards the gates of the kingdom.
Getting closer, the thick forest slowly became thinner, fewer trees to block incoming intruders. Choco held onto his cloak tightly, the wind starting to pick up; nature matching the lost prince’s anxiety.
“What am I to say...” Dark Choco whispered, his voice hoarse from not speaking often, and his constant colds from having minimal shelter in freezing temperatures. Closer and closer, Choco walked towards the gates, his mind racing; his fearful tremors never stopping. Above him, he spotted countless of his father’s Watchers above him, skillfully avoiding them the same way he used to when he was younger.
Dark Choco chuckled to himself; father always had his Watchers keeping close eyes on him. He used to sneak out at times when he was young, heading back to festivals or even just to be out. He had always felt stuck inside the Citadel.
Snapping from his thoughts, Choco approached the grand entry gates of the kingdom. The guards out front, always standing to attention, were dressed in the cultural attire of his home. Dark Choco stepped forward, his hand tightly gripping the sword he had found in the forest, this one, not evil. He did not know what would happen, he had attacked his father, more than once, Dark Cacao’s men would surely want the exiled prince dead.
“Remove your hood, traveler. Speak your business with this land.” A guard on the left demanded, remaining at attention. Dark Choco did not speak; he removed the hood of his chocolate-colored cloak. His open red eye stared back at the guard that spoke to him. The guards’ faces did not change, instead, all present bowed in front of Choco. Stunned, Dark Choco stepped back, his eye wide in surprise.
Dark Choco expected to be attacked, to be hated, instead, they bowed the same way when he was young. He was respected like a prince.
“Please...do not bow to me... I... ” Words found their way out of Dark Choco’s mouth, slow and quiet from shock. The guards rose almost immediately, moving out of the way and opening the gate for their prince.
“Please, enter, your majesty.” The same guard as before spoke, the same harshness present, but somehow warmer. Almost like a welcome.
Dark Choco bowed to the guards, thanking them for their kind invitation, still in shock. Did the people genuinely believe him to still be their prince? He walked into the gates of the kingdom and scanned around. Villagers lived, children played, merchants sold, warriors trained, and snow fell; all the same as he remembered. Choco looked straight ahead, in the distance, his eye landed on the glorious Citadel; his father. Anxiety crept back into the prince’s mind, he was here, now, he must do it. He cannot turn back now.
As if on cue, the gates behind him were closed with a loud thud. The Watchers above, now aware of the opened gates, sharp eyes moved to find who entered. Dark Choco felt them from above, and his gaze moved upwards. His eye was met with more bowing soldiers, it was as if they awaited his return every day. Choco dipped his head down, timidly, moving quickly towards the backroads towards the Citadel. Did all these soldiers recognize him still?
Remembering his home so clearly now, he raced just as fast as his pounding heartbeat. To move quicker, he used the snow over roads and the non-patrolled roads; less distractions. Now, Dark Choco understood how much he longed for his father. He felt like a little boy again; like how scared he used to be of the heinous creatures outside. How he would run back home into his father’s arms, and his father would teach him how to slay those monsters. How when he got hurt his father, no matter how cold and distant, was always there. How his father trained him, and how his father kept him safe.
Dark Choco was running now, tears pricking his eyes, he wiped them with shaky hands. Safe, all Dark Choco wanted was to be safe again. In the Darkness, he was never safe, Beast-Yeast was horrific land. That witch manipulated him repeatedly, getting him to do her bidding, he’d had enough. He was tired, he was so tired. He wanted his father to watch over him, he wanted his father’s love.
Out of breath, Dark Choco reached the Citadel. His chest hurt as he wheezed from running in the cold, he wanted to go in, run to his father. Would his father even take him? Just because Dark Choco longed for his father, did his father long for him? Was his speech the last time they met just nonsense? Choco’s face was flush, along with his hands, running in the snowy weather was taking its toll; his body hurt. Visibility was decreasing, Dark Choco, even opening his closed eye, looked up towards the sky. Thick, gray clouds towards the eastern horizon; a storm was coming.
“Shit...”
Dark Choco needed to go inside, he was freezing to death, the tips of his nose and fingers started to hurt, badly. Walking towards the Citadel gates, he couldn’t figure out which was causing him to shake more, the cold or his fear. Reaching the gates, the guards, seeming to automatically recognize him, bowed down.
“Do you wish to enter, Prince?” A guard with a gruff voice spoke, older in age.
“...I do, good soldier...”
“His Majesty, the king, he is in his throne room, young man.”
“...”
“...”
“...Hurry inside, good prince, you’ll freeze if you stumble outside any longer.”
“...Thank you, kind warrior.”
“No, thank you...welcome home, Your Majesty.”
The grand gates opened swiftly; the guards continued to bow down as Dark Choco ran inside. Running through the corridors of the Citadel; warmth embraced him. He stopped in front of a large painting on the wall, deep purple curtains draped dramatically from above, golden tassels decorating the curtains. The painting, a portrait of the young prince, standing proudly next to his father. Dark Choco’s gaze didn’t leave the picture for some time, admiring it in its entirety. All the passing people in the halls stopped to witness the return of their great prince, they bowed to him, even though his back was turned to them. He had turned his back on them.
Turning around, Dark Choco gawked at the small group of warriors and workers that bowed before him. Tears stung his tired eyes once more, but they did not dare to fall down his face; what he had next to face was much greater than bowing people, it was his father.
He continued his hunt, running down the culture-filled halls. He felt like he belonged once more; was he truly back home? Time would tell, he thought. Coming to a halt for the final time, he stood in front of the entrance to the throne room. His head was spinning, he could hear his father inside. His voice was loud, gruff with age and time; it echoed in the large room and muffled behind closed doors. The guards out-front the throne room dipped their heads in respect, turning in perfect unison, they opened the doors.
“Take care of this matter immediately, it is of the utmost importance.” Dark Cacao’s voice boomed, Dark Choco slightly flinched hearing it. He spoke sternly to the man in front of him, most likely to be an advisor.
The man quickly bowed, mumbling something unheard, and disappeared to the other exit. The last time he was in proximity with his father, they had a bloody battle. Would he forgive what he’s done? No, he wouldn't, this was an awful idea, coming here. Dark Choco’s mind raced, sirens blared in his head to leave, that this was dangerous, that he was in danger.
All the guards in the throne room bowed down to Dark Choco; he was getting tired of all the bowing, who are they paying their respects to? A monster? They worshiped a fallen man, why did he deserve to be bowed to?
“...”
“Leave us.” The once booming voice was quiet, one could barely even hear it. Dark Choco snapped out of his thoughts as his father stared directly at him. Pain written all over his face, out of habit, Dark Choco took a fearful step back, squeezing the handle of his sword.
The guards quickly marched out, shutting the protective doors behind them. Left alone with a loud bang , an estranged father and son stood face to face. Cacao could not form words, and no words could describe what he wished to say to his son. He wished he could take everything back, go back in time, be a better man.
Love, why couldn’t he give it to the boy? His son suffered, why, because he did not know how to give...love? A fool, he thought of himself. He should not have the luxury of calling himself a father. Dark Cacao was a disgrace.
A shaky breath escaped Dark Choco; his teary eyes were wide. The bangs of his hair covered his scared eye; the scar his father gave him. He watched his father stand across from him, he noticed the king was holding his hands out in front of him, clasped still, like always, but they were trembling. Trembling, Dark Choco thought, he never trembles.
Silence enveloped the room; it suffocated both of them. It had been years since they’d seen each other, (in a nonviolent matter), they had so much to say to each other. Fear ripped out their throats, fear made them stiff, fear made them tremble, fear-
“...Father?” Dark Choco forced out words, his stomach did flips, his head spun, he would lose his balance any minute; he couldn’t take the silence anymore. Dark Cacao’s eyes didn’t leave the boy, his little boy.
“You’ve...you’ve returned home?” Dark Cacao’s throat finally opened; tears pricked his mighty eyes.
“...”
A small (involuntary) whine escaped Dark Choco’s mouth as he nodded, tears that he tried so hard to block, poured out like a faucet. His grip fell from his sword, the shined metal dropped to the floor with a clink, and so did Dark Choco. His hands rubbed his eyes in a child-like manner.
“My boy...” Cacao’s body let him move, his parental instincts kicked to high gear, as he watched his son fall, now weeping on the ground. He moved quickly towards him, kneeling. Tears trailed down Dark Cacao’s face as he (as gently as humanly possible), cupped his son’s cheeks.
Dark Choco looked up, quickly placing his own hands on top of his father’s. They cried together, at last. Everything that needed to be said didn’t matter then, Dark Choco sprang into his father’s embrace, gripping him tightly. The king held his son, fitting like puzzle pieces once more. The embrace lasted a lifetime, and that was okay with them.
“I’m...I’m sorry...” Dark Choco hiccupped out, holding his father close to him as he cried into his shoulder.
“Please, my son, it was I, I, ” Cacao trailed off; sadness overwhelmed him as he held Dark Choco closer, “do not blame yourself, child. I wasn’t nearly enough for you...”
“No! No, I...”
“You were young, any young child looks for their parents...I should have done better by you...”
“I almost murdered you. ” Choco looked up at Dark Cacao, he spoke harshly, teary eyed, and sniffling; he looked much like a child.
“I had almost done the same. I should have never sent you away, I should have kept you, helped you, but I did not. Now, look where we have come to...” Dark Cacao spoke sternly, degrading himself. Cacao pushed some of Dark Choco’s hair behind his ears, rubbing his tear-stained cheek. The king smiled sadly.
“I... I am sorry. I should have understood you; teenagers are difficult, after all...” Cao cracked a small smile, looking away from his son, tears fell down his face. Dark Choco placed his hand on top of his father’s; he felt safe again.
“I do forgive you, Father.”
“...You truly should not.”
“Well, I do.”
“...”
“I forgive you, my son.”
“...”
“You shouldn’t-”
“Hypocritical, my boy...” Dark Cacao embraced him once more, rubbing small circles on the back of Dark Choco’s head. He chuckled, and Choco laughed quietly. Dark Choco looked back up at his father; a genuine smile danced across his face. Cacao returned the smile, still sitting on the floor, the two cherished each other’s presence.
“I have much to tell you, father, that witch she’s- ”
“As do I, but I wish to not hear about this now, Son. Come, you need necessities, don’t you? How long have you been in those robes, hm?” Dark Cacao stood, pulling Dark Choco with him. Choco balanced himself, light-headed, he held his father’s arms.
“I’ve visited markets, Father. And please, I cannot take any more of this bowing ...”
A low laugh followed Dark Choco’s words; the prince pouted in response.
“I’m afraid you’d need to get used to it again, Son, you are still the prince of these lands...” It felt like taboo to be saying those words, Dark Choco looked up at his father, lingering tears fell down his face.
“No more tears, my dear boy, come we will get you checked with the medics, and find you something warmer to wear, yes? A proper meal, and you’ll have to be fitted for new garments as well…” Dark Cacao looked down at Choco’s face, he tensed at his words. Stopping himself, Cacao thought before speaking once more.
“Or, possibly tea, and some time for yourself…?” Cao wiped the tears gently from Dark Choco’s face. Cacao’s words were just as comforting. Dark Choco hugged his father, with no plans to let go, Dark Cacao returned the embrace.
“I want to stay with you.” Dark Choco mumbled, burying his head into his father’s shoulder.
“Then stay with me, my boy, we have all the time in the world...” Cacao played with his hair, leaving a gentle kiss to the top of his son’s head.
“I love you, Father…” Choco cautiously spoke, his hands gripping tighter on his father’s robes. Worry flooded his mind; was that the right words to say?
Dark Cacao’s mind raced; all his painful memories and all his regretful actions. He swore, this time it will be different. This time, Cacao knew he’d be the man, the father, his son needed. A tear fell down the king’s face, holding on to his little boy tightly.
“I love you too, my son.”