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In a kingdom on the far outskirts of Vullenski, there lived a great king. The king was named Jeffery Bezos of the Amazon kingdom. Jeffery ruled fairly and invited the interest of many individuals, including Berkeley, who sported eyes of mahogany wood shelves and hair the color of roasted chestnuts. He fell in love with the individual, their love vast enough to take on the miles of the sea.
The two lovers came to be wedlock, and became a family of them and two cats named Sunikon and Mistyeye. The family was beloved throughout the kingdom, and joy spread in immense amounts when it was found that the royal couple were expecting a child. Festivals were thrown in the name of the unborn child, Adam Sandler Bezos.
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“Berkeley,” Jeffery would whisper to them late at night, moon soaked light reflecting worry lines upon his skin. “I fear for what the future may hold for our child.”
Berkeley turns to face him in the soft glow of night. “What is this you speak of, my love? Our dear Adam will live a glorious and richful, long life.”
“I understand he will, I truly do, and seeing you so thrilled for our child makes me so very happy. However…” He trailed off, eyes uncertain.
Berkeley brings their hands up to his face and holds it lovingly in their hands. “Tell me, my sweet. What are your worries for our child, so may I soothe them.”
“What if our sweet Adam grows to be spoiled and boastful?” Jeffery clung closer to Berkeley. “Tell me, what shall we do if our sweet boy grows to be resentful of our great kingdom and the people within it?”
“We will raise him right, my love.” Berkeley pressed their lips to his forehead. “Adam will grow to be a strong, healthy, good willed young man.”
With that, Jeffery smiled, his worries dissolving into nothing but love for his dear spouse. They held him closer and the two fell into slumber.
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However, not all happiness can last long. 4 months after the discovery of the pregnancy, the unborn child was found to be dead.
“The doctors said something among the lines of the heart not being formed correctly.” Jeffery sobbed into Berkeley’s arms. “My dear child, formed without a heart!”
“Your majesty, I understand you're going through immense grief at the time,” Chief Minister Elon Musk had tried to say in a calm voice. “But you have a kingdom to run. While I can take some situations under my supervision, the kingdom cannot function without its king.”
“What do you know of grief.” Jeffrey spat at him with poison lacing his voice.
“Darling, I believe you should listen to Sir Musk.” Berkeley tried to coax him out of his grief crazed ramblings.
“You’re agreeing with him?” He ripped away from Berkeley’s arms, face contorted in betrayal and torment. “You cretin! How dare you choose someone else’s word over mine! I thought you loved me, such as the trees love the sun! You’re a traitor.
“That child was the breath of my lungs, and I swore should he ever perish, I shall follow.”
He ran out the door, leaving the two in stunned silence. Berkeley turned to Musk and assured him that Jeffery would be better in time.
It only got worse from there
Jeffery would go days without any sighting of him and show up in the garden near the cherry blossom tree. Berkeley would often be the one to find him, offering soothing words as they guide him back to the castle. He would mumble words of despair and how the plants were wilting, just like his unborn child’s heart. Berkeley would hear him curse the gods in his sleep for taking away his son before light could touch his eyes, and sob out in cries for mercy.
He refused to do any work relating to his kingship, instead regressing to staring at the garden and watching the fire eat away fresh logs like he did as a child. This left most of the work to Musk and Berkeley, resulting in the two spending much of their time together. They had some help from Sir Mark Zukerberg who was in charge of trading and other external affairs, but a majority of the work came down to the pair.
Jeffery grew more distant and Berkeley became more invested in running the kingdom. It came to a point where Berkeley would often sleep in the office whereas Jeffery would rest in the sunroom. The kingdom noticed their separation and everyone took affect to it. Marketplaces became less busy, the fruit trees had become rotted. It was like Bohn himself had sucked the color out of the world.
The people became wary of Jeffery’s sunken eyes whenever he made an appearance. It was clear to everyone that whoever looked at the man would become beheaded, as he was so lost in his grief his sympathy had dissipated like dew in the sun.
On a night much more rare than it should be, Berkeley had crawled into bed along with Jeffery. Both would not speak a word until far in the night, a whisper could be heard.
“Get out of my castle.”
“What?” Berkeley flipped over and gazed at Jeffery, only to find their gaze landing on the back of his head.
“I know what you and Elon Musk have been doing. You really think you could cheat on me without me noticing?”
“Darling I don’t know what you’re-”
“Do not call me such names!” Jeffery planted his feet upon the scratchy carpet of the bedroom and stood to face Berkeley. “Do not think I don’t hear your lies fall upon your honey dipped voice! I see the way you sneak off to the office quarters, whispering to him as if you share secrets like young school girls! I want you out of my castle by sunrise or you shall face your execution!”
“Jeffery, where is this coming from?” They gape at Jeffery, searching for an answer in his cold brown eyes. But there was none, just hatred.
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By sunrise, Berkeley had fled the castle and into the deep woods where they were sure Jeffery’s men would not find them. They traveled an old beaten down path, relying on muscle memory to guide them. It was cold, finding no mercy in Virf’s wrath. Some time during the trek, Berkeley wondered what they did to earn the God of Nature’s hatred. Maybe it was the same thing Berkeley did to upset the God of Life and Death, Bohn. Either way it was unimportant and they needn’t dwell on it.
Within two hours in the forest, Berkeley came upon a familiar cottage. It was from a time before meeting King Bezos, when they were young. The door was unstable on its hinges, having been neglected for the past 5 years. Berkeley took a deep breath of dusty, old air.
“It’s been a long time, old friends.”
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The old rusted sun dial is their only mark of time, shadows the only escape from the hot Vullenski sun. It was a hard life, but Berkeley had far ago become accustomed to it, the calluses reforming on soft hands. It was difficult to readapt every since their 5 years in the castle, but necessary. However after spending 5 months away from the comfortable life of royalty, it was almost like they never left.
Today was Berkeley’s biweekly trip into town to gather items such as ink and thread for their projects. They would also go down to collect their money from what items of theirs sold at the marketplace. In Berkeley’s time here, they had become acquainted with some of the townsfolk, one even offered to open a joint stand with them where they would get some of the profit of what items of theirs were sold. Berkeley spent most of their time at their cottage, but enjoyed their time in the small town of Disnord.
For this trip they adorned a light blue cloak with a simple shirt and brown trousers for an outfit. They arrived at the town and made a beeline for the marketplace, hoping it wasn’t too busy so some time could be spent chatting with their co-owner. The gods had granted their wish, seeing only a few groups of people roamed the market.
“Berkeley! So glad to see you.” A voice came from the flower stand. “How have your mountain avens been growing?”
“They’ve been growing just fine, thank you Adrianna.” they stepped towards the stand, a soft smile growing on their face. “How has Ryland been doing?”
“She’s been well. We’re getting the wedding arrangements set up.” Adrianna beamed at Berkeley. “It should be ready in a few weeks.”
“I’m so glad to hear that. You two deserve each other.”
“I don’t deserve her, that’s for sure.” Adrianna let out a chuckle. “Codius said they were waiting for you.”
“Ah, yes. I must depart then.” Berkeley turned around and waved. “See you soon!”
They made their way through the marketplace before stopping at a well kept stand, the sign and counter polished and covered in a divine silk.
“Codius? Are you around in there?” they called out.
A response rang out from behind the partition near separating the storage from the customers. “I’ll be there in a second, B! Just give me a bit.” The sound of skin hitting wood came and a loud curse not far behind.
“Not a problem. Do you need some help?”
“Nah I’m good.” A head of black and red appeared in front of them. “Are you here for your paycheck?”
“And to drop off a few more quick selling items.” Berkeley handed Codius a basket filled with small clay trinkets packaged nicely and neatly. “However my share of money would be expected, wouldn’t it?”
“I’ve got that right here for you.” Codius places the basket under the counter and hands them an envelope. “Hundred twenty bills and counting. Check yourself if you do so please.”
Berkeley pocketed the envelope and gave a pleasant smile. “I am sure you have given my money the amount it was arranged. You always give me the right amount.”
“Not a penny more, not a penny less.” Codius’s eyes lit up and twisted around, searching for something. “Hey did you hear about the masquerade ball the king in Amazon is throwing?”
Berkeley’s breath hitched ever so slightly. “A masquerade? For what occasion?”
Codius handed them a flier. “The official reason is for fun, but the rumor is he is finding a new spouse ever since the last one ran off.” Berkeley’s heart stung at the mention of their actions.
They should have stayed, tried to help Jeffery in his moments of grief. But they were instead a coward and fled. The rest of the kingdom believed Berkeley fled because of how distant Jeffrey had gotten and how difficult taking over for him had been. Some people believed that meant Berkeley was weak for not keeping up with the kingship duties and therefore not a good spouse for the king himself. Berkeley has had enough time to mourn, and yet something tugged at the back of their head.
“I will be certain to think about going.” they finally said. “I best get going, now. It was pleasant to speak with you.”
“As is you.” Codius nodded their head and gave a short wave.
They mustn't dwell on the masquerade, they had errands to run. Berkeley focused on making their way to the bakery, the sun not yet in the middle of the sky. Eventually they turned the corner and stopped in front of a small bakery. The pale yellow paint on the door peeled slightly, matching the sign right above labeling “Crab’s Bakery” in bold letters. They sighed and entered, presenting a smile.
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Once they had returned to their cottage, Berkeley could finally think about their plan. When they were in town they bought materials to sew a three piece suit and make a mask. The flier showed the date to be twelve days from then, so they got to work. Berkeley spent most of their day tending to their garden and harvesting clay for their trinkets. However once nightfell came they would work on their plans under candlelight.
The plan went like so; They arrive at the ball in an impressive suit and mask, then quickly find the king. Making sure to not raise suspicion, they would make small talk with the guests and dine on the food. Once they are close enough, they’ll slip a non lethal poison into the king’s drink that will render him bedridden for several weeks. They didn’t want to kill the king, that would be atrocious. No blood was to be on their hands if they could help it. They would quickly retreat back to their cottage by midnight, safely out of bounds from the guards.
It was perfect.
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The night of the ball came quicker than expected, but Berkeley was prepared. They had borrowed a horse named Ventura from Codius who encouraged them to ‘Go get them ladies’. Berkeley appreciated the comment, however that was hardly a part of the plan for tonight. Once they had everything safely stored away, Berkeley began the hour long horse ride into the kingdom.
Before they had reached the gates, Berkeley put on their black mask so no one would recognize the beloved ex-member of the royal family. It was oddly nostalgic to be in the Amazon kingdom once again with each twisted tree branch and every crack in the wall, it felt like home. It didn’t take long to arrive at the castle. They roped Ventura safely among the rest of the carriage horses and started up the grand staircase.
When Berkeley entered, their breath was stolen for a split second. The ballroom had been transformed, transporting the guests into something only the full moon could rival. The drapes had been replaced with dark blue lengths of silk and canvas, candles lighting the corners. It was like a thousand stars ignited the high ceilings, polished dark oak pillars stretching out to what seemed like space.
Their focus was back, however. They couldn’t dwell for long. Berkeley’s eyes found Jeffery in the large sea of people. The man’s head adorned a simple silver crown bejeweled with emeralds and sapphires, his mask matching. Berkeley felt a pang of some unidentifiable sour feeling, their mind pulling towards Jeffery. He looked so handsome tonight, soft orange light hitting his skin just right so it glows.
A hand landing hard on their shoulder jerked them out of their thoughts. Turning around, Berkeley came face to face with none other than Sir Mark Zukerberg. Thankfully it didn’t seem as though the man recognized them. Not yet at least.
“Isn’t this such a grand ball? I couldn’t have done it better myself, quite honestly.” He sipped a rather pungent liquid from his glass. “What brings you here tonight? Did a spouse perhaps drag you along?”
“I came here upon my own accord.” Berkeley did their best to disguise their voice. “However, it was getting quite boring at my residence, so why not go to a royal ball?”
This made the man let out a chuckle. “It is a fun way to spice things up, I suppose.” He downed the rest of his drink. “Enjoy your time here at the castle.”
With Sir Zukerberg back in the crowd of people, Berkeley made a beeline for where Jeffery stood, vial slipping from their sleeve. However their mind short circuited when a masculine figure grabbed Jeffery and pressed a dagger to his throat. The figure began threatening anyone who dared get close that they'd slit his throat. The music came to a sudden halt and the entirety of the ball held still.
“For all to listen, may I speak these words!” The stranger announced. “Once I have killed the king and taken an ounce of his blood, there shall be salvation! In the name of Jakling, our Goddess, hear me who is individual in divinity! For I am Samual, your messiah!”
Samual erupted into maniacal laughter as the dagger slowly drew blood on the king’s throat, his eyes swirling wildly around the room. The royal guards looked lost, knowing that any wrong step would cost the king’s life. The rest of the members surrounding the scene were frozen in time, as if all the world’s flames had been snuffed out.
It was a split second decision, not leaving enough room for proper thinking. Berkeley’s legs moved on their own, launching them across the ballroom. In the few precious moments that Jeffery was in between life and death, Berkeley had become fixated on him and him only. Their love, their life, the shape of his lips still ingrained into their brain. With each powerful step after the other the dying embers grew brighter, bringing life to something that was killed that night in the castle.
Fist met bone and in mere moments Samual’s nose was streaming scarlet. Berkeley tore Jeffrey from Samual’s grasp, bringing him safely behind them. Samual continued to screech the verses of an unknown bible, claiming that they were all due to perish from the hands of Jakling. Berkeley’s attention, however, was directed to Jeffery who stood stunned behind them. They turned around to face him and in that moment the world froze.
Two pairs of liquid chocolate eyes met on another and the rest of the universe did not matter but the two who were within these few milliseconds. A black mask is guarding the identity of one, an orange mask only for fashion on the other. Jeffery tilted his head, he’s seen those eyes before.
“Are you alright, your majesty?” Berkeley failed to disguise their voice this time, hoping that Jeffery wouldn't recognize them for it.
Their hopes were not answered, however. Jeffery’s eyes squinted. “Have I met you before? What is your name?” He looked his savior up and down.
Berkeley and Jeffery locked eyes and for a moment Berkeley was frozen. They had a choice. They could reveal themselves and perhaps even reignite their love, living happily again. Or they could keep being the coward they’ve proven themselves to be and flee into the night.
In the end they ran.
They ran to the stalls and quickly undid Ventura from the post and fled. Under the guidance of the stars and hope dying quickly, they went as fast as they could to escape the horrid kingdom. Too many memories had become poisoned with time and warped by emotions.
Arriving home triggered something in them. How could they be such a coward, running away again. That was their second chance, the second chance they begged the God of love LilNasX for, and they wasted it. They threw it away with not much more than a second of hesitation.
Selfish.
The back of their mind whispered as they crawled into bed. Eventually Berkeley fell into a tragedy induced slumber, the sleep of a mourning spouse. The rain fell around the forest, mourning with them, and so the trees lay silent.
However, many miles away, a king had stepped into a carriage that led seven others. His goal was to search for his savior, so may the ocean part as if Virf had returned, he would find them. The carriages set out into the night, disappearing into the dark woods.
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A deer was all it took to cause things to go wrong. The coachman had taken a hard right to avoid collision, causing the carriage to tip over. The king fell out through the door, possibly due to the poor maintenance of the hinges.
The king watched the carriage fade out into the dark, calling out for it. It appeared the coachman did not hear his cries, however, leaving a beloved king lost and alone in a dark unforgiving forest. The king gathers himself, rises from the damp earth, and sets upon the dirt path.
It didn’t take long for him to get lost, however. The moon blocked by the trees caused the king to trip over rocks and fall into fox nests, awakening the vicious creatures. His suit and cloak had been ripped and dirtied to shreds, letting in the biting cold.
He tripped over his feet and landed in something cold, wet, and shallow. However this time, he did not get up. He was cold, hungry, and tired. The king was tired of carrying the weight of the kingdom, the weight of his actions. More than anything he just wanted to rest. Closing his eyes, the king was finally all he wanted to be.
A man, lost and dying.
And that was the greatest feeling of all.
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Something drove them here, like the tug of a string. Berkeley traversed the forest through candlelight, a familiar path among their footsteps. They didn’t know the reason at first, but as they rounded the corner of some birch trees, it became clear. Down in the creek lay a body donned in shredded blue and orange cloth, barely recognizable as the festive attire of Amazon royalty. But Berkeley knew who it was.
It only took a few seconds of hesitation for them to make their decision. They hoisted the man over their shoulder and made their way back to the cottage. No time was wasted dwelling over reasons Jeffery would be in the forest near their abode, instead the next half hour was spent tending to wounds and warming up Jeffery who stopped shivering on the way back.
Only when he was resting safely near the fire did Berkeley take time to wonder why Jeffery had been so deep in the forest in such cold night conditions. On the night of the masquerade as well? Surely he hadn’t seeked out Berkeley believing they were a lovely stranger. Right?
Berkeley sighed and deflated on the couch near their dear Jeffery, falling asleep. A dreamless sleep, a sleep of the dead. The kind that one usually wouldn’t wake up from.
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The next day, Berkeley had awakened before Jeffery. They had a feeling he would wake up soon, he wouldn’t be asleep for long. Berkeley started on some cherry bark tea, making sure honey was in the second mug. Jeffery liked honey in his tea. Just as they had finished the mugs, the man stirred from his place by the fireplace.
“Where am I?” Is the first thing he said.
“That’s no way to greet someone who saved your life.” Berkeley emerged from the kitchen. “Twice, may I mention.”
“Do my eyes deceive me?” Jeffery’s eyes widened in confusion. “Is that…” He trailed off.
“We meet once again, my dear Jeffery.” They smiled sadly and placed the tea in front of Jeffery. “It’s been quite some time.”
“It was you wasn’t it?” Jeffery searched Berkeley’s gaze. “At the ball. You saved me.”
“Oh, who else would it be.” Berkeley said fondly. “No one there knew how to face dangers such as I do.” This made Jeffery smile.
“One of the reasons I fell in love with you.” His eyes fall to the ground, unfocused and searching. “I was stupid.”
“Jeffery-”
“Let me speak.” His eyes look up to find their gaze. “I was stupid. I built walls around myself when I promised I wouldn’t. I let myself become sour and brittle. It hurt me, it hurt the kingdom. It hurt you.”
Jeffery stood up and started towards Berkeley, only to stop before he got close. “I did something I could never forgive myself for. I pushed you away. Grief never passes, but we cannot let it control us. And yet, that’s exactly what I did. I let my hatred control me.”
With this, Berkeley stood up and closed the space between them, enveloping him in a hug. “People like to pretend that grief is this phase that someone goes through, and once you’re out of that phase you’re back to the same person you were before.” They kissed his forehead. “It isn’t true, so why should you pretend it is? It takes time, my love.”
Jeffery frowns, and Berkeley continues. “But we always need five more minutes. More time. More of everything. The only way we can keep moving forward is to use that time that we do have to look back and accept it. That’s how you live with the memories you have.”
A moment.
A heartbeat of two lovers.
The fire ignites once more.
“I love you.” A tear slid down Jeffery’s cheek. “I never stopped.”
Berkeley smiled and swayed them slightly. “Neither did I. We just needed more time.”
The wind held its breath, letting the two have their spare moment. Only one moment of the many they had missed. The sun had covered their skin in liquid gold, tinting the cherry petals orange.
And they were happy.
For a moment more.
And the next.
And for all honey tinted moments to come they would thrive.
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Within time they had returned to the castle and Jeffery resigned from his kingship, leaving the title to Sir Mark Zukerberg. Sir Zukerberg was a trusted associate and both Jeffery and Berkeley had agreed that he was the best person to take over the kingdom.
They lived in the cottage together, a simple life. Jeffery was happy because no longer was he a king but a man. He was free, and that made Berkeley happy in turn.
So they lived happily ever after in peace.
For a moment more.
And all the moments to come.