The Candy Castle

Once upon a time though I can’t tell you when; in a place faraway though I can’t tell you where- there lived a young girl. That sweet child was as fresh as the morning dew; as pure as snow at dawn; as happy as a flower in the breeze. She could be called the ideal one. The one we all strived to be. And she was that. Her name, as beautiful as she was; was Cherie.

Cherie. French. Does that give you a clue? Don’t be too sure.

Cherie was the sweetest thing that had ever lived in that little provincial town. Everyone went to her with their problems; her being all of 14 yrs old. She had a way that only a child could have; to simplify things and with one smile from her; she could make people forget all that was wrong with their lives.

But Cherie had problems of her own. As much as she could, she hid behind that brilliant smile of hers. Where everyone knew everyone’s business; no one knew hers. Cherie was an orphan; living with an uncle who had been an absentee guardian for most of her life.

Cherie couldn’t be more thankful for the fact. While she had heard amazing things from the village of the kind-hearted man that her uncle was; she had seen nothing but moodiness and an occasional temper that sent her running. She was grateful for the months he stayed away; subdued for the months he was in fact there.

And that was when Cherie dreamed. Dreamt of wondrous things; enchanted castles, talking teacups, dancing forks. Of castles made of candy and gummy bears. She dreamt of giant marshmallows with happy smiles; skydiving into seas of hot fudge. She dreamt of anything and everything that helped her escape.

And one by one, all those dreams came true.

Starting with the Candy Castle.

The Candy Castle was ruled over by the largest marshmallow one had seen. He loved candy. All sorts of candy. Peppermint, blackcurrant, strawberry, tangy orange, bubblegum, cotton candy, and so many more! He would wake up in the morning and stretch those big, puffy arms of his and close his eyes and touch the walls.

And he’d pick a piece of candy.

And that was all that the kingdom would eat that day. They would wear clothes the colour of blackcurrant. Eat blackcurrant for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. Nothing else was permitted in the kingdom.

Every day the kingdom woke and looked east to the Tower of Proclamation. At 9 o’ clock; after the Marshmallow King woke, the Royal Duke- A big giant vial of Honey syrup rolled over to the Tower of Proclamation and tolled the bell and read out the flavour of the day.

And then the day would start. Sellers of the flavour in question brought out their wares and went from house to house. And the royal work would start.

It is wrong to call it work; all they did was play.

All the subjects came out to watch the royal games. The Marshmallow King ordered the royal subjects to fill up the giant pool. With Hot Fudge. And then everyone was ordered to jump. It was a royal competition. It wasn’t so simple but. They had to jump from a height of 18 ft. And then swim to the end of the fudge pool. And run through a field of chocolate sprinkles. And then hop through loop-de-loops collecting as many as they can; finally reaching the King.

And the winner after all this got a special award too. He was allowed to eat one salty sweet that day. It wasn’t something like salty biscuits; but maybe like a cracker. The winner and his family were allotted a cracker a day. And so, every day; starting at the crack of dawn everyone queued up to be a participant in the royal games that day.

It was an honour and a matter of life or death. Nobody can eat sweets all the time. Neither could they.

The giant marshmallow king was a dubious one. He was a tyrannical king, who hid behind that façade of gooey goodness. And so; like every other rule ever heard of; there rose a saviour. An opponent to the leadership; the harbinger of doom for the giant marshmallow king.

His name was Chocolate.

Chocolate was a forbidden entity in this world. They said he wasn’t natural. That he was born by killing thousands of those precious cocoa beans.

Cocoa beans controlled their currency. They were the livelihood of this kingdom. No one dared to go near them. And chocolate had killed thousands. THOUSANDS.

But surprisingly, the cocoa beans remained awfully quiet on this matter. They even refused to confirm this rumour of Chocolate being a killer of their kind.

But chocolate’s rise to notoriety was soon overshadowed by the sinful indulgence of his presence. Loyal subjects of the marshmallow king who infiltrated Chocolate’s camp were soon entranced and reciting his ideals.

And soon, the giant marshmallow king had heard enough to take Chocolate seriously.

And war had been declared.

And this is where, Cherie enters the Candy Castle.