Hot Chocolate & Marshmallows: Part Two (rough draft)

My father wasn’t happy that the Caldera wouldn’t come into our home. Then again, I’m sure he’d be furious if they did. Nothing would please him now, considering that he knew he was in the wrong. He’d never admit to it, nor would he back down, even if it meant strong recourse from the Caldera. Candela had warned me her mother wasn’t happy and was eager to sign a new deal with blood if she had to.

A meeting was taking place; after much argument from my father, he finally agreed to it. Candela and her mother came inside to the dining hall where they were served a warm meal. They promptly turned it down. It was a tactic, of course, they probably wanted to see my father at his worst to know what they were dealing with. They wanted to see the genuine him, not the one with layers of armor.

“Is something wrong with the meal?” My mother asks. “If something is wrong, I can have the chef make something else for you.”

“It is fine,” Queen Ximena dismisses. “We are not hungry for food at the moment.” Her back stiffens in the seat. “I want answers, Lord Koury. You wish to stop trade with us for a cheap imitation. Why is that?”

I can see my father stiffen and bristle from top to toe. His hands grip onto one another and he lifts his nose high up into the air. “As beloved as the Caldera chocolate is, I think it is time we stopped relying on your reputation and start building our own. We’ve been riding your coattails for generations, Queen Ximena. Your people don’t need my little company for that.”

“I am not here for ideals, Lord Koury, I want answers. Your ideals of creating a Drosselmeyer chocolate is fine, but what is the real reason you wish to cease business with the Caldera? Certainly there would be room in this world for both types of chocolates. All throughout Miror, people love sweets - your sweets. Why stop business with one that is so beloved?”

I watch my father very closely for any sort of tell, the slight twitch of the jaw, the flick of his eye. It is my mother, though, who I notice a very curious expression upon. She is watching Queen Ximena with a coy smile upon her lips, she almost seems to be blushing.

My father lets out a weak, forceful laugh. “Wouldn’t you rather your chocolate stood alone?”

Ximena gives my father a withering stare, one I shall not forget for as long as I live. “This is not about what I want, Lord Koury. Answer me honestly and maybe I can begin to find respect for you.”

It is a shock to the system, but a victorious one nonetheless. It felt good to hear Ximena say it, I can’t imagine how good it must have felt to actually say it.

“I want to give my son something he can be proud of!” My father shouts. He jams his finger down on the tabletop. “I want to give him a legacy, something our family has created!”

Candela lets out a high pitched laugh. “All well and good, but wouldn’t that be all of this? The mansion, the factory, the business itself, wouldn’t that be a legacy for your lovely son?”

My heart skips a beat as she talks, her husky voice sends shivers down my spine, especially as I remember our shared kisses.

My father glares in Candela’s direction. “Young lady, I am sure you are knowledgeable in the matters of your people, but this is a discussion between your mother and me, so please, hold your tongue.”

“My daughter is my right hand! You will speak to her as if you are speaking to me or you will not speak at all, Lord Koury.” I can see the fire in Ximena’s eyes, I can see her ready to strike. “And she brings up a valid point. Surely your son does not need another candy recipe among the thousands your family must have. If you keep deflecting and holding the truth from me, then you are digging your own grave as far as I am concerned.”

My mother reaches out and takes my father’s hand. “Just tell them the truth, dear.” I see her gently try to placate him. “It will do you no good to keep withholding it.”

He pulls his hand away from her. “I am withholding nothing! Everything I have said is honest!”

Candela taps her finger to the table. “Honest, maybe, but it is deflecting. You keep hiding your answer like a pirate hides their gold; you don’t want anyone else to have it. Are you ashamed of your reasons, Lord Koury? If so, then perhaps that is the hint it is not the right reason. We will still work with you if you choose to back down, just admit it.”

My father is restraining himself better than I would have guessed, but it is all simmering at the surface. “I have given you my reasons!”

There is a silence that permeates the room, clogging the air for what feels like hours. My father settles back into his chair, thinking perhaps this is an argument worth winning. 

“I will gladly pay you to finish off our trade deal, Queen Ximena,” he continues. “If that is what you want.”

“What I wanted was a truthful answer, Lord Koury, and you gave me none.” She shakes her head. “The fact you would rather hold on to your pride, rather than giving out the truth, reveals more of your character to me than anything. I would rather you stepped down from your position and hand it to the next in line, because you will ruin your supposed legacy.”

My father sits erect in his chair and places both of his palms on the tabletop. He looks across the way at Queen Ximena and he smiles, but it is not a welcoming one. 

“My son is not yet ready to run this company.” He says this through grit teeth. 

Queen Ximena turns and looks at me. “He looks like a capable young man. He certainly has been very diplomatic when tending to us. If you did not think he was ready, why have him here? Why not be preparing a protégé? It seems to me you’re just uncomfortable with honesty.”

My father rubs at his jaw, but he’s really just hiding his sneer behind his palm. “I don’t have to step down just to please you or anybody. I don’t have to do anything. This is my business and I shall run it as I see fit.”

“Then you run it as a fool,” Candela throws at him. “And you have no one to blame but yourself if you become crushed when it all falls on top of you.”

His breath comes out shaky and, this time, he reaches up to run his fingers along his scalp and through his hair. “You call me names?”

“Not at all,” Candela retorts. “It all depends on the road you decide to step on next. Pride and Humility do not intersect, Lord Koury. Perhaps that’s the lesson you should be teaching your son.”

“Your mother should teach you how to speak to others!” My father’s voice gives way, raising slightly. He then clears his throat, trying to cover himself.

Queen Ximena stands. “It is not my daughter who needs to learn how to talk to people, Lord Koury. I pray your wife and child are treated better, considering they have to live with you.”

My father looks up at her, his stance unmoving from his seat. “Have all you come here for is to insult me? Then please, I ask you to leave.”

“I came for reason, Lord Koury. If I wanted to insult, I would have. I wanted to know why you were planning on ending our trade. I wanted to hear it from you, since our families have worked together for generations. But you seem to feel as if your pride is more important. You can’t be honest, and for what? I don’t know. You will not answer me. You talk to my daughter like she is a child, you talk about your son like he is one. This was not the meeting I wanted but an enlightening one all the same. I am saddened that this tradition has come to an end, but I would rather not work with you now knowing what I do.”

Candela rises from her chair. “You will come to regret your behaviour and words, Lord Koury. For until you step down, we will not return to Drosselmeyer, nor do business with the people here. Caldera chocolate will not compete with your imitation.” They go to leave and I quickly go to open the door for them. My mother stays behind with my father, although I wish she would leave well enough alone and let him be to lick his wounds.

“Please, accept my apology on his behalf.” I walk alongside Queen Ximena. “He is proud and arrogant, but do not spite the rest of Drosselmeyer and the chance to do business with others because of him.”

“I won’t, for long,” Queen Ximena replies. She looks down on me. “I can tell your father does not see your worth, or the worth of anybody who does not suit his ideals. I simply want to see your father suffer the consequences of his actions, young man.” She then nods to Candela. “If we keep a correspondence, I would be happy to see your letters.”

“I would like that very much. I hope that one day we could rebuild what we once had. My life has been filled with Caldera chocolate, I will grieve for its missing.”

“A man more after your ancestor than your father.” Queen Ximena’s smile is bright, revealing the gap in her front teeth. “I hope he only realizes that before it is too late.”

I take them outside to their camp and Candela turns to me as her mother starts making orders. “We will not leave until morning, so I will come and see you one last time tonight.” She gives my hand a squeeze, then follows back behind her mother.

I wait for that evening, fit to burst with excitement over seeing her. I have hot coffee prepared, as well as a fire stoked to where I am hot but she will be comfortable. She climbs up to my window, opening it and stepping inside. 

I greet her with a kiss, one I have to stand on tiptoe just to reach. She bends, her hands placed on either side of my face. “You look as sweet as always, my little marshmallow,” she coos. 

“And you’re as heavenly as ever.” I take hold of her hand. “I hate that I will not see you after tonight.”

“It will not be forever, I promise.” She strides over towards the fire and sits down before it, peeling away her coat so that her shoulders and arms are bare. Her shoulder blades have sharp points on them, something I had not noticed before. Her features, too, are sharper than most. Her cheekbones and nose have edges. 

I pour her coffee and come to sit beside her. I gaze at her long legs, which her skirt has risen over. They’re long and lovely with the fire reflecting against her skin, making them glow. I do not know why we have been pulled together aside from fate. We should be two opposites who oppose one another, and yet, all I want to do is stand beside her, basking in her beauty and power. I cannot fathom what I could possibly provide to her that makes her want to linger with me.

“We have our letters to look forward to, so there is no reason for us to fret. I bet you have beautiful handwriting.” She drinks her coffee like it is not near boiling hot.

“Letters are different than being in someone’s presence,” I murmur. “I would rather be beside you than waiting for days on a letter to return.”

“Our stars are not crossed, at least I do not feel that way. So we have no reason to worry, just patience is all.” She pats my lower back then gazes into the fire. “You should come visit the Cauldrons and see how the chocolate is made.” Her expression becomes so soft and dreamy. “Once you see what we do and the care we put into it, then you’d know why Caldera chocolate is the best in the world.” She slips her fingers under my chin and plants a soft kiss to my lips. She eases me down, pressing my back onto the floor as our kiss deepens.

“I can tell that from just tasting it,” I whisper. “Just like your kiss, I can tell how much love is poured inside it.”

Candela smirks. “Pretty words from pretty lips.” She snuggles beside me, curling into my side like she is the small and delicate one. “Just hold me, Mero.”

We lay together, tangled up in each other’s arms. I’m getting hot all over and it’s starting to grow prickly, but I deal with it as long as she is happy. She sighs dreamily, nuzzling into the crook of my neck as she breathes. Her breath tickles my skin, helping me forget the prickly heat growing from my core.

Come morning, I’m alone on the floor, and all that’s left of Candela is a golden charm she’s left for me. I attach it to a chain so I can wear it always. I wouldn’t have wanted to say goodbye either, after all, I hold out the hope we will see each other again soon.

My father is pleased that he gets to go forth with Drosselmeyer chocolate, which is merely a flavoring and not a real chocolate at all. He starts by making sure all Caldera chocolate is sold out before introducing the new product.

“Is it awful I hope this goes bad?” I ask my mother.

“We should be supportive of your father,” she says. “But, we are entitled to see however we want.” She looks at me with a concerned look. “We should prepare for any situation to happen, darling. This could go well and the people could fall in love with the new Drosselmeyer chocolate. Or it can all fail, just as Ximena said. The people will decide, not your father, not us.”

“Do you think he will accept that?” I lean forward in my seat so my elbows are on my knees. “As if he listens to anyone.”

My mother sighs and glances back out the window. “I suppose we shall see eventually. All we have to do is be patient.”

At first, the sales of the chocolates were great. People were excited to try the new recipe, especially since it bore the Drosselmeyer name. Once the excitement wore off, sales started to dwindle. It wasn’t the same as what they had been used to, the quality of Caldera chocolate was hard to imitate and people caught on. Because so many of our candies required chocolate in them too, our sales were suffering. In order to accommodate the new ‘chocolate’ as it were, certain recipes had to change or be made new altogether. People weren’t happy.

I was happy to make these reports to Candela, who I’d been writing almost everyday since she left. Letters arrived quickly, thanks to the carrier birds she sent. Their plumage was pure white, and she told me they reminded her of me.  

“My soft, white marshmallow, how are you today? Still beautiful I am certain. I do hope things are going well. I know your father must be in all sorts of moods these days thanks to his own attitude. Surely he is treating you and your mother as well as possible. If not, swords are sharp for a reason.”

“My goddess, each day I don’t get to bask in your warmth is another day half lived. If only I could see you from a distance just to see that perfect, dark skin. My mother and I are coping. My father is so busy these days trying to make things work, we don’t see much of him. I won’t be needing a sword, but thank you for reminding me. There are days I wish I had learned to sword fight rather than dance.”

“You never told me you could dance. Had I known that, I would have asked you to do so with me. I should have known from the way you move. You have elegance in your fingertips, and grace in your back. Maybe when we meet again, you and I can spend the night dancing away and enjoying something darker than coffee.”

“I know ballet, I also know how to sew, so if there is ever a dress you would want to dance in, I can make that for you as well. Thank you for telling me this, I tend to think of myself not so prettily, as my father thinks all men should be masculine. I wonder, though, what is darker than coffee? You have me intrigued, my goddess.”

“There is no proper way to be a person. As long as one is living, they are being. Just because you happen to be elegant and pretty does not make you less of a man, same as I am no less of a woman because I am not dainty or petite. You can dress me however you see fit, that being the case. I would be honored to wear a dress made by my loving little marshmallow. We have a drink here made from the darkest of chocolate, we mix it with liquor, creme, and cayenne. Do not take it lightly, it can knock the soutest of drinkers on their ass.”

“I appreciate your kind words, my mother has said similar things often. I will be who I am and not feel ashamed by him anymore. I will start making you a special garment now. I will plan something for you, just send me your measurements when you’d like. Also, why are you trying to get me drunk, goddess?”

“It is a drink shared at weddings, I would like you in your good senses actually.”

It is a simple and short letter, but a powerful one. My face burns and my heart hammers. All these months apart and our letters have only sowed this love into me.

“Are you suggesting we get married the next time we meet? I do not think my father would approve, but then again, why am I trying to force myself into his graces now? I know my father loves me in his own way, but I also know he doesn’t like me. I’ve never been enough since my brother’s passing, but that’s his burden to bear and not mine. I’ve had to learn to be happy without his approval, it’s my own I have to earn.”

“Not necessarily the next we meet, after all, I would prefer to get to know you while you’re in my presence rather than over letters. I am easily wooed by you, my marshmallow, so do not be so surprised. I’m glad you’ve come to learn that, and at least you have a mother who is strong and capable, too bad she’s tethered to a deflated ball of a husband. Hopefully, one day, he will learn the error of his ways and realize what blessings he has around him rather than try to force his own narrative of genius. You’re perfect, just exactly as you should be, and I will remind you of that whenever you need it.”

These letters with Candela have been a lighthouse for me while I am in the choppy seas of my father’s own making. My mother and I have been working on keeping things afloat while he continues to force along the Drosselmeyer chocolate as the superior and preferable product. He didn’t consider that his customers would be discerning with this candy, let alone smart enough to tell the difference between genuine and counterfeit.

That’s when a letter from the Pirlipat Royal Family, who happen to be one of our company’s biggest backers, comes. When the company first started, my ancestor was the chef in the royal palace, and it was because of the royal family he was able to start his business, so really, they own shares in the company. So, with this letter threatening to pull their orders from the company as well as their backing, my father began to feel the righteous slap of his mistakes. 

He started to sink into a depression, one that had began after Queen Ximena laid down the law with him. He had begun drinking, each day a little more. It was unnoticeable at first, but it ballooned to where he constantly had something nearby or in his hand. He was moody, regardless, but the swings were greater; sometimes he was hyper active, other times he couldn’t be bothered to leave his office. Now, he just didn’t ever leave his office. This, too, had happened after my brother passed, and it took time, but what had worked was a firm hand and a tender approach, which luckily my mother excelled at.

“It’s time to admit you were wrong,” my mother says sternly to him. “There is nothing horrible about that. You tried and failed, but that is how we learn. You’ve told that to our children many times, so lead by example.”

“Whose to lead?” He groans. His clothes are stained at the sleeves, pits and collar, and he hasn’t shaved in days.

My mother’s scowl could have melted steel, but it is all on my father. “Your son! And whether you like it or not, he is a capable and intelligent young man. Man, you hear me? So what if he doesn’t fit in your mold you’ve forced on him? He’s your child and he can run this company. So if you truly want this company to succeed, you step aside and let him take it, or else we’ll lose our biggest support and we will no longer have chocolate.”

My father scoffs and looks up at me. “What would you do so differently than me? You think you can be better?”

I frown but keep my cool. “For starters, I would approach the Caldera again and hope they would accept the new offer I bring to them. They would not just be part of a trade agreement, but I would offer them to be partners in the company and expand ourselves to the Cauldron Mountains where we would pay their workers for the chocolate they make for us. It is only fair in the long run. Not only that, Queen Ximena or her daughter would work side by side with us in creating new products, as well as having a say in how their chocolate is used.”

The look that comes over his face reminds me of when I broke a vase in the hallway and he was the first to find me. I won’t back away from him, though, not now, not ever again. 

“They’re important to us, hell, from what I’ve seen these last few months, they are what makes us at this point. I am doing what is fair and honorable, as well as making up for the mistakes of the past.” I stand tall and stiff. “If you deny we need them, then you truly are a fool.”

He raises from his slouch and lays his arms on the desktop. “Do you know how much money that is going to cost?”

I take a deep breath. “I know how much money Drosselmeyer chocolate has cost us.”

He slouches back in his seat. “Take it. Fine! But don’t come crying to me when this mess fails.”

“Mother,” I turn to her. “I’ll be going to the Cauldron Mountains to talk to Queen Ximena in person. I’ll need you to get the ball rolling on moving our production away from Drosselmeyer chocolate and back to our original recipes and formulas. Father-” I look at him sinking and I can’t help but feel bad. After all, I may not like my father, but I still love him. “Please, for me and Mom, get some help and take care of yourself.”

I leave for the Cauldron Mountains that night, sending word ahead of me with one of Candela’s carrier birds. It takes a few days, and every step of the way it gets warmer and warmer. Once I arrive, though, I am greeted with open arms by Candela.

The kiss we share will be burned into my memory forever as one of the most perfect and passionate things in my life. 

“I am glad you are here with such good news. My mother and I are very excited to begin working with you.” Candela gives me a tour of the mountains, as well as their factory, which is a labyrinth within the mountains themselves. 

“I want to get things moving as quickly as possible. I already have my mother ceasing production of my father’s invention and moving us towards having Caldera chocolate again.” I keep a hold of her hand the entire time, I am so happy being in her presence again.

Right away, I began negotiations with Queen Ximena, presenting to her my ideas of bringing in the Caldera as partners in the business, as well as allotting part of their factory to be specifically for the company’s production, and paying the employees there.

“So no liaison anymore?” Ximena asks. 

I nod. “Face to face, always. That way, we know each other’s feelings on the matter, rather than a yes or no on paper. We can take turns, or I will come here myself.”

Candela beams. “I would not mind taking turns, I did not mind the cold as much as I thought.”

Ximena rolls her eyes. “If you two like each other, I don’t care. Just stop trying to act coy about it.”

My cheeks burn red hot and I duck my head down in an attempt to hide it. In a way, Ximena gave us her blessing that afternoon.

With the major details hammered out and agreed upon, and the ink drying on the documents, I was able to enjoy the Cauldron Mountains I had dreamed about as a child. Ximena was having chocolate made for me to take home so we could begin production right away in limited quantities. 

That evening, though, I cuddle up beside Candela. She curls into my side and rests her head upon my shoulder. I run my fingers through her braids and gently kiss her forehead as her hand rubs slowly up and down my chest. 

“I’ll come back with you,” Candela murmurs softly. “Just to make sure things get rolling on merging our worlds.” She kisses my chin and cheek. 

I bite my cheek as my chest flutters. “I would appreciate that. I mean, aside from just having you close, it’ll be helpful to have you around and make sure your side of the agreement starts off smoothly.”

Candela sits up and smiles down at me. “It will not be months before we see each other again. I plan to see you often, my marshmallow.”

I sit up and slip my hand onto her cheek. “Never again, my goddess.” I kiss her and the ground shakes and rumbles.

“What was that?” I gasp.

Candela chuckles. “The mountains breathe from time to time. Sometimes, it signifies a great event.” She kisses the tip of my nose. “Like a new beginning.”