#bravewizard

Gingerbrave grins back at Wizard, leaning against the table. "I guess that's what happens when you meet someone royal, right?"

The younger cookies beam at the answer. "Cool!" Gingerbrave tugs at his bandanna out of habit. "That's good to know, then."

The passing question wasn't pointed at him, so he had no reason to answer, but Custard still shifts. His hands, tightening and loosening its grip around the crown on his lap. The Republic may have different stories, but if they were to follow the true Vanillian Customs?

"It's common courtesy to be hospitable to your guests." The noble tells them

"I'm not trusting 'em yet, but I do like that they're sucking up to us." Rye leans back in her chair, a handful of grapes in her hand as her eats. Chili Pepper nudges her, muttering under her breath that only dignifies a huff from Rye. That is, until a noise finally makes her sit up straight.

The King enters the room with incredible grace, iridescent wings draped around broad shoulders that Custard tries not to stare at, lest he gets transfixed by them. Right in tow is the Professor that Gingerbrave and Wizard must have bumped into earlier, holding a hardcover underneath their arm while his other hand holds onto a golden staff that taps the ground in time with his steps.

Placing the crown on the table, Custard stands up to take a bow as he's trained to do. Before he can voice out a greeting, Elder Faerie gets his word in first. "Ah, no need for that, young one. You may sit once more." Looking up in surprise, it takes a moment before he nods and returns to his seat.

"Well, we've heard rumors of this place." Strawberry is the one to answer, leaning forwards as she looks at the two. Elder Faerie had just sat down as the Professor considers her with open intrigue. "Some cookies spoke about how there was something beyond the sea and clouds, and we decided to look for it." The King takes a moment to process her words, which gives the Professor the chance to ask.

"Six, huh? This really is a first." The Professor comments, tilting their head as they scan the room. Four teens and two young adults. He beelines for a chair, settling down as they place their book on the table while his staff disappears in a wave of magic. Oh, wait, Custard can see some gold peeking out from his hand, making him realize that the staff merely shrunk down to the size of his palm instead. It almost looked like a key from where he sat.

"So-oo.. how'd you find us?"

"You braved the waters and risked your doughs in traveling that far to reach us.. because of a rumor?" They hadn't asked that as a mockery, no. The training from his brother was enough to know what curiosity sounds like. Strawberry hesitated. "Well, we did find you."

"Plus, the world we're baked in ain't exactly sunshine and rainbows." Rye huffs, crossing her arms. "'Didn't feel like that much of a risk when you live how we live." Chili steps in, giving them her best civil smile while 'subtly' shouldering Rye again. "In other words, we knew what we were getting into. We just had to try."

The Professor frowns at that. "When you put it that way, the outside sounds quite rough."

".. Because it has been." Custard puts a hand on the crown, tracing over its design with practiced ease. He rubs away some dirt on the gold, making sure it stays clean. "Many cookies were displaced and never recovered due to a war that long passed. We came here hoping to find whatever aid we could."

"I see." Elder Faerie doesn't pry further, nodding in return. "Regardless if you were royalty or not, we would never turn a cookie in need away." His words caused the Professor to straighten up in their seat before agreeing with him. "Oh, of course we'd help! I was getting way ahead of myself there- especially since I just realized you probably know next to nothing about me! Ah, I must sound so unprofessional right now." A flush of blue coats her cheeks as they laugh, before clearing her throat.

The Faerie King watched him hold the artefact, before responding. "Am I correct to assume you've a royal lineage?" To which Custard nods slowly. "My ancestors fled our kingdom." He looks down, holding the crown closer to him. "This is a family heirloom."

"I'm Yoghurt Milk Cookie, the Virtue of Knowledge."