Chapter Text
Everything was black. An endless abyss, devoid of light.
The sensation to feel informed him that it was cold. Not icy, but cool, like feeling the light refreshing breeze on a summer day.
Scratch that, when was he able to enjoy summer? Ever since he settled and built an academy of his own, he didn't have much time to enjoy the passing seasons or even a moment of time for himself. Every waking day was spent answering questions, passing his knowledge, pouring over his research and projects, reading over paperwork after paperwork-
Doing the same routine, over and over. It didn't feel boring, at least he thought so. The monotony felt comforting actually. Not having to worry over any untoward or unexpected events and letting his day progress smoothly as fine butter made an itch inside him settle. It was like having his anxiety relax, that unease he never knew he had cooling down and becoming an afterthought while he went on his day.
But, of course, there was a but.
The peaceful days began to feel torturous. This thing, calling itself the "Light of Deceit" worming itself into his thoughts at every chance it gets.
What with that thing's sickly sweet whispers poisoning his thoughts, preying on him every time he was vulnerable. It was hell. It drove him mad, made him tempted to pull his hair like it would save him the headache of hearing that cloying voice taunt him to no end unless it felt satisfied. What was worse was that it kept its visits unpredictable. No pattern for him to follow, no indication of him knowing it was coming.
It just entered his mind whenever it felt like it and start playing with him like he was just another dumb, unassuming cookie.
He was far from dumb, or unassuming! He wasn't even a proper cookie! Compared to mortal cookies at least.
He was the Fount of Knowledge, beacon of truth and one among the five virtues blessed by the creators themselves!
It irked him, how that voice kept undermining his confidence and planting seeds of doubt, how it always knew how to convince with masterfully constructed lies and weaving true logic that he just can't refute.
It was infuriating, so undeniably frustrating—!
He woke up with a gasp, followed by a raspy cough that made him feel his throat to be the driest its ever been. His eyes open, blearily scanning the room and eventually burning his eyes by moving his head to his open window.
He left it open again.
A sigh slipped past his lips, long and quiet as he brings his palm to press against his eyes, falling back to his pillow with a groan.
A dream, the same one. A repeat of all the others, although this one he actually got to feel, not like the usual numbness that poured over him.
As much as it soured his already bad mood, he was thankful the glaring morning light almost rendered him blind. It grounded him, pulled him back from the dreamworld and back on land.
It reminded him that he was no longer on Earthbread, but on a different, albeit slightly similar world entirely.
He sat back up, kneading the bridge of his nose as he tries to get his thoughts in order. Across his bed and a bit to his right, there stood a grand and tall mirror. The cookie looking back was pale, bordering on sickly with long black hair cascading behind their back in soft waves with it's tips faded a dark blue hue. The locks of hair twinkled with small white stars, glowing faintly despite the brightness of the room.
Sharp azure eyes stared back at him, sporting concerningly deep eyebags and a hollow stare.
Astral Milk Cookie stared back at his own reflection, blinking tiredly. Right. No more Shadow Milk Cookie, but Astral Milk Cookie. Firstborn son of concubine Divine Milk Cookie and fourth prince of the Dairy Empire.
He woke up feeling numb, as usual. The feeling of emptiness washed over his body, coating him in a somewhat pleasant mood.
A knock resounded from the double door to his chambers, sharp and heavy.
"Lord Astral? I've come to serve your morning tea."
A voice he didn't recognize spoke up, light and muffled by the doors. It seems his usual butler isn't the one serving him this morning.
"Enter," He called out while gracefully (as he could) got out of bed, taking the robe draped over his desk chair and quickly putting it on. Turning around he saw the maid setting his tea down, hands slightly shaky and her head bowed.
Not a surprising reaction, but he couldn't help rolling his eyes. Would it kill them to know he couldn't hurt them either way? Like he'd ever do it in the first place because he's a busy man, bothering with other lowly cookies hardly fits his schedule.
He sat on the open chair, flicking a stray hair off his face while carefully swirling his teacup. Even the tea changed today too.
"Then I shall—"
"Stay."
He interrupted her, ignoring the flinch he saw in his peripheral vision. Well, well, well. Isn't this just pathetic?
He kept his mouth from turning into a sneer. So they swapped his butler with a timid maid who can't even perform a poison assassination right? How low. He almost felt pity for the maid involved. Almost.
"Go and fetch the guards outside, I have a task for them." He sighed, lowering his teacup and bringing a biscuit to his mouth.
"Y-yes, my lord."
She hurried towards the doors, clutching the tray to her chest as she quickly spoke to the knights standing guard outside his room. Once done and two knights were kneeling on the floor, he took one glance at them to know one was involved in this child's play assassination.
"I've brought them, my lord." The maid bowed at a perfect ninety degree angle. They hired someone really incompetent for this.
"You, the redhead. Arrest this maid and the other knight."
At his order, three heads snapped up and stared at him like he'd grown two heads. Before his mood gets ruined, thankfully the redhead knight moves quickly and restrains the other knight followed by the maid, pained groans and muffled shouts echoing within the large room.
"My lord! Please, explain the meaning of this!"
The maid cried, white cream hair tousled from it's sleek bun. The restrained knight thankfully kept his mouth shut, eyes closed with frustrated defeat.
"I'm arresting you for poisoning a royal member, what else?" He drawled, wiping the crumbs off the ends of his mouth. "An amateur could tell something was off from a mile away. Now zip your mouth and leave. And you," he directed his stare at the redhead knight, watching his entire form snap into focus. "Send a word to your commander to keep his pets on a leash."
Astral Milk cookie spat, glaring at the cookies struggling on the floor.
"I will do so, my lord," the redhead knight nods and quickly brings the two restrained cookies up, dragging them out of the room.
"… Ugh. What a way to start the morning," Astral Milk cookie grumbled while pinching the bridge of his nose. Only the chirps of bluebirds outside his open window responded.