#A tiny bit of ElderFaerie stuff

[cisacoolkid]

What do you mean you accidentally created a baby??

It was a peaceful, oddly calm afternoon. The sky was a light, yet warm orange color, rather uncharacteristic of the colder colors of Yeast-Beast, let alone the Faerie kingdom. The air was rather warm, a clear indication that summer was close, flowers were blooming… the perfect time to run experiments, to continue her research on how Cookie kind was made, White Lily Cookie initially thought.And she was so terribly wrong, but for totally different reasons than one might think. She was in a panic, running through the royal palace’s long hallways, with one clear goal in mind: Find Elder Faerie Cookie.White Lily was holding- no, cradling a little bundle in her arms, made up from her cloak, holding it close to her chest as she ran.

To any bystander, the sight might've been rather peculiar, if not confusing. Seeing the Outsider from Crispia, who'd helped them seal those terrifying ancient Beasts away in the Silver Tree, looking like a scared, cornered animal, not paying anyone the time of day, just focused on running and running and…well, running.

It felt like hours had passed, and she was getting weaker the more she moved, reducing her sprint into a mere limp, as she finally reached The King's chambers. Her grip never relented on the small bundle she was carrying, still firm, yet gentle, as if its contents would break at the slightest squeeze.

White Lily took a moment to regain her composure, taking in deep, shaky yet soft breaths. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. But that was fair, she'd run a long way, from her own little research room, which had been very generously built for her, as per order from the Faerie King.

After a moment of hesitation, White Lily gently propped the little bundle in one arm, moved in front of the door, and extended the other towards it, knocking. It was gentle, as if she didn't want Him to hear. Maybe to try and make an excuse to herself, to go back where she came from.But soon, the Elder called out to her. “...White Lily, I know it's you, standing behind my room's door. Come on in, it's not locked.” Elder Faerie Cookie said, inviting her in.

White Lily sighed softly, cursing herself in her mind for having the audacity to bother the Faerie King, before slowly unlocking the door, and walking into Elder Faerie's chambers, closing it behind herself after, to avoid any curious servants or knights coming to peek.…after that, followed silence, with the Ancient awkwardly looking around, still holding the little bundle in her arms, with the King sitting at his desk, reading a book, she presumes. The room was left just as she last saw: gray walls, adorned by what she could only describe as Murals, representing the Silver Tree itself, and abstract depictions of the Witches. To her right, was one big, and beautiful stained glass window, its glass being of colors ranging from cold greens, to light purple shades.

Then there was the King's bed, which sat at the center of the room, a desk by its right, with a little bookshelf on the wall, and a little, less luxurious looking wardrobe on its left.

“..What brings you here, White Lily?” The King finally spoke, after a long, uncomfortable silence. The tension in his own voice could be felt, and White Lily figured that it'd be best to speak, instead of remaining silent.So, she cleared her throat, to try and calm her nerves, before finally talking.“...My King, I…need to-...oh, how do I put this..!” She started, quickly trailing off. She couldn't make up her own mind: she'd messed up, that much was clear. This..what she'd done…what she'd created shouldn't be talked about so lightly- but the Faerie King is the wisest Cookie here in the Faerie kingdom, and she doesn't have any way of contacting her friends…especially Pure Vanilla Cookie.

Elder Faerie waited patiently for her to speak, his eyes focused on the book he was reading, but still focused on the other Cookie inside his bedroom.“...I may have…I made a mistake.” White Lily finally vaguely muttered, her tone sounding so…discomforted, ashamed, it made the old King’s heart ache for her. Though he wouldn't show it. He couldn't. “White Lily, I…Would you mind, actually, telling me what's bothering you..? I may have a solution for your burdens, just…please, tell me, my friend.” Replied Elder Faerie, sounding serious, yet so…kind, and sincere, it made White Lily's own heart skip a beat, and her hold on her little…”mess”, as she put it, tightened slightly, but not by too much.The King finally closed his book, slowly getting up from his seat, mostly because of his old age. Yet, he still looked…heavenly, in the outsiders eyes. When he turned around, to face White Lily, his friend and ally, she lowered her gaze, out of embarrassment, and respect for him, the best she could do to replace kneeling before him.

“...What is that?” He asked, rather curiously, despite his mostly stoic expression. He raised a brow, and approached White Lily, and said little bundle, cautiously, slowly, to get a good look at both of them.And then, after a few steps, he saw the bundle move. Elder Faerie stopped for a second, blinking in silent disbelief, his wings, the bigger pair, which he mostly used as a makeshift cloak of his own, opened, slowly flapping out of curiosity.

“..White Lily, please, tell me. What…what is inside your cloak?” He asked a bit hesitant himself, taking one last step forward, standing directly in front of White Lily, looking down at the slightly shorter Cookie. White Lily took a long, deep breath, finally looking back up at the King, before using her free hand to push the cloak apart, like it was a blanket..and here, Elder Faerie was presented with the sight of a small, little Cookie, a baby, lightly wiggling inside the makeshift blanket. They had a slightly dark, tanned dough color, a few little light orange hairs on their head, and most importantly, one small, dark brown lily symbol on their forehead.

The baby looked slightly grumpy, with a little pout on their face; probably the reason why they had started moving.

Elder Faerie stood there, his stoic facade now faltering a tad, surprise now lining his features. White Lily, on the other hand, was feeling like she'd explode from shame, fear, and her own shock and confusion. Her head lowered once again. “...White Lily is that…” He started, slowly raising a gloved hand, up to the shorter Cookie's face, guiding her to look up at him once more. He gazed into her eyes, his own having such a soft, yet hesitant affection for her. She leaned into the touch, letting out a little discomforted whine, as he spoke once again, his tone gentle, as the initial shock from the discovery went away.

“..How did…this, happen, my friend?” He then asked, as his gaze slowly lowered towards the little baby White Lily was holding so gently, almost tenderly to her chest.

“..I don't really know. I-I was trying to understand the power of cookie cutters-...one thing led to another, and I somehow made a living Cookie on my own..” She explained, her concerned and scared look never going away. “..I don't- know what to do..! My King. That's..why I came to you for guidance..I've…never had small Cookies in my care, and I…I don't think I'd be able to take care of this..little one. Especially because they've…got a different anatomy than my own…” She then added, now also looking down at the small cookie in her arms. She moved a bit of the cloak hiding the baby’s back away, to reveal that the small, little thing, had…bee wings.

“...White Lily..” Elder Faerie started, now cupping the shorter Cookie’s cheek on his hand, trying his hardest to comfort his friend. “...I'm glad that you're..comfortable enough to tell me this. I can see your concern, and fear, and I want you to know that I'm here for you.” He reassured, giving her a small, comforting smile.“I can see that the little one has…rather unique features..tell me, what did you use to bake them?” He then asked, thinking that he'd first need to get a basic understanding of this…little Cookie…bee? “...I didn't have many ingredients on me, only the basics, except milk. But I found some honey in one of the shelves in the room you and your kingdom made for me..so I used it as a replacement..maybe that's what gave them their bee attributes.”

White Lily admitted, looking back down at her little creation. “..though I'm also sure that a few…crumbs fell from my hands. I've since stopped..hurting myself for survival, but the scars are still there.” She adds, muttering a bit…

“Hm… then, we can assume that the life powder transferred from your..crumbling hands brought this little Cookie to life.” Elder Faerie concludes, and White Lily nods in agreement.

“What do you plan to do with them?” Elder Faerie then asked out of the blue, still eying the small Cookie in White Lily Cookie's arms, which was now wiggling a bit more, their little, nubby wings twitching as they tried to struggle their way out of the Ancient's arms, to no avail.

White Lily sighed, before giggling a tad at the baby's antics, before turning her attention back to the King. She was much calmer now, as if the Faerie King's mere presence were to have soothed her.

“I…honestly don't know. I can't leave them- Yeast-Beast is a dangerous place, and even if I were to…find a village somewhere, who knows in what hands they'd fall into..?” She replies, her tone a mix of care, and uncertainty, unsure whether or not to keep the baby she baked as her own.

“Personally, I believe that'd you’d…be a great mother, White Lily.” Elder Faerie commented, giving the shorter Cookie an…almost loving gaze. And a smile. At that, White Lily blushed faintly, hiding the feeling of butterflies fluttering inside her stomach with a soft laugh. She gave the King a just as sweet look, accompanied by a little smile.“My King…that's very nice of you..but I doubt that I'd be able to handle such a small and…rowdy thing.” She said, giving the small little, wiggling bee Cookie a glance. Their movements had gotten a bit more frantic, before finally slumping against her, letting out a little noise of frustration. And White Lily, without hesitation, started to cradle the baby in her arms, resting one of her bandaged hands on their little head to try and comfort them, and avoid a crying fit. And it worked cause the small thing was out of it in..minutes.

Elder Faerie just watched, looking stoic, but feeling impressed by White Lily. She was a great magic user, and a great caretaker. The Outsider always doubted her own abilities, but the Faerie King could immediately tell that this baby was in the right hands.

“My friend, I believe that you're underestimating yourself..I can see it in the way you're acting right now, that this baby will be in the right hands..and even then, given that you're staying here, in our kingdom, for the time being, you can always ask us faeries for help..I know that I wouldn't mind. You've done a lot to help us, it's only fair that we repay the favor.” Elder Faerie said, slowly moving his hand away from White Lily’s cheek, down to her shoulder, in an act of reassurance and solidarity. “..thank you, my King..” She replied, her soft smile only getting bigger, and her features losing all that stress and tension they previously had. “...I’m…sorry if this request is of any disturbance to you..but could we please sit down?..I, ran all the way over here and-” White Lily started, but before she knew it, the Elder gently guided her to his bed, having no problem letting her and the baby sit in his room with him.

She sighed softly, sitting by the edge of the bed, to avoid taking up too much space, and finally setting the baby on her lap, her gaze set on her…accidental creation. Hm, that…it didn't sound right, to call them that, this baby is much more than an accident, something she wants to keep close to her.

“..What are you gonna name it, White Lily?” Elder Faerie suddenly asked, as if he'd read her mind, making White Lily's heart skip a beat. She gave the Elder a glance, a quizzical one. “...hm. Well..I used a lot of sugar in…the recipe. And honey, but this…little Cookie's personality is anything but soft…uh..how about Amber Sugar?” She proposed, looking up at Elder Faerie (and only now she noticed that he was sitting a foot or two away from them, giving them space, but still wanting to stay by her and the baby’s- Amber Sugar Cookie's side). She blushed a bit, this time a bit more visible, and despite her best efforts to try and hide her cheeks with her hair, it was pointless…and Elder Faerie didn't comment on it.

“...Amber Sugar..ah, that sounds like a strong, but lovely name. I like your way of thinking, White Lily.” Elder Faerie commented, he too, was blushing juuust a bit. He gave her a smile, and she reciprocated it.

Then, White Lily went back to giving attention to Amber Sugar, with Elder Faerie watching. The small Cookie had woken up once they got on the bed, and now that they were receiving attention, they were definitely a bit more active, grabbing the air, or holding onto White Lily's damaged, but bandaged fingers when she offered them. “..look at them go..” She cooed at them, watching as Amber Sugar wiggled in their makeshift blanket. Speaking of which…“You know, I think we should get them proper baby clothes..” Elder Faerie mindlessly commented, as he watched the mother and…child, playing. “And a crib…and entertainment. And a proper blanket too.” He mused a bit, looking down at Amber, as they played with White Lily's hand as if it were a toy. They were a tad clumsy in their movements, but so are all babies.

White Lily just gave him a few hums of acknowledgement, most of her attention revolving around Amber Sugar for now; but Elder Faerie didn't mind, just enjoying the latter's company.

That said, they fell back into now comfortable silence, only interrupted by Amber Sugar's little baby noises, and White Lily's lovely laughs. Their figures illuminated by the afternoon sun.

The future may be uncertain, for them, the Faerie kingdom, the Silver Tree…but as long as they had each other, they'd manage to pull through.