| Triple Chocolate Ombre Cake |

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| At the Kingdom of Glacier - 13 years ago |

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"Again!" King Fabian placed his bo staff mere inches away from his daughter's face. Stretching out his hands, pulling her up. "Work on your offensive skills, how long would you keep defending with a block? Go on the offence for once!"

"And what if I don't want to?" Princess Aria protested, folding her arms, pouting.

"You must!" He affirmed, taking a sidewise L stance, swinging his bo staff behind him, putting out his right palm.

Grudgingly picking up her bo staff, she grumbled in defiance, copying her father, she took on the sidewise L stance, but instead of wielding her bo staff, she raised her knee in a crane stance, raising the bo staff in the air, bringing it back down on her knee.

*Snap!*

King Fabian's stance receded as he wondered what his daughter was going to do with a broken in half, bo staff. "How do you expect to fight with those?" He raised a brow.

°Aim while he's distracted° Princess Aria wiped the sweat on her forehead as she launched forward for a strike.

"Hahaha," King Fabian regained his composure dodging the broken bo staff aimed at him, enjoying the new drive in her tactics. "Aim at your opponent weak points, never use anger in battle, or it would cost you something, like now!" He explained, easily kicked her to the side.

Princess Aria quickly did a backflip to regain her balance, halting momentarily, she held her stomach in pain.

"Damn it!" She cursed as she looked at her father who only encouraged her continue, taking on her attacks without something as meager as just a hit.

"Come on!" He cheered, squatting, taking his rest as he awaited his daughter's attack.

"I can't do it!" Princess Aria cried, dropping to the floor. Teardrops making contact with the floor.

Dropping his bo staff, rushing over to his daughter's side, he had made a move to touch her to see what was wrong.

°This is my only chance!° Princess Aria's thoughts clicked into action.

"Aria, what's wro-" King Fabian felt his balance wavering, watching as his surroundings being turned upside down.

*Thud*

His back made a hard contact with the floor, opening his eyes he was met with the sharp edge of her bo staff to his face as she sat on him, holding his collar.

"Weak point, identified!" She deadpanned, her eyes blazing with a fiery spirit.

King Fabian chuckled at her cunning approach in getting to him, "You are one smart daughter!" He accepted his defeat, relaxing his hands to his side.

"You did say aim at the weak point," Princess Aria eased her hands on her father's collar, getting off him.

"You used my words against me," King Fabian smiled, getting up, "I'm glad you learn fast."

"I am a big knuckleheaded father's daughter," Princess Aria teased, " I will surpass you eventually!" She blew a raspberry, taking her leave.

"I never said we were done," King Fabian called, "we haven't practiced some other techniques."

"I need food, father," She deadpanned, "the kick you gave me was enough to kickstart and speed up my digestive process!" She narrowed her eyes at her father, holding her stomach.

"Oh!" King Fabian knew it was all an excuse to eat and make him feel guilty but he just had to say it. "I'm sorry about the kick, you would get the best treatment, I'll make sure to go easy on you next time."

"And how would I be able to surpass you, if you do that?" She yelled in protest.

"So you don't want me to go easy on you?" King Fabian asked in confusion.

"You won't need to go easy on me soon, you'll see!" Princess Aria pointed at her father determined, "But for now, I'm just plain hungry!" She held out her hand to her father.

"Your love for food surprises me, your mother wasn't like that." King Fabian held onto her hands as they made their way to the Kitchen.

"Hey!" Princess Aria nudged her father in the ribs, "My stomach is mine and not related to anyone in particular."

"As you wish, Your Highness!" King Fabian pulled up Aria, giving her a piggyback ride.

"Let me go!" She laughed as she squirmed in protest, "I'm not a baby anymore!"

°I am 10!!! 10!!!° Princess Aria's thoughts screamed

"You are still my baby!" King Fabian staggered due to her protest on his back, "Would you stop acting all immature? We might fall down!" He readjusted her onto his back again.

"Fine!" Princess Aria mumbled as she laid still, "In that case, to the kitchen!" She hit his sides like a horse.

"We are having cake as we always do today, right?" She placed her chin on his neck.

"As we always do!" King Fabian forced a smile.

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Bringing in a triple chocolate ombre cake, the servant bowed before taking her leave.

"Cake!" Princess Aria beamed with joy, picking up her spoon, she attempted digging in.

"Do you know what day it is?" King Fabian's solemn voice stopped her right in her tracks, receding back to her chair.

"Not really!" Princess Aria shook her head in confusion.

"This would mark the 7th year of your mother's passing." He looked at the cake before them.

"Oh!" Princess Aria's looked on at her father's hurt expression.

"This cake," His attention was drawn back to Aria, "Can you tell me the colors present in this cake?"

"Black, brown and white." Princess Aria pointed at the colors on the cake.

"These three colors meant the world to your mother," The King tried keeping his composure as he spoke.

"Why?" Princess Aria innocently questioned.

"I know you might not be able to remember, but your mother would make this cake to remind herself of our family," King Fabian wiped off his teary eyes, "Those three colors signified our hair color and how they all stuck together as one unit."

"Mother's hair was brown!" Princess Aria looked at her father's raven black hair.

"The picture on the wall doesn't do her hair color justice." Princess Aria brought up her hands, placing her index fingers and thumbs in right angles, forming a rectangle, looking through it like a camera.

"Exactly!" King Fabian couldn't help but smile as he looked back at the family portrait. "It's a good thing we were able to capture that moment."

"And my hair is white!" She held out her hair in confusion, observing it's strange color once again.

"Ofcourse it is Aria!" He affirmed, "And that's what makes you unique."

"Let's eat up," King Fabian cut a piece, placing it on Aria's plate.

Princess Aria looked on in guilt at never asking why they ate this cake at a particular day in a year. "A- alright!" Tears brimmed in her eyes at the significance of the cake she had once loved which was now a grim reminder of what they had both lost.

°Mother, I wish you were here° Princess Aria took a dip of her cake reluctantly.