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“Apo!” Cherri calls, her voice cheerful despite the early hour. “I think the lacing got messed up.”
Apo turns their head to look at Cherri who is grabbing at the back of her dress, fingers scrabbling along the fabric. They sit up and walk over to Cherri, tugging the sleeves of their nightgown down.
“One of the laces fell out.” Apo mumbles, leaning against her chair.
Cherri cranes her neck around to look at her Apo. “Can you fix it?”
“Maybe.” Apo says, mouth stretching into a yawn.
Cherri realizes that Apo is practically dead on her feet. As if everyone is supposed to love the morning.
“Want some water?” She says, holding a goblet up to Apo.
“Yes please.” Apo says, grabbing it and downing the entire thing.
Cherri takes it back and sets it gently on her dresser. Apo stares at her friend in the mirror. She looks like she’s got fire inside her eye.
Apo shakes her head and places a hand on Cherri’s shoulder. “Want some help lacing it up?”
“Of course!” Cherri says. She leans back into Apo, tilting her head up to look at them.
Apo laughs and takes the stray lace, finding the spot it was supposed to be, and sliding it back in. They begin lacing up Cherri’s dress as she starts talking.
“My dad made me attend a court meeting today.” She huffs. “They were talking about money and I only understood some of it.”
Cherri fidgets with the braid hanging in front of her face before sighing. “Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in the shadow of the person they want me to be.”•
Apo hugs Cherri from behind. “I’ll help you remember that you’re gorgeous how you are.”
Cherri giggles and flips open a letter.
Apo watches her friend's expression in the mirror as they lace up her dress. Her brow furrows slightly, as she traces her finger down the page.
They try to catch a glimpse of the note, but Cherri is holding it too close for Apo to be able to discern any of the words.
Apo leans on Cherri. “What’s in it?” They say, craning their neck around her head.
Cherri laughs and pushes her head away. “It’s just an ‘official notice’ of the dance next month. As if those are rare occurrences.”
Apo relaxes and leans back. Cherri’s not getting in trouble or having extra stress. They continue pulling the laces together going up and up her back, pressing on her lightly with a knee to remind her to sit up straight so it ties properly.
Cherri tosses the letter into a pile of already open ones that she has deemed not important.
They notice that Cherri’s hair is covering some of the lacing. She sweeps her hair over her shoulder as Cherri sits up, her back stiffening.
“Are you sore?” Apo asks, gently pressing on her back.
“No–stop that!” Cherri swats Apo’s arm away from her skin. “Your hands are cold.”
Apo wiggles her fingers in Cherri’s peripheral vision and she turns around to grab Apo’s wrists. “I am perfectly capable of finishing on my own. You should go and pick out an outfit for today.”
“Cherri, it’s ridiculously early in the morning I don’t need to get dressed.”
Apo pulls her hands back, trying to break free from Cherri’s grip but she just tightens her grasp and Apo knows that if they push further they’ll both end up rolling around on the floor.
“Fine.” She concedes. “I’ll go grab some of my clothes.”
“Why go so far?” Cherri asks. “I have plenty of pants and shirts that you can borrow.”
“But I’m taller than you.” Apo says, leaning forward to emphasize the difference.”
“Not by much when I’m standing.” Cherri replies, letting Apo go. “There are some that are loose fitting. You won’t die if a bit of your ankle is showing.”
Apo dramatically huffs and turns on her heel in the direction of Cherri’s wardrobe. After sifting through a few dozen pants she finds one that has a waistline that fits and doesn’t restrict her movement. They look at the much larger selection of shirts and decide to wear one from yesterday.
When Apo steps out of the room Cherri is waiting, having put on new tights and redone her braid. She gazes at Apo, eyes traveling up and down her.
“You could keep that one if you want.” Cherri suggests, eyes on their legs. “They fit you much better than me.”
Apo looks at her surprised. The pants are made of something heavy that probably won’t tear easily. And they have orange detailing around the bottom, probably to seem like fire on top of the deep red material. Overall they’re definitely princess quality.
“Okay.”
Cherri grabs Apo’s arm and takes them over to the bed. “Do you think we should eat now? I’m hungry.”
“You had classes all day yesterday. And then we stayed up past midnight running around your rooms. Of course you’re hungry.”
Cherri rests her head on Apo’s shoulder and sighs. “Yes of course, but only you know that. Would they think it weird?”
“No. You’re a princess. You’re allowed to want more food. And you can say that some of it’s for me.”
Cherri looks at them, brow furrowed and tilts her head. “What makes you think that some of it wasn’t already for you?”
Apo turns their head away, face flushed. “No, I meant like I suggested it and you thought it would be a good idea.”
“Oh, yeah.” Cherri starts walking towards the door. “I’ll go tell a maid.”
Apo flops down on her back. She stares up at the painted ceiling, the phoenix painted on it surrounded by swirling flames. The mythical creatures' plumage and feathers are incredibly detailed, done by some talented painter ages ago that supposedly hated his job. The phoenix is on the crest of Soluna and this imagining has lines of the different colors layered on top of each other, each shade distinguished from the others. Apo likes that it’s not all blended together. Something about it feels lifelike.
Cherri comes back and lays in her bed with them. Apo feels herself falling asleep and Cherri’s hands playing with her hair. She wakes up to Cherri laying on top of her and a platter of food on the dresser. Cherri quickly brings it over after complaining that the maid wouldn’t put it on the bed.
Apo picks up a piece of bread and holds it in front of Cherri’s mouth. “Here Your Highness, I shall feed thee so that thy may not sully thy fingers on thy food.”
Cherri laughs and leans over Apo. “Don’t talk to me in the fancy adult voice.”
She takes Apo’s wrist and puts a piece of cheese on the bread and eats the food off Apo’s hand.
Cherri swallows and looks up at Apo before bursting into laughter. “You look so stunned.”
Apo covers their face with their arm. They didn’t expect Cherri to eat out of their hand. Cherri giggles and falls down onto the bed next to them.
“You’re so easy to fluster Apo.” Cherri touches her head against their shoulder and they lean their head against hers in return.
“Cherri, do you have any classes today?” Apo says, thinking of the stables.
“No, but I have to stay inside the castle grounds.” Cherri says. “Do you have an idea?”
Apo takes a side step towards the door. “Come on.”
Cherri looks Apo in the eye and they cave.
“The stables aren’t usually busy around now. And they’re definitely on the grounds.”
She perks up. “That’s great! I’ll go put on some pants too.”
Cherri skips past Apo, who is mildly surprised by her excitement. Apo wanted to go see the horses. They had no idea that Cherri also liked them.
She comes back quickly, dressed in one of the pairs that Apo immediately knew wouldn’t fit them and a flowing top.
Cherri grabs Apo’s hand and they race towards the door, stopping to tell the guards where they’re going before continuing to sprint through the halls.
The stables are comprised of barns and arenas and pastures, all meticulously kept. Cherri immediately walks in a certain direction and Apo follows her. They see her call out to someone and they lead her to a horse that’s already tacked. Cherri asks for a horse for Apo to ride and the worker leads them over to a horse that’s chomping on hay.
After a few minutes Cherri and Apo are in a barn and mounted.
Cherri starts her horse walking around the track and Apo follows her. As Apo rounds a bend she notices a figure in the corner of her eye. When they take another glance Apo realizes that it’s a guard and turns her attention back to Cherri. Her horse is a beautiful bay mare with fur the color of Cherri’s hair when it’s wet. Apo’s sure that her hair is the softest anyone’s ever had.
Cherri looks over her shoulder at Apo and smiles, “Wanna gallop?”
Apo’s eyes widen. “I would fall off immediately.”
“That’s okay.” Cherri says. “How long have you been riding for?”
Apo tucks her head and stares at the back of their horses head. “Only 4 times. But I’ve always liked horses. They’re beautiful and intelligent.”
Cherri pulls on her horse's reins, turning it in until she’s riding next to Apo. They both stop and Cherri takes Apo’s hand. “I don’t care how experienced you are. It’s just nice to have something that will do things I love with me.”
Apo feels a blush invade their cheeks and brushes their hair in front of their face. “We could trot if you wanted? I know how to do the posting thing.”
“Yeah!” Cherri says, urging her horse to walk further and stops. “I’ll go behind so you won’t have to worry about how close your horse is to mine.”
Apo nudges her horse to get it walking again and clicks her tongue. It quickly speeds up into a trot and Apo begins posting–rising off the saddle before briefly touching back down–in time with the horse’s movements.
The increased pace sends a thrill through her and blows her hair that isn’t under a riding helmet away from her neck.
The steady pace is thrilling and Apo feels a grin on her face. She pulls the left rein and her horse smoothly turns. She laughs and urges the horse on, then clutches the reins in surprise at the huge burst in speed. Apo keeps posting, although the energy running through her veins is starting to feel more like imminent danger.
She tugs on the reins, not feeling secure enough to press her heels into the horse's side and the mare slows back to a trot.
“Were you trying to canter?” Cherri calls from across the barn.
Apo pulls her horse to a stop. “No.” She admits.
“You handled it well.” Cherri walks her horse over to Apo. “Someone less level headed than you would’ve fallen off or tried to cling onto the horse and freaked her out.”
Apo feels warmth tingling in her core. Along with a bit of tiredness. “Thanks. Let’s just walk for a bit.”
“Of course.” Cheer says cheerfully. “Do you want to go on a trail?”
“Yeah.” Apo says, staring at Cherri. “They’re all beautiful.”
Cherri leads Apo out to a shorter one and they lead their horses through it, followed of course by a guard. There’s plenty of birds flying about and Apo even thinks she spots a fox. The path goes under an ancient tree that Cherri stops under and looks up through the leaves. Apo looks at Cherri under the dappled light. She looks even more royal under the pretty light.
Apo stares at Cherri the entire time they’re on the trail. She’s always been entrancing to Apo and they feel like someone’s dragged a warm piece of fabric over their stomach whenever they’re touching. It feels nice.
Too soon, they’re back at the stables and Cherri has stopped her horse. She turns to Apo with her bottom lip stuck out. “What if we stopped and went back to my room?”
Apo peers at Cherri suspiciously. She doesn’t usually want to go back to her room until it’s uncomfortably hot outside. It’s mid-midmorning. Then their eyes fall on hers. And they notice the tiredness in them.
“We could take a nap.” Apo says, steering her mare to the stalls.
Cherri smiles and perks up, tiredness more apparent, at least to Apo who knows what she usually looks like when she’s excited, which is much more lively than this.
The moment their horses step inside the stables, a worker rushes up to take their horses from them. Cherri dismounts more gracefully than Apo and grabs their hand. They set off towards the castle and Cherri is leaning against the wall by the time they’re on the third staircase. Apo slides their arm under hers and practically half carries Cherri to her rooms.
Cherri falls onto her bed and Apo pulls her up to the pillows while she’s focused on taking off her blouse, leaving her linen undershirt on. She nudges Apo to ask her to do the same, taking off her boots and flinging them across the room. By the time Apo wiggles out of her pants and tugs her cotton breeches down, Cherri has firmly planted herself under the covers. Apo pulls the big blanket up, and slides under its warmth.
Apo feels a hand grabbing at her arm and taking it back towards Cherri. They wiggle backwards until Cherri throws an arm around them and tucks her chin onto Apo’s shoulder. Cherri is warm and Apo turns around, ignoring her whine to cuddle her back. Then Cherri snuggles into them and they stay pressed against her with a smile.
Some time later they wake, blinking their eyes blearily, to notice a much lower light level. The sun is halfway to setting and yet Cherri is still asleep.
Apo turns back to her sleeping form.
They silently walk over to her and pull the blanket off.
“Hey.” Apo whispers. “The sun is setting.”
Cherri’s too asleep to hear so Apo walks back over to the window and sits in front of it, waiting for her to wake.
By the time she does the sun's rays are the only thing lighting the sky. Cherri stretches, and throws her arm out, expecting it to hit Apo.
“Wha–Apo? Are you here?”
“The sun is setting. Come watch.”
Cherri slides off the bed, taking the blanket with her. She trudges over to where Apo sits and flops down next to them. Apo grabs some of the blanket and tucks herself under it. Cherri immediately throws an arm over them and rests her head on their shoulder.
They sit there, watching the stars in silence until Cherri bolts up and runs over to her jewelry. She picks up rings and necklaces and brooches before coming back to Apo with something in her grip.
She holds her hand above Apo’s and lets go the whole way. A shooting star pin falls out of her hand and Apo holds onto it tight.
She holds it up to her face. "It's beautiful" Apo says.
"I never wear it," Cherri admits. "Here."
Cherri gently takes the pin from Apo and and puts it in her hair. She smiles, proud of herself. "It suits you."
“Thank you. It's beautiful.” Apo says, snuggling into Cherri.
Cherri tightens her arms around Apo, a sleepy smile on her face. "What do you want to do tonight?"
"Sleep." Apo says, pulling the blanket a bit further over their heads.
“Can you really be tired? We just spent the whole day sleeping!”
“And we might sleep all day tomorrow if we do it again!”
Cherri sighs and falls dramatically back into Apo’s arms. “Then hold me! While I venture into that strange land of dreams.”
Apo adjusts her grip on Cherri and lays down, keeping her arms around her friend. Cherri twists to the side and Apo pulls the blanket out from under them. She covers them both with it and looks out at the stars until she falls asleep again.
Apo tosses a carrot in their hand as they wait by the stables. They had been asked by Cherri to meet by the stables so they could go on a long trail ride and have a picnic. But Cherri hasn’t shown up yet. She’s been late for a lot of things lately and Apo is worried about her.
After much time has passed, at least over an hour Apo sets off for Cherri’s room, hoping to find some explanation. They toss the carrot over the fence and act natural as they get closer to her rooms.
As Apo makes it to her rooms they press their ear against the door, trying to hear in. The wood is thick so she cannot hear a thing. Slowly, she carefully opens it and steps inside.
Cherri is not on the bed. Apo scans the room and spots Cherri sitting in front of the dresser brushing out her braid. Apo feels something in her chest squeeze as she watches Cherri, oblivious to her presence. Then the spell is broken.
Cherri’s eyes go wide, and she stares at Apo’s reflection in the mirror. She looks so perfectly surprised that Apo begins to think that she’s a ghost.
“Apo!” Cherri springs up from her seat and races over to them and wraps her arms around them. “I’m so so sorry I wasn’t there. I got surprised with a test and had to spend an hour talking about warfare tactics.”
She frowns at Apo, clearly very disturbed by her test. “Do you think we’re going to war with them?”
Cherri had no need to clarify who she was talking about. Their neighbor had been their enemy for years and was seemingly bitter and obsessed about being better than them in every way, which only wasn’t true but led to them being exceedingly hostile.
“No.” Apo says, putting a hand on Cherri’s shoulder. “They have a lot of bravado but not much to back it up. If they ever try to attack it’ll fail horribly.”
Cherri rests her head on Apo. “Thank you for bringing some sense.”
Apo smooths Cherri’s hair and lets her hand linger on the half undone braid. She walks her friend over to the dresser and sits her down.
“Is it okay if I take out your braid and tiara?”
“Yes.” Cherri says, leaning back into Apo. She seems more tired lately, and stressed.
Apo starts by running her fingers through Cherri’s thick, wavy hair. She pulls her three pointed gold tiara off and sets it on the dresser, picking up her brush in its place. Apo starts gently brushing out her braid, starting from the bottom up and unbraiding as she goes.
“They all seemed convinced that we were going to be attacked any day now. I’m not stupid I know they don’t like us but it still hurt when I got laughed at for suggesting to try to make peace. We don’t have to like or agree with them but it would be nice if we didn’t have to worry about a sudden attack.”
“Old people get stuck in their ways.” Apo says. “Their heir might also want peace. You should try to prepare for as many possible scenarios, not just the one that you want the most. And you might be able to make what you want work.”
Cherri smiles, leaning into the brushing. Apo runs the brush over her head and hits no snags. “It’s been hard recently with my schoolwork. But I’ll still find the time to spend with you.”
Cherri rests her hand on Apo’s wrist and looks at her in the mirror. Apo smiles at her and wraps their arm around Cherri’s waist.
Apo tosses a coin in the air over and over again, watching it spin. Cherri said that she had something important to tell her so maybe she’d come and they’d get to see her more. Maybe it was news about how she was feeling better and more confident in her classes and wanted to be with Apo more.
One time that they toss the coin a flash of pink catches their eye. Apo turns around and sees Cherri!
She runs toward them and hugs them tight, not letting go for several seconds more than usual.
“Hey Cherri, good to see you again!” Apo says, holding onto their arm.
“Yeah.” Cherri says. “I have something to tell you and before you hear it, I just want you to know you’ll always be the best frío ever had, you’ve made my life so much more fun.”
Apo holds Cherri and tries to look her in the eye.
“But.” Cherri says, and Apo’s stomach drops. “I don’t have time for you anymore. I won’t have time for you anymore. And I hate that but I have so much to do and I won’t string you along with me wherever I go.”
Apo would love to be taken with Cherri wherever she went. Apo would keep all the secrets she wanted them to as always be with them. Apo would always make Cherri happy. But somehow, those words never leave her mouth and Cherri continues her horrible declaration.
“It’s just…I'm already so busy now, and then once I’m older I’ll have more duties and” She trails off looking at the ground.
“Then one day I’ll be queen. And I’ll be too busy to do anything.”
Apo stands in silence, looking at Cherri.
“It’s okay.” They say, quieter than they meant to. I understand.”
Cherri sniffs and throws her arms around Apo, who almost falls over. But she catches her and they hold onto each other as tight as they can.
“Goodbye.” Cherri says, her face buried in Apo’s neck.
“Bye.” Apo says, her throat feeling sore.
Cherri lifts her head up and Apo can see that she has tears all over her cheeks.
“See you around.”
And she leaves. Her ballgown dress drifts away as Apo’s best friend leaves. They wait by the fountain until she’s out of view, then for a while longer until her legs feel strong enough again. As she walks away from the fountain where they met a piece of her heart stays there, forever waiting for Cherri to come back.