"By the order of His Majesty, the Great King Applegario Nar Anthony, I, Princess Berryanna, sentence you, Lady Strawlita Holliday Fayrouza, to death for committing a dangerous crime," Berryanna said.
The words rang through the garden like a bell struck too hard. Straw knelt on cold stone, her wrists bound behind her back, the rope biting into her skin. The air smelled of trimmed hedges and damp earth, the kind of peaceful scent that felt wrong for an execution. Sunlight filtered through the trees, bright and unforgiving, illuminating every face watching her downfall.
Berryanna stood before her, posture straight, shoulders squared, looking every bit the princess she was born to be. There was a smile on her lips, small and deliberate, the kind that made Straw's stomach twist. In her hand was a stainless sword, polished so clean it reflected the sky above them. The blade caught the light as Berryanna tilted it slightly, testing its weight, testing Straw's resolve.
Straw lifted her chin, even though her throat felt tight. She refused to bow her head.
"Do you have any last wish… Pudding Thief?" Applegario said.
The king sat comfortably, as if this were entertainment rather than a sentence of death. His fingers drummed against the armrest, his eyes sharp and eager, like someone waiting for a performance to begin. He leaned forward just slightly, ready to enjoy every second of this.
"I had no idea that chocolate pudding was yours. The moment I laid eyes on the pudding, I couldn't look away. I wanted to eat it, and I did. It was fucking delicious by the way. I have no regrets eating the pudding. I will do it again and again and again…" Straw said.
Her voice trembled only a little. If she was going to die, she would die honest. Berryanna stepped closer, boots pressing into the grass, until Straw could see her own reflection in the sword. The metal was cold when it touched Straw's neck, sending a sharp chill down her spine.
"I can't believe I married someone like you, you pudding thief. I regret the day I kissed you. I wish I had never, ever loved you, pudding thief."
The words hurt more than the blade. Straw swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as her vision blurred. Of all things, that was what broke her.
"Behead her, little sister. Death is the only punishment for a thief," the king said.
Berryanna lifted the sword, both hands steady, arms raised with terrifying ease. The world seemed to slow. Straw's heartbeat thundered in her ears, loud and frantic, drowning out everything else.
"Wait, please wait. All I did was eat a fucking pudding… noooo"
The blade came down.
Straw woke up with a gasp. She shot upright in bed, breath ragged, hands flying to her neck. Her fingers pressed against warm skin. No blood. No pain. Her head was still attached. She sat there for several seconds, chest rising and falling too fast, sweat clinging to her back, sheets tangled around her legs.
"Oh, it was just a dream," she said, more to convince herself than anything else.
She forced herself to breathe slowly, in through her nose, out through her mouth. Her heart refused to calm down right away, as if it had not yet accepted that she was still alive.
It was the same dream every time she closed her eyes. Every detail never changing. The garden. The sword. Berryanna's smile. Applegario's excitement. And always the same ending.
The truth sat heavy in her chest, a constant weight she could not escape. What would happen if they ever found out? If the princess knew. If the king knew. The thought alone made her stomach twist.
As Straw finally began to relax, she lifted her eyes.
She froze. Berryanna was standing right in front of her. She held a breakfast tray, balanced easily in her hands, her expression calm and unreadable. Sunlight from the window framed her silhouette, making it impossible to tell how long she had been there. Fear surged through Straw like a shock.
"Whoa, how long have you been fucking standing there?" Straw said.
Berryanna stepped closer, unbothered, and gently placed the tray on the bed. The soft clink of dishes sounded far too loud in the quiet room.
"I thought we agreed on no more using the f-word," Berryanna said.
"I never agreed with you on that, Princess."
"For breakfast, we have pancakes and chocolate milk, with fruit salad for dessert," Berryanna said.
The smell hit Straw immediately. Sweet, rich, unmistakable. Chocolate. Her heart skipped for all the wrong reasons.
"Oh, they look lovely, wifey. Did you prepare them yourself?" Straw said, forcing a grin as she tried to steer her thoughts away from pudding and execution.
"You say that every morning, and I keep repeating the same words."
"Okay then. Feed me."
Berryanna raised an eyebrow.
"Why should I feed you? I'm married to a grown adult, aren't I?"
"Well, my fingers are a bit sore from last night, and my body is weak. I'm still surprised you're so energetic and waiting for the next round, which is a mystery to me. What's your secret, wifey?" Straw said, lifting her hands dramatically. "Feed me, wifey, so these hands of mine don't go on strike, huh?"
Berryanna sighed, but there was a softness there, something she did not bother to hide.
"Fine. I'll feed you just this once. Then you should rest. We'll be skipping the morning routine, and I also have to help the king solve the mystery."
The word mystery landed like a slap. Straw's smile faltered. The pudding.
"Are you still searching for the pudding thief? Hasn't it been two weeks already? Why can't you just close the case and maybe accept that a mysterious creature appeared and ate it all?"
Berryanna paused mid movement, spoon hovering in the air.
"A mysterious creature, huh?" she said, then continued feeding her.
Straw relaxed just a little, chewing slowly, until Berryanna spoke again.
"You should find a way to tell Applegario that you ate his pudding." The spoon froze at Straw's lips.
"What?"
"Tell him before he finds out himself, so I won't have to do what I don't want to do. I don't like the way he's been acting, and it's affecting me."
Straw's mouth went dry. She tried to laugh it off, tried to say something clever, but nothing came out. The truth was written all over her face, clear as daylight.
"How the fu… How did you find out?" Straw said.
"When we kissed, you tasted like his chocolate pudding. And you're clumsy. You left a stain on the dress."
Straw stared at her, stunned.
"Wow… then why didn't you say anything?"
"Just tell him. He's not going to behead you. But if you don't, I'll be forced to."
"Over a fucking pudding? You'd behead me? Are you fucking kidding me, Princess?"
"I won't behead you. If I wanted to, I would have already. But your head is still intact because you happen to be my person."
The words hit harder than any threat.
"Person?" Straw said.
Berryanna stood up, lifted the tray, and turned toward the door.
"Wait. When you say person, do you mean sex person, or love person, or maybe both, in-between? Is that what you're trying to say?" Straw asked.
Berryanna did not answer. She walked out, closing the door behind her, leaving Straw alone in the quiet room with half eaten pancakes, a missing pudding, and far too many questions.