Hunting for Dariberries and Meriberries

     The berry harvesting season was in full swing, bushes laden with sweet treats; at their peak the king had declared a festival to be held and, under intense pressure from his court, had invited nobility and civilians alike from the neighbouring kingdoms. Dignitaries from Brightvale, rich traders from Market Town, and, yes, even members of the Darigan Citadel’s own council mingled happily with those of Skarl’s court, sipping freshly made berry squash.

     These days of cooperation and celebration had especially done wonders for relations between King Skarl and Lord Darigan’s kingdoms, to the point where there was noticeably less animosity between the two councils. Their leaders were a different story however, which is probably why their advisors were practically forcing them to spend the day in each others’ company, with the hopes that the Skeith and Korbat might finally get along.

     It wasn’t working. King Skarl was incredibly bored. These nobles were more focused on chatting about politics and trade deals than the actual festivities. Lord Darigan loomed over him like a shadow, but stubbornly refused to make conversation. He saw little point in celebrating if he wasn’t going to pick at least one berry. Lord Adelheit had whined to him about it being unbecoming for a king to ‘dig in the dirt for crops like a commoner’ but the Lupe was nice and distracted right now. He just needed to shake off his unwanted companion.

     Hungry and growing increasingly grumpy as a result, King Skarl grabbed a basket and attempted to slip away from the party tent. He got nearly halfway down the mountain path, only to be stopped by a stern hand on his shoulder. Lord Darigan looked less than impressed. “And where do you think you’re going?”

     “To pick berries.” Skarl responded with a roll of his eyes. “Something I don’t require a chaperone for.” He tried to shake the Korbat off, but the tall Neopet moved to block his path.

     “Why can’t you pick berries on the farm?”

     “I don’t like treading there,” Skarl made a disgusted face. “For obvious reasons. Besides, there’s supposed to be rarer varieties growing in Drackon Ridge.”

     “There are also Drackonacks growing in Drackon Ridge.” Darigan stated, sounding as bored and grumpy as the Skeith before him often did. “Giant ones.” Skarl let out a haughty laugh.

     “I can hold my own against a Drackonack of any size!” Skarl actually thought those little cheese loving beasts were kind of cute, but he would never admit that to Darigan of all Neopians. “If you’re so worried then come with me,” Skarl challenged, stepping around the Korbat to continue down the path into the Ridge.

     “Worried? Unbelievable nerve...” Darigan scoffed, but followed behind him anyway. Skarl allowed himself to smirk at how easy that was. Now none of his court could accuse him of slipping away to avoid the arrogant Neopet. If he was going to be forced to spend any time with Lord Darigan, he was going to do so with a full stomach!

     Apparently Darigan was also quite fond of Drackonacks, if the growing smile he was trying to hide as they passed the monsters was anything to go by. They spotted a large Blue one as they made their way towards the middle of the Ridge. The overgrown Petpet sniffed the air as they approached, letting out a hiss once it spotted them. It took one look at the Korbat and ran off, clearly intimidated by his towering height.

     “Oh my, that one was almost as big as you.” The lord said insultingly. Skarl huffed and, unable to come up with a good retort, settled for crossing his arms and sticking his tongue out childishly. The Korbat gave the barest raise of an eyebrow, clearly amused but unwilling to let his stoic mask slip.

     The valley opened to a wide field, filled to the brim with massive patches and brambles of nearly every variety of berry possible. Skarl could even spot incredibly rare Sparkle Berries growing wild, their fruit glimmering like freshly fallen snow. His mouth watered.

     “Alright, fill your basket so we can return before the others notice we’re missing and panic.”

     The king felt a vein in his forehead bulge, but stomped down his temper. Always ruining his good mood, this one. If his nobles honestly thought he would end today in any way fond of Lord Darigan they had another think coming!

     “Gonna have the kitchen staff make me some Sparkle Berry jam,” he grumbled, mindful not to nick his paws on the sharp glass-like leaves as he plucked the fruit. He could also see Dulaberries and Variberries among the vines, fruit he had long thought were completely gone from this world. Darigan had also bent down to pluck at the fruit, tossing a handful of Loveberries into Skarl’s basket. The aroma proved too tempting, and Skarl dug some of them back out to feast.

     “Stop eating them!” Darigan scolded. “How are your chefs supposed to make preserves if you scarf them all down?”

     “I’m hungry!” Skarl retorted, quickly shoving another Loveberry into his jaws. Darigan snatched the basket away with a bit of a struggle, Skarl whining at its loss. “Hey! I’m not gonna eat them all!”

     “I don’t trust you,” Darigan huffed. “You have self control issues.”

     He leaned back down to harvest more, and Skarl made a face at the handfuls of Bland Berries and Fishberries that joined the growing pile. “Ugh, don’t pick the gross ones...”

     “I like them.” Darigan stated, a hint of mirth in his gravelly voice.

     “Sure you do.” Skarl rolled his eyes, making his way to the far end of the patch. “You’re just picking them to spite me.” The bushes over here looked a little wilted. Their dingy grey leaves and red stems were completely covered in ragged thorns and equally jagged berries. Skarl beamed and picked one, then held up the prize for Lord Darigan to see. “Look there’s Dariberries growing down here too!” He chuckled slightly. “It kind of looks like you – dark, prickly, and bitter.”

     The korbat gave an unimpressed frown in response, then turned back to search through the brambles for a good retort. He seized a plump red and blue berry and shoved it into Skarl’s field of view. “Well, you look like this one – chubby and garish.”

     Skarl blinked at the fruit, then a huge grin spread across his face.

     “That’s a Meriberry! I thought those were extinct!” He rushed over to the Korbat’s side. “Are there more?”

     “There’s a whole patch of them.” Darigan stated. “They must be flourishing here because most Neopians are too scared of the Drackonacks to come looking for them.”

     Skarl couldn’t believe his luck! This was his favorite berry from when he was but a small lad. After the wars they had completely vanished, and now everything that was Meriberry flavored was done with artificial flavoring. He was almost tempted to pick them all and gorge himself just to remind himself of those happy summers spent picking berries with his family, before everything had fallen apart between him and his pompously over-educated brother.

     “This area needs to be protected.” He said instead, surprising Darigan with his serious tone. “Meriberries were our national fruit. They were named because they hold our colors. I thought they were lost to time.” He smiled up at the lord. “And you just rediscovered them! I’m kind of glad you followed me down here now.”

     The corners of Darigan’s mouth twitched a little, and he turned away before Skarl could see him fully smile. He let out a cough. “You’re… not a complete headache to be around either, I suppose.”

     Skarl chuckled.

     The basket filled with more and more tasty morsels as they foraged and chatted, mostly trading roasts with each other. A particularly creative insult had Skarl wheezing, and the one he threw back at Darigan made the Korbat let out an incredibly rare chortle of his own. The lord at one point stepped on a Spoogentberry, and the king roared with laughter at the noise. With the tips of his large ears flushed slightly pink with embarrassment, Darigan tore a Conkerberry from a high branch and threw it at Skarl, who ducked with a playful screech.

     Something in the bushes behind him let out an angry growl.

     A massive Drackonack, larger than any Skarl had ever seen, rose from the brambles with a knot blooming on its forehead. Forget being bigger than him or Darigan, this thing was practically the size of the Turmaculus. Darigan let out a growl of his own, but this beast wasn’t afraid of him like the smaller ones had been. It charged at Skarl, and the Skeith clutched his amulet in fear, hoping that maybe its magic would protect him again.

     Darigan’s massive black and purple form was suddenly between them, wings flared out wide in warning. The Drackonack stopped dead in its tracks, sniffing at something held aloft in Darigan’s hands. The lord tossed the item to the side, and the wheel of Bubbling Blueberry Cheese rolled down the path towards the ocean with the hungry Petpet chasing after it.

     Skarl’s mouth was agape. “How…?”

     “When the path is blocked by Drackonacks, it’s good to have a little cheese handy.” Darigan said in a mocking impression of Hagan. Skarl burst into hysterical laughter, the terror of the situation completely forgotten.

     “D-Darigan! I didn’t know you had it in you!” He wheezed, holding his aching sides. “Oh, I haven’t laughed like this in a long time.”

     “Well, maybe I also do my best thinking with a full stomach.” Darigan said a little guiltily. Skarl glanced down at the basket and noticed finally that a good portion of the Dariberries were already gone. It looked like they would have to pick more.

     “You hypocrite! Give me that back!” He cried, his tone joking and cheerful. He took the basket back and grabbed a Mortogberry from the top, chewing and daring the Korbat to say anything.

     Maybe he would end the day fond of Lord Darigan after all.

     The End.