Chapter 6
Custard Cookie III had never seen so much sand in his life.
The golden shores of the Hollyberry Kingdom stretched as far as his eyes could see, the waves crashing against the shore in a rhythm that matched his excited heartbeat. The sun beamed down, warm and bright, reflecting off the sea like Pure Vanilla’s staff when he cast his magic.
Custard turned to the towering Cookie beside him, eyes practically sparkling. “So this is your kingdom?!”
Hollyberry Cookie let out a booming laugh, slinging an arm around his tiny shoulders. “Aye! The grandest, hottest, and most exciting kingdom of them all! And what better way to enjoy it than a beach day?”
Custard gasped. “You mean I can play?”
Hollyberry grinned. “Of course! Every king deserves a break now and then! Even future ones.”
Custard beamed, puffing out his tiny chest. “Then I shall enjoy this kingdom to its fullest!” He dramatically flung his cape back, only for a strong gust of wind to nearly knock him over.
Hollyberry snorted. “That’s the spirit, kiddo! Now, what do ya wanna do first? Build a sandcastle? Go swimming? Oh! Or maybe I can teach ya how to wrestle a coconut crab—”
Custard’s eyes went wide. “You wrestle what?!”
It turned out that no, Custard was not ready to fight a coconut crab (especially after one pinched his scepter). But what he was ready for?
Building the greatest sandcastle the Hollyberry Kingdom had ever seen.
“This shall be the Grand Vanilla Kingdom of the Beach!” Custard announced proudly, dramatically placing a seashell atop the highest tower.
Hollyberry, who had somehow been roped into helping, wiped the sweat from her brow. “Kid, I think this might be taller than me.”
Custard crossed his arms, nodding sagely. “A king’s castle must be grand!”
Hollyberry chuckled. “Alright, alright, what’s next, yer Majesty?”
Custard placed his hands on his hips. “Every kingdom needs protection! We shall build a moat!”
Hollyberry grinned. “Aye, now that’s a kingly decision!”
Together, they dug a deep trench around the castle, Custard giggling as Hollyberry used her sheer strength to scoop up massive piles of sand. He ran back and forth between the ocean and their fortress, carrying buckets of water with all the determination of a ruler protecting his people.
Unfortunately, the tide had other plans.
Custard turned around just in time to see a large wave rush forward—
And completely obliterate the castle.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Custard’s eye twitched.
His kingdom. Gone. In an instant.
He dropped to his knees, hands clutching his head. “MY PEOPLE—!”
Hollyberry threw her head back and roared with laughter. “Hah! That’s the way of the sea, little king! It builds, it breaks, and it thrives!” She clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him forward. “But y’know what that means?”
Custard sniffled dramatically. “What?”
She grinned. “We build it again—but bigger.”
Custard’s eyes widened. Then, slowly, a mischievous grin stretched across his face.
“BIGGER.”
The rest of the day was filled with endless fun—Custard learned how to float on his back (with Hollyberry making sure he didn’t drift off to sea), ran across the shore collecting treasures (mostly shiny rocks), and even tried fresh tropical juice straight from a coconut.
By the time the sun began to set, painting the sky in warm hues of orange and pink, Custard was sprawled out on a beach towel, completely exhausted.
Hollyberry chuckled, sitting beside him. “Had fun, little king?”
Custard let out a content sigh, barely able to keep his eyes open. “Best… kingdom visit… ever…”
Hollyberry grinned, ruffling his hair. “Aye, that’s what I like to hear.”
As Custard Cookie III drifted off to sleep, tucked safely under the watchful eye of his honorary aunt, the waves whispered softly along the shore.
And for once, the tiny king didn’t worry about his crown.
Just the warmth of the sand, the sound of the ocean, and the knowledge that he was loved.