Once they'd finished their lunch, Vampire and Licorice cookie walked across the kingdom towards the garden. There was quite a distance between the duo and the garden, however, they could still see the high, lush trees across the elegant buildings of the kingdom.
It was about noon when they had made it to their destination. The sun was past its peek in the sky and was slowly making its descent towards the horizon. Once entering the garden's grand entrance, they were met with many other cookies, all also there to admire the scenery. Vampire was disappointed at the sight of the semi-crowded space. He hoped it could be a quiet space for just the two.
He leaned down towards Licorice and whispered. "Could we find somewhere more private?"
"Yeah, here-," Licorice pointed towards a hedge that arched over to form an entrance deeper in the garden, "over there."
They walked through hedges and long bushes of elegant pink and blue flowers. They past a few couples and families with their kids, having picnics and enjoying their time together. Eventually, the duo came across a peaceful river, an area the hedges no longer encased, but rather, large, sturdy trees that cast a shadow over the area. Vampire set his feet back to the ground and walked towards the river. Licorice watched as Vampire crouched over and peered into the river. Vampire examined the flowers blooming along the coast of the soda and the calm stream carried berries far as the eye could see. Licorice walked and leaned over the vampire to see what he was looking at.
"Pretty, huh?" Licorice asked.
Vampire peered up to the looming figure and gave him a genuine smile.
"Yeah, I like it here."
Licorice sat next to Vampire, leaving a good few inches between the two. They silently watched the river flow for a while.
"Hey Licorice." Vampire began.
"hm?"
"Do you actually like being in the Darkness? Like- what do you get out of it?"
There was a long pause after Vampire's question. It seemed as if time itself had stopped, all around them stayed still, aside from the light sounds of the river flowing. A light wind blew through their hair and it snapped Licorice back to the present.
"I-... I don't know..."
Vampire continued to stare at the soda. Unresponsive to the answer Licorice had given. He then reached over to the river, picking out a wet flower that had been flowing atop the soda. He twirled it between his fingers before turning to Licorice and setting it between his locs. Licorice brought his hand up to his hair to feel the flower in place.
"You know that street we passed by, with all the performers?" Vampire recalled. "We should go there before we leave. I saw a juice shop near it."
Licorice nodded in agreement with the idea.
Where they sat, they were able to see the sun making its descent. They gazed at the blue sky as it faded to lavender between the leaves of high trees. As Licorice and Vampire watched the sky together, the winds became cooler and a slight breeze coated the air.