Chapter Text
Elder Faerie had always thought about the day that the Silver Tree would split open, it was a dark thought for sure, but even Elder Faerie knew magic, while powerful, would eventually weaken. His mind went through many ‘what if’ of what might have happened that fable day. Some darker ones where the tree would open and there would be nothing left of the cookies inside besides their crumbs, waiting to be laid to rest. Some were more hopeful, of the tree splitting and the Beast losing their power, being reduced to common cookies, so that no one had to fear their reign again. The one Elder Faerie found himself preparing for was the worst, where the tree breaks and the beasts are free, angry ready to tear the world of Earthbread to crumble. Even if his once friend might fight against him, he was ready for whatever the witch had in store.
He would have never guess, in the years he had been on Earthbread, he would end up with Shadow Milk Cookie resting in the Faerie Kingdom.
It happened when Pure Vanilla entered the Faerie Kingdom, Dark Enchantress launched an attack, trying to destroy the Silver Tree and free the monsters inside. And she was successful, even bringing back White Lily wasn’t enough, soon the tree cracked before splitting right down the middle. As the smoke cleared, Elder Faerie could see the Beasts for the first time in years .... they had looked at him with wide scared eyes, the kind an animal makes when they are corner, and they could see their death approaching.
They fled.
In all the years and what if, Elder Faerie had never thought about a possibility of them running once the tree was broken. They ran as if the tree was on fire, all the Beasts huddled close as if trying to protect themselves. However it was clear something else was up, as when Dark Enchantress tried to offer them a hand, Silent Salt stabbed her, something she had not been expecting…it was something even Elder Faerie didn’t expect. The beast left, leaving only behind an injured Dark Enchantress and some very stunned faeries.
And then there was the matter of the blue beast that was currently occupying one of the king’s guest rooms.
After everything, Pure Vanilla sent out letters to the rest of the Ancient Heroes, asking them to come to Beast Yeast to discuss what had happened, plus Dark Enchantress, currently being weakened, could help. Gingerbrave had suggested the idea to scout around the Faerie Kingdom, just to make sure no one was planning an attack.
When Pure Vanilla and the doughlings went out they had bumped into the beasts Shadow Milk and Mystic Flour, fighting some of the monsters Dark Enchantress commanded. Elder Faerie didn’t know all the details, but from what little he knew, somewhere during the fight Shadow Milk had been stabbed, and he summoned a portal sending Mystic Flour away before using his magic to destroy the monsters.
Pure Vanilla swore that Shadow Milk had protected them and he refused to allow the beast to die, even arguing with White Lily until Elder Faerie reluctantly prepared a room so the healer could help the injured beast. Now the Faerie king wasn’t stupid and prepared for when the Beast of Deceit dropped the act. Eyes watching inside the room, plants that would pick up on any sort of magic being used, should Shadow Milk sneeze wrong the king would have known about it.
But it had been two weeks….
Two weeks with Shadow Milk being in the guest room, being healed by Pure Vanilla, a process that wasn’t getting far considering Shadow Milk kept getting up and breaking his stitches.
And not once in those two weeks had the beast tried to use his magic….correction, he hadn’t tried to use his magic to hurt any cookie here. Shadow Milk had used his magic, he had tried to summon his portals on multiple occasions, oftentimes spiking his temperature and making him pass out. Other times the magic was nothing powerful, summoning his water to him or maybe a blanket. What was odd is that Elder Faerie knew Shadow Milk’s magic, it didn’t take a lot to possess someone, the Beast could do it as easily as a magic user could elevate a feather. He knew the beast could easily try to possess some of the fairies, causing the chaos and deception he once sewed before he was sealed away.
But yet Shadow Milk had not tried to harm anyone, the worst thing he seemed to do was to get up and leave, which was near impossible with his stitches. Multiple times cookies had found him wondering and they would lead him back to his room without any fuss. It had happened so often that even Mercurial Knight had stopped pointing his spear at the blue cookie, he still had it on him, but now he would just walk behind Silverbell as the smaller faerie would help the beast back to his room.
Witches above, it was all so confusing.
Pure Vanilla had questioned Elder Faerie about his view of the beasts. White Lily, having to explain that the beasts were actually a threat, even going as far as to show Pure Vanilla her memories, and how she helped the kingdom prevent the Silver Tree from breaking apart. Pure Vanilla did believe the words of the two.
But the King could understand the healer's hesitation, in all honesty, Shadow Milk acting more like the old Fount of Knowledge than the actual Beast of Deceit. There was no plans or chaos, above all else Shadow Milk just seemed to be annoyed to be bed bound. Gingerbrave, Strawberry and Wizard had spent time talking to the beast, probably judging if the king’s story fit. Yet the beast didn’t try to possess or control them, twist the truth, or anything like that, when they asked something he answered until he was tired enough to fall asleep.
“So is he really a beast?” Hollyberry asked, as she glanced towards the direction of Shadow Milk.
“He is.” Elder Faerie replied. “I know his magic is the same…but his actions…do not fit that of a beast.”
“Maybe his isolation in the Silver Tree broke the beast?” Dark Cacao offered.
“That could make anyone change their behavior.” Golden Cheese added.
“He wasn’t alone in the tree, but still, he shouldn’t be able to change, he is a beast.” Elder Faerie hissed out.
“I believe anyone can be redeemed and I believe that is what’s happening to Shadow Milk. He hadn’t tried to harm anyone since we took him in, sure he’s been fussy and annoyed but he is not the worst patient I’ve had.” Pure Vanilla countered.
“Yeah, we talk to him and he seems nice, answers our questions most of the time.” Gingerbrave added in. “Though sometimes he calls us brats before rolling his eyes, but Chili Pepper does that too.”
“He doesn’t seem to be focused on harming us.” Wizard Cookie added.
“No, he seems focused on leaving. Every time he starts to heal, he’ll get up and try to make a portal, always tearing his stitches and taking us back to square one.” Pure Vanilla admitted.
“It seems like all the Beasts behavior had changed, the cookies that were sealed away in the Silver Tree would have jumped at the chance Dark Enchantress had offered them.” Elder Faerie muttered.
“I think…Dark Enchantress is the more important threat right now…we will focus on the beast i-.” White Lily said but was cut off by Elder Faerie jumping up from the table, knocking his chair to the ground. “Elder Faerie?”
“The flowers have died.” The king muttered as he immediately began running towards the guest room.
The movement startled everyone and they soon began to chase after the king of the faeries. It was chaotic but the king had memories of the path, he threw open the guest door and charged inside, ready to take his sword to the Beast of deceit. However, before he even thinks, the point of a sword resting on his throat, drawing a thin drop of the king’s blood.
“Intruder!” One of the guards screamed.
“Is that one of the beasts?” Another voice asked.
“Don’t move, if he moves even an inch the king will be in danger.” Another added.
The group while their weapons are drawn dare not to move as they glare at the figure threatening their king. A male cookie, covered in black armor, a destroyed cape fluttering behind him, a Soul Jam, shaped like White Lily’s in the middle of his chest, and a helmet hiding his face.
Salt…
The Lord Commander
Silent Salt Cookie.
Elder Faerie looked into the mask of the cookie in front of him, he knew that no matter what happened in that tree, Salt would have never betrayed him, never truly fallen. Sure, he would play the role if needed but he would never threaten…truly corrupted….right….
However, as the king looked into the eyes, that would glance to the blue cookie before glaring back, he was questioning if he was wrong.
Pure Vanilla seemed to pick up on sighs the others had not, and quickly pushed himself forward as he yelled out. “We’re not keeping him prisoner!”
The sound caused everyone to jump, the knight moved his sword, but he quickly fixed that, now the side of his sword rested by the king’s neck, the threat obvious as he turned towards the healer.
“I swear, we’re not keeping him prisoner or hurting him. He has injuries, we are just trying to heal him. You can look and see his stitches on his stomach.” Pure Vanilla said before raising a hand to the Soul Jam on his body. “I swear it is the truth, let this Soul Jam fly off if it’s not.”
Of course nothing happened to the Soul Jam, the group watched the knight, they could see Salt’s eyes under the helmet narrow as he turned his head towards the blue cookie. In one quick movement, he let go of the sword with one of his hands and flung Shadow Milk’s covers off him. The stitches on him visible, where an ointment had recently been applied, the blue cookies didn’t wake up, likely from the medication Pure Vanilla had given him to fight off his recent infection.
The beast in front of them took in the sight before turning back to the group, they held their breath waiting for the knight's reaction. Eventually he took a step back, removing the blade from the king’s neck and responded by throwing it into the ground close by him, making the others jump. Especially considering the sword sunk about a foot into the ground.
The beast turned his back towards the group, his eyes focused on the blue cookie on the bed.
“Who is that?” White Lily asked.
“That is the Beasts of Silence…the youngest of the beasts, Silent Salt Cookie.” Elder Faerie said as he took part of his robe and pressed it against his throat, dabbing up the jam. Some of the faeries rushed to his side but he quickly hushed them away considering it was already healing.
The king’s eyes were locked onto the knight, Silent Salt had kneeled by the bed, his hand just barely touching the Beast of Deceit’s face, as if making sure he was actually there. Shadow Milk’s eyes slightly fluttered, confirming he was actually there. Silent Salt quickly placed an arm under Shadow Milk’s shoulders ready to lift him up, but when Salt tried to put the other hand under the blue cookie’s lower body, he let out a scream. Silent Salt jumped back at Shadow Milk’s scream, Pure Vanilla rushed over, ready to help but Silent Salt grabbed the healer’s wrist, hard enough to nearly snap his bone.
“I am trying to help.” Pure Vanilla pleaded. “I am not trying to hurt him, I promise. He has an infection, I am just trying to help him get better.”
Silent Salt didn’t reply but let go of the healer’s wrist. Pure Vanilla hissed but quickly went to work, his magic flowing through him as he quickly tried to use it to lessen some of the cookie’s pain.
“Shadow Milk cannot be moved in this state, he will need to stay here until he’s fully healed.” Elder Faerie said, making the armored Knight turn towards him. “I swear no harm will come to him so long as he doesn’t harm my subjects.”
The Knight seemed to not be happy with this, as he moved his hands to say something, most of the ancients and even the faeries didn’t know what the Beast was saying. The king just kept a neutral expression as he spoke again.
“Salt, why don’t you come with me for a talk?” Elder Faerie offered much to the horror of the cookies around him.
“Your majesty, you can’t!” Silverbell screamed.
“Elder Faer-” White Lily started to say before the king held up his hand.
“If the Beast wanted me dead, he would have killed me. He would not wait until I was alone…the blade was a threat, just wanting me to let Shadow Milk go.” Elder Faerie said. “Besides I am sure he will leave his blade here. I will keep my blade on me but leave my knights. Does that seem fair, Salt?”
Silent Salt didn’t respond verbally, but nodded, moving his helmet to confirm he agreed with the king’s conditions. Elder Faerie gave a slight nod as he took a few step backs, and gestured towards the door.
The Beast of Silence walked forward, causing most of the cookies to scramble out of the way, everyone noticed how the beast didn’t try to grab his sword. The dark knight walked forward, going towards a familiar path, the king began to follow after the knight, his hand resting on the sword.
The path led them deeper into the kingdom, until eventually they were at the edge of the kingdom, where they used to meet up. Elder Faerie let out a sigh of relief, Silent Salt reached up to take off his helmet, revealing the dough covered in scars, his eyes darker than when he was uncorrupted. Yet his eyes didn’t hold the fierce determination that they held back in Shadow Milk’s room, instead they held…sadness.
“We’re alone Salt…” Elder Faerie said, looking at his old friend. “I need some answers, please, will you tell me what happened in that tree?”