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“… What have you done?”
The forms of Dark Cacao, Hollyberry, and Golden Cheese lay around them, lifeless.
It had not been easy, with all of them attacking at once. The so-called battle was an ambush, a last-ditch attempt at stopping her. It had been brutal and taken much longer than she had anticipated, but she had emerged victorious.
“Fools, all of you,” she ground out, as she staggered to where Pure Vanilla knelt. “You should have known better than to confront me.”
He did not respond.
She peered down at him, taking in his crumbling form. His face was tired and worn, and his staff lay next to him, barely moving.
It was strange, to see him in such a state.
“… You are not long for this world. Any last words?”
Once more he said nothing, but he raised his gaze to hers.
She knew that look.
It was the same one the others had had, before the final blows. Golden Cheese had that expression as she cried vengeance for her shattered kingdom. It was likewise for when Hollyberry pleaded about trust, and when Dark Cacao begged forgiveness from his long gone son.
Everything was right about over.
Pure Vanilla finally broke his silence. “So many lives have been lost. Was it all worth it?”
She closed her eyes briefly. “Yes. All that remains is me… and the Witches.”
“But everyone… your old friends and your comrades, none remain.”
“The same can be said for you.”
His voice shook. “Our time has long since passed. Neither of us should be standing here today.”
“And yet, we are.”
“Do you see how? We both stand on a mountain of corpses. Innocent lives.”
She ignored the tightness in her chest. It was just like him, to be so sentimental in his remorse. “For all causes, sacrifices must be made. Isn’t that what you told me back then?”
“I didn’t mean this,” he cried, gesturing to the fallen heroes. “They were our friends! Our comrades-in-arms!”
“Spare me. Were they thinking of me as a friend when they launched this attack?”
“You know very well their reasons,” he said, his fury rising. “Then what about those who have faithfully served by your side? Why did you repay their devotion with betrayal?”
At the mention of Pomegranate and Red Velvet, Dark Enchantress’s anger surged. “SILENCE. You have no right to speak of them!”
Pure Vanilla did not falter. “For the sake of power, you sacrificed them both. Do you truly feel no regret?”
She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath before forcing a smile. “Brilliant. You always were one step ahead of me. But now that you’re cornered, you have nothing but empty words.
I’ll humor you with a response. Yes, I stand by my decision. I’d wager my soul jam that they knew just what to expect when this war was coming to an end.”
He looked to her with censure. “They did not. They were mere children when they followed you! And you twisted them and used them for your own gain.”
“As if. They understood me, and I them. Do not speak of that which you know little of,” she snapped.
“Did either of them know that you would wrest control of the cake army? Or that you would sacrifice one of them for forbidden magic? Are you listening to yourself?”
She forced her hands to stop shaking. “… They would both be happy to know that they have contributed to my victory here today.”
There was a moment of silence in which he surveyed her intensely. She did not know what to make of his expression.
Ah.
Something jogged her memory. It was that look. The one he had leveled her with at the Academy, before he ceased their meetings at the greenhouse, and left their research. She remembered that day clearly as that was when he had stopped smiling at her.
Tears fell down his cheeks as he slowly stood up. “I finally understand. You truly are lost.”
She waited, expecting him to say more.
He rushed at her instead.
A trap!
Dark Enchantress had not anticipated such a move. The shock of it delayed her reaction by a second, but it was enough for him to close in on her.
Just as he grabbed her by the shoulders, she pulled a dagger from her sleeve and pierced it straight through his heart.
He coughed and choked at the impact. She tore the dagger back and moved to push him down, but he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
“...You...what are you doing?”
Was this some sort of trick?
When were they last like this? It was long ago, back on his coronation day in Vanilla Castle. But as he pressed into her, the sensation felt as familiar – and warm – as before.
“I’m sorry, Lily,” he whispered, between gasping breaths. “I… couldn’t protect you… I couldn’t help you…”
And with that, his grip loosened and he slumped forward.
He too, was now gone.
-~-
She held him for some time, in that stunning and deafening silence.
It was hard to believe that he had truly passed. He was still warm to the touch when she brushed her fingers over his forehead and closed his eyes.
His mouth was slightly open; she expected him to curse her, to reprimand her, to talk to her. But he did none of those things now.
She looked at his exhausted face. It was wrinkled from time, and bruised from their battle. In the old days, it had been handsome, vibrant, and kind. Whole. She used to liken his expressions to the sun.
The source of her cacophony was finally gone, but that did not explain the growing ache in her chest, or the tears that slid down her cheeks.
Maybe…
Now that he could no longer intrude on her plans, she could return to those thoughts. The thoughts from the past, that included his smile, his laughter, and his love.
She touched his cool cheek. Perhaps they would give her the strength to push on with the battles to come. To finish this fight with the Witches, once and for all.
She knew she had to go. She had lingered for too long.
But before she let him go for the last time, she touched his hand.
There was a rush of memories – of their meeting at the Academy, the sunny days spent in the greenhouse, and his gentle gaze on the day of his coronation. All dazzling and bright and warm. Now, just whispers, vanishing in the onslaught of time.
But she remained. She alone would hold on to those moments.
Goodbye.