Chapter Text
Cupid stepped into the Ever After High archery range, a bow tucked underneath her arm. The grass beneath her feet was warmed by the summer’s sun while the surrounding walls of bushes smelled of freshly cut grass.
“Thank you so much for helping me, Darling. It means a lot,” she smiled at Darling, watching as the other girl set up the targets, a quiver slung over her shoulder. “I know it’s silly; I’m a cupid, and I can’t even shoot an arrow.”
After pushing an extra target deeper into the ground, Darling smiled back. Her smile really made you remember she was a Charming. “It’s no problem, really. I’ve been wanting to practice more, anyway. You’re getting me to actually do it,” Darling chuckled, grabbing her own bow. She stepped back from the target and pulled an arrow from behind her. Cupid watched closely as Darling lined up the bow, squinting as she pulled back the bowstring and released it. It landed right in the centre of the target.
“Wow,” Cupid held her bow to her chest; she was almost jealous. She’d always wanted that kind of natural skill with a bow and arrow; you’d think it would come easy to her. “Who taught you how to do archery?”
“Can you keep a secret?” Darling asked, gearing up for another shot. Her sweet smile turned mischievous, almost sly. Cupid nodded.
“Always.”
“Madam Maid Marian.” The shot landed just a bit off centre this time. Cupid nearly dropped her bow.
“Your Damsel In Distressing teacher??? Is that allowed???”
Darling laughed, going to pull the arrows from the targets. “I don’t think so. It was so amazing, though. I’ve read Maid Marian’s book more times than I could ever count, to be taught by her,” Darling sighed as though she still couldn’t believe it. “Anyways. How much do you know about archery?”
Cupid took her bow out from under her arm, holding it awkwardly. “The thing is, I know what I’m meant to be doing; it just won’t work. It’s like my hands always just give out or my arms twitch. Then I miss.”
“I get that. Truth be told, I’m terrible with maces,” Darling admitted. She placed her bow on the white bench; it reminded Cupid of a stone gazebo or an ancient temple.
“Really?” Cupid raised her eyebrow, stepping into Darling’s spot in front of the targets. She swore they looked at her funny.
“Mmhm. The weight is weird. Swords are my go-to. Plus, maces just aren’t used like swords are; I feel a bit like a monkey.”
“Not very knightly then,” Cupid started to giggle, practising her aim with an empty bow.
“Not at all,” Darling agreed. She reached behind herself and pulled out an arrow. “Here, do you want me to place it?” Cupid shook her head, taking the arrow.
“I think I’ve got it.” Cupid tilted her head, sticking the tip of her tongue out just a little as she placed the arrow. She looked back at Darling, who shot her a thumbs-up.
“Perfect. Now, what’s really important is getting a good grip. By what you’ve said, it sounds like your grip is off just a little. Everyone’s hands are different, so the way they hold a bow is too.” Darling stepped towards her, now by her side. She gently took hold of the bow with one hand, the other at Cupid’s elbow. Cupid stared down the targets, like they were kids at school laughing at her. Darling adjusted her fingers a little before she stepped back. “Give that a try.”
Cupid took in a long, deep breath. She blinked, eyeing the target through the harsh sunlight. She pulled back the string, blowing out her breath as she let the arrow go.
One of the bushes rustled with the wind, and she flinched. The arrow flew up, the breeze carrying it above the target and over the bushes.
“Hexes!”
“It’s okay; that wasn’t your fault.” Darling’s hand rested on her shoulder as she slumped, giving an encouraging smile.
“I’ll go get it. Be right back.” Cupid dropped her bow onto the bench, running through the entryway of bushes.
This part of the school had always confused her. It was all hallways of green walls and never-ending turns. It was like a maze. It was part of why she hadn’t put more effort into practising her archery sooner; she worried she wouldn’t be able to leave! She made a right turn; she could only hope it was the direction the arrow flew in. I should have asked Darling to get it, she thought.
After making one wrong turn and getting disoriented by the identical green walls, Cupid could sigh in relief. She ripped the arrow from the bush. At least it didn’t hit someone?
And now she had to find her way back.
Just as she contemplated yelling out Darling’s name in a cry for help, she nearly walked right into someone. Someone with the same charming smile. Cupid’s face burned as pink as her hair.
“Hi, Cupid!” Dexter waved.
“Oh, hi, Dexter!” Cupid worried the arrow would crack under her grasp, her grip as tight as her smile.
“I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”
It was a very fine line between spending too much time with your crush and not enough, especially when your crush has a girlfriend and only sees you as a good friend. Clearly, she’d been doing the latter. Cupid bit the inside of her cheek.
“Yeah, I’m good, I’m good, um…” Cupid looked down at the arrow still in her hand. “Darling’s teaching me how to use a bow and arrow!” She held up the arrow, grinning sheepishly. Dexter rubbed his chin.
“So that’s where she is. That’s nice of her.” Cupid nodded, probably too many times.
“Yeah, she’s a really good teacher!”
Dexter chuckled. “That’s for sure. Well, I’ve gotta go, Cupid. I’ve got a date with Raven; I think she’s waiting in the study hall. Say hi to Darling for me?”
“Mmhm!”
Cupid let her face finally drop, shoulders slumping, this time with far more disappointment as she watched Dexter walk away. “Goodbye, Dexter…” She hugged the arrow to her chest, continuing on her way, mapping out the endless greenery.
This looks like it, Cupid thought, popping her head into the entry. She quickly pulled back.
Apple White was there with her hands clasped behind her back, in front of Darling. She swayed side to side, skirt swishing. Cupid peeked in, eyeing Darling. She looked…different. That confident, charming shine wasn’t as strong as she pressed her hands into her pockets, nodding along to whatever it was Apple was saying. Cupid creased her eyebrows. Darling said something in response that she couldn’t hear. Apple giggled and said something else with a smile before she turned to leave. Darling’s lips parted, her head falling to a tilt. Cupid’s hand cupped her mouth.
“Oh, hello, Cupid!”
Cupid jumped. She wasn’t as invisible as she thought. “Hi, Apple.”
Cupid turned back to Darling. She held the arrow up high. “I found it!” she announced proudly. But her smile fell. Darling didn’t look so happy about it. Cupid looked around, making sure Apple had left before she entered the range.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
Darling shook her head. She pulled her quiver off her shoulder and dropped to the bench. “It’s nothing.” Cupid tilted her head. She’d never seen Darling sad before. But she was pretty sure she knew the cause.
Cupid left the stray arrow in the grass, sitting herself on the bench and crossing her legs. She scooted in next to Darling. “You know, I can recognise love from anywhere. Any kind, from miles away. It’s not something you can lie about.” Darling seemed to think about it for a moment.
“Sooo, do you have a crush on Apple?”
Darling sighed, and she rubbed her wrist. Cupid waited patiently.
“I do…I have a crush on Apple.”
Her face now split into two, Cupid rested her cheeks in her hands, head tilted to watch Darling. She’d always thought the two of them would be good together. Apple was the perfect princess, and Darling was the perfect knight. She may or may not have them listed in her notebook of potential lovers.
“For how long?” If the bench were high enough, Cupid would be swinging her legs back and forth. Early love always made her giddy. She couldn’t even worry about Dexter anymore.
Darling looked up at the sky, as though reliving the very moment she fell in love with Apple. “Is my whole life an answer?” Cupid nodded, leaning closer.
“I think we were…7? Perhaps. She was brought to our castle to see Daring; he had already met her, but I hadn’t. I still remember seeing her for the first time. I don’t think I even knew what I was feeling.” Darling looked like she was about to laugh. “I’ve never told anyone this, not even Dexter,” she mused, gazing at Cupid as though she’d used some magical power. Cupid giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
“We have that effect,” she answered. “So, why haven’t you asked her out?” Darling looked at Cupid as though she’d grown a third wing. Cupid just raised an eyebrow.
“Daring. Everyone knows that he’s her prince. They’re meant to be. It’s not our destiny.”
Cupid frowned. She’d never really bought Daring and Apple; it just didn’t feel right. She had never felt much between them, but for some reason, the whole school seemed to. “Sure. But, Darings dated other girls, right?” she reasoned. She was about to say Darling could still take a date with Apple before Darling scoffed.
“That’s exactly him. He has the whole world and doesn’t even want it,” Darling muttered under her breath, turned away from Cupid. Cupid laced her hands together on her knee.
“I’m sorry,” Darling apologised, tucking in a strand of hair that fell loose from her braid.
“No problem,” Cupid smiled sweetly. The bell rang in the distance, their free period was finished, and their archery lesson.
“Please don’t tell anyone, Cupid,” Darling asked, as though Cupid didn’t run a podcast for anonymous yearners.
“I won’t tell a soul,” she promised, head high. Darling sighed in relief, grabbing her quiver from beside the bench.
“We should have another lesson soon. Same time next week, maybe?“ She threw it over her shoulder, now stood up.
“Absolutely!” Cupid agreed, though archery was the last thing on her mind now. She watched Darling walk out of the range.
It seemed this Knight needed the help of a Cupid.