A Trio of Anomalies - The Quest for Paradise

CHAPTER 9 - CLAIRE CHOCOLATINA

"I'm surprised you didn't ramble this time," sneered Geringe as the jury discussed. "I only listened to you out of sheer politeness!"

"To that I thank you, Mr. Geringe," Oscar bowed, "I had to defend Sir Stephan and Nicholas, but for Boils I'm not sure what else I could do. He committed a serious crime, and while execution is justifiable, I would rather him live, you know?"

"Whatever," the gingerbread person scoffed, "Even if it lives there's nothing it can do to fix this. Only the great Queen Chocolatina can attempt to repair the damage."

"Really? Who is this Queen Chocolatina?"

"Our supreme ruler, the only we know anyways. Not some Queen Blossom or Kingdom of the Fairies or anything like that!"

The jury decided on the verdict : Guilty. To the surprise and distress of the crowd, Judge Choccolatte decided not to execute Boils, but to only exile him and his companions from the Land of Sweets. Grumbling, the gingerbread people left the courtroom, and the once busy place was quiet and deserted. Steve had found a crystal key stuck underneath the chocolate bench, and only when the people left did he dare slip it into his backpack with the others.

"Your Honour," Oscar turned to the Judge, "Would it be possible if we could visit the great Queen Chocolatina?"

"I-I don't know," he quivered, "She doesn't like company."

"Just Nicholas and I, perhaps?" Steve stood up, "Maybe she would have the antidote for Boils."

Goose Blahblah returned to her seat on a dark chocolate bench, "I don't have anything that would help, so I guess I will gather the rest near the Dragon. That trial was extremely infuriating, even for me!"

She handed Steve the six keys.

"Ahem!" Smallrant skipped over, "In need of assistance visiting the great Queen Chocolatina?"

"Why yes!" replied Oscar, "Thanks for offering, Mr. Smallrant."

***

Carrying Boils in his arms, Steve followed the butler around the pink syrup fountain through a dark chocolate hallway on his left. With each step he shivered slightly as the palace grew colder and dimmer, the bright orange glow from the candied ceiling merely offering to light half of the way before disappearing as the place plunged into darkness. Smallrant led them up a flight of rice cracker stairs into what seemed to be a thick rice cracker wall at the top of a tower.

"Here it is!" exclaimed Smallrant, "Where the great Queen Chocolatina lives!"

"The ... wall?" Steve crinkled his eyes.

 The butler chuckled, "Not exactly. Usually she doesn't allow gingerbread people to go in, but since you look more like her she might make a pass ..."