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The night was quiet and calm, not a bluebird to be steered or a sheep disturbed. The full moon shone brightly onto the kingdom, which lay in peaceful slumber.
Though not all were confined to the cozy comfort of their own blankets and pillows. No. One cookie was still very much awake, despite the late hour.
A hooded figure, blending into the shadows surprisingly well, navigated the empty hallways with practiced ease, having traveled them countless of times before. His journey halted at a big door for just a moment. Just long enough to open it and slip into the room behind it, undetected.
The door closed with a soft click behind the intrude, and for a moment all was silent as he waited to see if his entrance had stirred anyone awake. But no one rouse, and the quiet breaths of the sleeping stayed undisturbed.
Bicolored eyes took in the bedchamber stretching out in front of him, as he stepped away from the door. It’s decoration was far removed from the usual style associated with the Cookie Kingdom. Strong golds and blues, instead of soft yellows and whites, accompanied by distinctly dessert themed plants and architecture. Ginger Brave had taken a page out of his own playbook, doing his best to make sure that his guests would be able to feel at home in his castle. Especially when they were frequent visitors.
The decor was hardly of interest now though. No, instead his focus lay on the centerpiece of the room: a big, almost gigantic, round bed. Less lavish in design than what the occupants were probably used to, but still mirroring the same distinctly “golden city” design present in the rest of the decor, and filled with an almost ridiculous abundance of pillows of the finest quality.
He hadn’t said anything back then, when he had first seen it, but part of him couldn’t help but question if the bed wasn’t overkill in some parts. Then again, should one really expect anything less from the queen of greed herself? Speaking of which…
Making sure to keep his steps quiet, he approached the bed. The light of the moon, which fell through the windows, just barely reached past the border of his hood to illuminate Pure Vanillas face as he gazed down upon Golden Cheese Cookie.
The golden sovereign was out cold, submerged in a deep, peaceful slumber. Unaware of the intruder lurking at her bedside. As was to be expected. It had been all too easy to arrange a drinking contest between the most greediest of them all, and the most enthusiastic one. Both queens being utterly incapable of resisting the beckon call of a friendly competition, even if the winner had been clear from the start, leaving greed to be bested by passion.
It probably wasn’t the most noble thing to do, tricking his friends into getting black out drunk. But it had been the only thing he could think of to achieve his goal. Golden Cheese was the most protective of her Soul Jam after all. Always carrying it on her person, never taking her eyes off it. And for good reason.
But he needed it. He needed her Soul Jam.
This was the last challenge he had to face. If he managed to overcome this most difficult hurdle, managed to steal the unstealable from greed personified, then there would be nothing left standing in his way.
His fingers twitched with the desire to reach out. Grab hold of it. To claim it for himself…!
He nearly gave in, almost foolishly, had it not been for a small snore, which origin didn’t hail from the sleeping queen. A quiet sound, which reminded him that, even with Golden Cheese thoroughly knocked out, he couldn’t be hasty and just grab it. The Soul Jam was still securely placed on top the queens head, embedded in her crown. And while he didn’t have to worry about Golden Cheese waking up, the same was not true for her companions.
Pure Vanillas eyes moved from the Soul Jam, to the person that currently served as the pillow for the greedy queen's head. Burning Spice Cookie was just as asleep as Golden Cheese. It was almost ironic that, out of all of them, it was these two that started to share a bed. Not like he was one to judge though.
Any other day, waking Burning Spice would have probably been the biggest danger of this mission. But Pure Vanilla was in luck, it seemed. Just like the queen, the harbinger hadn’t been able to resist the alcohol fueled challenge. He guesses it shouldn’t have been surprising. Those two did share the same Soul Jam in the past, after all.
That left only one true danger to look out for. He looked to the last member of the trio. Smoked Cheese Cookie laid on Burning Spices other side. Asleep like his companions, while the beast had one arm around the smaller cookie's waist. But contrary to his two lovers, Smoked Cheese didn’t get drunk. Someone who was always alert, cautious, calculating…it wasn’t far fetched to assume that he’d be a light sleeper on top of all that. If Pure Vanilla were to accidentally wake him, there would be no option to get what he came here for. A former thief himself he might be, but there would be no way Smoked Cheese would allow the queen's Jam to be stolen by someone else. And with how distrusting the other could be, the chances of Vanilla convincing him that his reasons for being in their chambers, in the middle of the night, weren't of… “morally grey” nature, were almost non-existent.
In fact, Smoked Cheese was already slightly stirring in his sleep, as if the mere presence of an intruder had been enough to disturb his slumber. So Pure Vanilla was glad that he had come prepared.
One hand wandering underneath his cloak, the holder of the Light Of Truth pulled a small pouch from a hidden pocket. It wasn’t anything fancy. Nothing more than a poultice, used to help with sleep. A little something he had learned, all those uncountably many years ago, when he was still attending school.
Holding his breath, as to not breath in the sleep inducing scent directly, his staff emanated a slight glow as he activated the enchantment slumbering in the small pouch. The poultice was placed onto the bed, close to Smoked Cheese Cookie, easily enough after that. The strong, enchanted, herbal scent emitting from it showed an almost immediate effect as the other relaxed in his slumber.
Looking at him like this, Pure Vanilla felt a sliver of guilt gnawing at his dough. Golden Cheese subjects had gone through a lot, tasting death once before. Smoked Cheese was no exception to that. Pure Vanilla was no fool. He was fully aware what him taking the Soul Jam, taking the Light Of Abundance, would mean for Smoked Cheese.
But sometimes, sacrifices had to be made. Especially if it was for the greater good of everyone else.
Surely Golden Cheese would understand, sooner or later. Once all of this was over and she could see just how necessary this sacrifice was.
He took a breath to steel his resolve. Banish every doubt from within. He came this close. There was no turning back now. Determined to follow through with his plan, Pure Vanilla turned his eyes back onto his main target. The faint moonlight glistened on the queen's Soul Jam, giving it a soft glow in the dark of the night.
It got eclipsed by his shadow when he reached out a hand to grab it.
The headpiece came off ridiculously easy. It barely weighed anything as he took it.
Golden Cheese stirred slightly, and he held his breath in anticipation for her to wake up. But all she did was shift slightly to lay more comfortable on her partner's chest. A faint smile on her lips as she continued to sleep, none the wiser of what she just lost.
Pure Vanilla breathed a quiet sigh as he held the acquired Jam to his chest. He had what he had come for. There was no point in sticking around any longer and risk blowing his cover.
He had just turned his back towards the sleeping trio, when a quiet murmur, a rustling of sheets, stopped him in his tracks.
“...Pure…Vanilla Cookie…? ‘That you?” The voice was but a whisper, conscious of not wanting to wake the others. Naturally of a deep timber, now even deeper and raw with sleep and leftover intoxication. It made his strawberry jam run cold under his dough as he stood frozen for a moment.
Figured a herbal poultice would not work on someone who grew up with his nostrils burned by spice storms, like Burning Spice. Still, it was unfortunate that he had woken despite his drunken state. Maybe Golden Cheese had awoken him when she stirred? Though it wasn’t like the ‘how’ or ‘why’ mattered anyway.
Taking a quiet, steadying breath, Pure Vanilla pulled the Soul jam closer. Carefully hiding it under the corner of his cloak as he put on a smile and turned towards the beast halfway.
“Ah, forgive me for waking you, my friend!” His voice came out with a practiced lightness, matching Burning Spice quiet tone. If the other two were to wake, he’d be in a pinch. As things stood now, his best bet was to convince the beast to go back to sleep. Ideally before he’d notice that the queen was missing an essential part of her very being.
“I just wanted to make sure that Golden Cheese was doing okay. She was quite drunk when she left earlier”, he continued talking.
“ ‘n the middle of the night?” Burning Spice yawned, one arm around the queen's shoulders to keep her settled when he sat up ever so slightly.
Pure Vanilla did his best to not visibly tense. “You know how it is sometimes. I just couldn’t sleep without being sure that she was okay!” The laugh that left his lips was quiet, and he was relieved to find that it didn’t betray his nervousness.
“But I don’t want to keep you awake any longer. Please, continue your rest. I was just taking my leave anyways.” He turned away, facing the door again. Calling himself to mind to not flee. To keep his retreat casual.
“If you say so…” Burning Spice mumbled. He didn’t sound convinced, but evidently he was too tired, and maybe too drunk, to push the topic. Small mercies of the witches, truly.
“Goodnight, Burning Spice”, Pure Vanilla bid his goodby as he reached the door, receiving nothing but a sleepy, incoherent murmur in return.
Once he had stepped into the halfway beyond, the door quietly closing behind him, his smile dropped and he finally felt like breathing easier again. This encounter had been too close for comfort. He could truly call himself fortunate that the beast hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
Or maybe it had been a sign from the universe itself.
Tugging his hood deeper into his face again, his features set in determination, Pure Vanilla hurried down the familiar halls. He had a ride waiting for him. Come morning, he would be back in his own kingdom. And by the time the others would be able to catch up with him, it would be far too late.
There was nothing left in his way to stop him from achieving perfect, eternal peace!