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Apple had many, many thoughts when she first saw Darling step out of that armour in Wonderland. Amazement, shock, how in ever after did she do all of that? It was her the whole time? Darling is a knight? And some other thoughts that she…hadn't been quite ready to unpack at the time.
And more practical questions came later on. That armour looks fairy uncomfortable, it must be difficult fighting in stilts, isn't it heavy? Questions that, even now, popped into her head as she sat on her bed, flipping through a magazine and watching Darling step down from her tall armour. A fresh indent in it, Apple noticed, as Darling pulled her hair from its ponytail.
"How did that happen?" Apple asked, staring at the large dent in the shoulder. She eyed Darling for a matching bruise.
"Nothing really," Darling spoke of it like it was such a casual thing, the fact that she was just in a situation tough enough to bend metal. "I tripped down a small hill and landed onto my front."
"That hard?" Apple dropped her magazine and got up, rushing to press a hand to Darling's shoulder. Darling smiled softly at her, her fingers wrapping around her wrist and pulling it down from her face. She intertwined their fingers.
"You don't need to worry, the armour absorbed all of the impact."
Apple had to sit with that for a moment, the fact that just a suit of armour was between her Darling and having a crushed rib. Maybe she wouldn't have fallen if she had a suit of armour that was actually made for her. Apple reached up and cupped Darling's cheek in her hand, another question rose.
"Why do you keep using that suit of armour?" Everyone knew that Darling was a knight now, there were fewer people who didn't. She had no reason to hide. She wasn't so short either, really she was tall for a princess. Apple didn't know much about combat, but she doubted the disadvantage of her height outweighed the disadvantage of fighting in inches tall stilts.
Darling shrugged, her hands going to Apple's waist, grasping her gently and pulling her closer. "Haven't gotten around to it, too busy," she answered. Apple almost frowned, so Darling did want a better fitting suit of armour.
"It must get annoying…" Apple spoke quietly, more to herself than Darling. The idea of Darling wanting something and not having it didn't do anything good to Apple's heart, it hurt even more when she thought the very thing that needed replacing was putting her in more danger.
Darling pulled her closer until their fronts touched, then pressed a kiss to Apple's lips. "By the time I'm your knight, it will be sorted." Darling had hardly stopped talking about that, how much she wanted to be Apple's knight. Head knight, sworn knight, anything, just a knight that was hers and under her command.
Apple went quiet in thought. Her Darling deserved so much better than an ill fitting suit of armour.
The next day, Apple knocked on Daring's door.
After he told her to come in, she stepped in haphazardly, expecting stray bottles of hairspray on the floor. There were none. He said something about a date with Rosabella, Apple just smiled. She was happy for him, it was good to see the effect that Rosabella was having on him, she felt comforted by the fact he wasn't abandoned. Her feelings for him were far from what she had thought they were, he was a good, childhood friend, but she worried about how their ending would affect him and she still cared about him very much.
Apple fiddled with the hem of her dress for a minute, she felt a bit like a fish out of water. "Do you know where I can get a suit of armour made?"
Daring nearly dropped his hairbrush, he turned to stare at her like those were the last words he ever expected to leave her lips. "Uh…what?"
"It isn't for me," Apple said with a laugh. "It's for Darling. Her armour got damaged and I'd like to surprise her with a new set," she explained, choosing not to ask why on earth he thought she would want a suit of armour. Apple was perfectly happy watching Darling be a brave knight, it wasn't in the book for her.
Daring smiled at her, the kind of smile she imagined brothers gave when they knew their sister's partner was doing right by them. He gave his hair one last comb before putting it down and leaving his vanity.
"Well, I would recommend the Royal Ensemble Armoury, but I know Darling, and she loves her brand loyalty. She prefers the blacksmith in Bookend, Smithy I think It's called." Apple nodded, pulling out her mirrorphone and typing the name down before she could forget while Daring continued on. "She's been going there since that jousting competition, the blacksmith is the one who made Dex that helmet for his glasses."
It was so like Darling to prefer the little local blacksmith over the royal armour makers, Apple thought. Darling didn't need branding, just something that got the job done. With no insult to him, she wasn't flashy like Daring was. It was one of the many things Apple appreciated about her.
"Thank you so much, Daring! Um, do you happen to know what I'll need?" Apple asked awkwardly. She was realizing more and more that she didn't know what in ever after she was doing.
"Measurements, down payment," Daring tapped his chin. "That's about it."
Just in case, Apple wrote those down too. It didn't seem too difficult, she was just glad she had Daring to ask about it. It was either that or tracking down Chase in Wonderland, she doubted Darling would believe she simply had a sudden interest in armour. She thanked Daring again and wished him luck on his date with Rosabella before leaving, rereading everything she'd written down.
Now, she just needed to figure out how she could get Darling's measurements.
The day after that, she sat in a chair in Briar's dorm, listening to her talk about her newest adrenaline inducing activity.
"And then I scaled it like it was nothing!"
Apple smiled, she was trying her best to pay attention to the story, she really was, but she had other things occupying her mind. She had no idea how she could get Darling's measurements, she doubted Daring or Dexter had them, Rosabella, just maybe? Some would see this as a reason to give up or to just halt the surprise detail, but Apple wouldn't do that. Darling was getting this armour, and she wouldn't know about it.
"Something wrong?" Briar asked, putting her mirrorphone back into her pocket. Apple guessed she was about to show her a picture. Of course, Briar always knew when something was up. Sometimes before Apple herself knew. Apple sighed, resting her cheek in her hand.
"I want to surprise Darling with a new set of armour."
Briar's face lit up, she began nodding. "Awwww!"
Briar had been one of Apple's biggest supporters when she started dating Darling, one of her pillars when it felt like the whole world was working against her and Darling. Apple still remembered feeling tears slip down her face when Briar smiled at her softly and said she'd never seen her this happy after one of her first dates with Darling.
"But I need to get her measurements, and I have absolutely no idea how to do that without telling her!" Apple proposed her problem, watching her BFFEA think about it for a long, long moment.
"Oh! I've got that party next week, tell Darling you want to get her an outfit for it! Oh! Oh!" Briar quickly grew hyper, beginning to bounce a little on her heels. "Matching outfits! Tell her you want to get matching outfits made!"
That wasn't a bad idea. It wasn't odd for Apple to want to get her girlfriend an outfit, was it? Apple laughed a little though, Briar seemed way too excited for these matching outfits that weren't actually going to be made. "You know it's just a lie, right?"
"The most believable lie is a specific one," Briar shrugged. "You can get the matching outfits later, too."
That was true. Apple wasn't very good at lying, it wasn't in her nature, she'd need every means possible. "Oh!" Briar flitted over to her dressing table. "Lizzie left this here when she did my last outfit, I don't think she'll mind," Briar held up a long red measuring tape decorated by ace of spades and red hearts.
"Are you sure?" Apple took the measuring tape, resting it over her neck like she'd grown up seeing her dress makers do.
"No, she's got tons. Just, y'know, give it back for my sake," Briar exaggerated a shiver.
"Will do," Apple promised. She didn't quite want Lizzie's wrath either. She played with the ends of the measuring tape, wondering what Darling was up to now. She wanted to envision daring escapades and sword spars, but realistically knew she was more likely sat in the library reading a book.
"I really hope she likes it," Apple thought out loud, her fingers still fiddling with the tip of the measuring tape. "She deserves it."
"Is she still wearing that big clunky thing?" Briar asked, her mirrorphone back in her hand.
"Mm-hm…" Apple rested her cheeks in her hands, her elbows on her knees. "I saw it again the other day, it looks so fairy uncomfortable, don't you think? And it has a dent in it now, she fell. Which I don't think she would have done if she had actual armour," Apple's face started to crease in anger towards the suit of armour.
Briar eyed her, something like amusement on her face. "So this is a protective gesture on your part?"
Apple shrugged. "I don't like the idea of Darling being in any more danger than she has to be in, no."
"And you probably want to see Darling in some form-fitting armour."
Apple blushed.
"Briar!"
The day afterwards, Apple found herself in her own dorm, twirling the tape measurer and rehearsing the same lines over and over again as she waited for Darling.
She was so bad at lying, and Darling was so good at reading her like a book. Apple had never even lied to Darling before, she never needed to. Darling was that one person she could just give anything to without worry, without fear of judgment or rejection. The person she could cry with without worrying about her mascara and the person she could wear her glasses around without wondering if it made her imperfect.
Apple looked up as the door started to open, Darling's head poked in.
"Hi," Darling greeted, stepping in and closing the door.
"Hi, sweetie," Apple smiled, standing up to kiss Darling on the cheek. She had to coach herself into acting normally.
"What's this for?" Darling asked, looking at the measuring tape around Apple's neck as she leaned in for a kiss. Apple blinked and looked down at the tape measurer. The kisses had distracted her momentarily, and now her practiced script was gone, running further away the longer that Apple stared at the red kiss mark on Darling's tanned cheek.
"Um…" Apple scrambled for words, hyper-aware of the tiny tilt of Darling's head as she stared at her. "You know Briar's party next week?" she finally got out. Darling nodded.
"I've heard of it, why?" Darling's hands rested on Apple's waist, once again cutting off her train of thought. Apple looked away for just a second to recollect herself.
"I was hoping you'd come with me, and…" The sun shone through the window, hitting Darling's hair just right. "I…I want to get matching outfits for us!"
Darling, almost imperceptibly, stepped back from Apple, her eyes as quick and subtle as an owl, running over Apple. Her head tilted. Apple shifted underneath her gaze.
"Okay. And the tape measurer?"
Apple pulled the measuring tape from her neck, belatedly realizing she did it far faster than was natural. "I need your measurements for the outfits," she smiled as sweetly as she could at Darling, hoping it would cover up her nervousness.
"I can just tell you my size," Darling offered.
Apple shook her head. Daring said measurements. "No, no, I'd prefer measurements."
Darling stayed quiet for a few seconds longer than Apple was comfortable with, observing her with a worrying intensity. "Okay, go ahead," she finally said. Apple had to keep herself from sighing. Thank Fairy Godmother.
Apple stepped away, and Darling held her arms out. Apple hovered with the measuring tape. Now that she came to it, she didn't know what she was actually meant to measure. Surely regular clothing measurements would suffice? Darling would only get more suspicious if she pulled something up from the mirrornet for something she'd experienced hundreds of times in her life.
So, Apple just reimagined every dress fitting she'd ever had and copied it, measuring everything that came to mind. She blushed a little as she wrapped the measuring tape around Darling's waist, so close to her in a way that felt oddly more intimate than when Darling pulled her in until their fronts touched. Darling's still watchful gaze didn't help either, not with her charming eyes.
"That's it, thank you," Apple smiled, pulling away from Darling's arm. She threw the tape measurer over her neck and typed up the measurements.
Darling's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. Apple giggled, still trying to write everything down. "Need anything else?" Darling asked, an unmissable amount of care in her voice. Apple's stomach twisted with guilt. She didn't want Darling to think something was wrong.
"Nope, that's everything, sweetie." Apple nuzzled against Darling as she wrote down the final measurement.
Darling made an exaggerated offended sound, pulling Apple closer to her. "At least have lunch with me?" Darling murmured in her ear. "Grace me with your presence a little longer?" She was being so over the top flirtatious, and Apple hated that it still worked. Curse the Charming family genes.
"Okay," Apple agreed, despite the fact her mask was already starting to crack.
It had to be the most stressful lunch date Apple ever had with Darling. With all of the kisses and hair touches, Apple was convinced Darling was trying to charm the truth out of her.
She picked at her plate of pasta, only taking the odd bite. The guilt was starting to make her feel sick.
"You haven't eaten very much," Darling pointed out, her own plate already clear of her sandwich.
"I'm not fairy hungry," Apple said, stabbing her fork into a chunk of tomato. That wasn't a lie, she really wasn't hungry. Apple watched that little head tilt again. She was really starting to understand why Darling was such a good knight, she observed every little detail. It was admirable, but not good for Apple's current cause.
Again, Darling reached for her hair, gently brushing it from her shoulder and over her back. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't feel ill?" Darling asked again. Apple shook her head until Darling pressed the back of her hand to her forehead to feel for a fever.
"Mm-mm, I feel completely fine," Apple tried, Darling's hand still on her head. When she obviously couldn't feel a fever, Darling frowned slightly.
"Tell me if you start feeling sick, okay?" The underlying intention of those words rested like a poisoned fruit in Apple's stomach. Please tell me if you're not okay.
Apple sucked in a breath and covered it up with a smile. "Of course." It's for the best, she reminded herself. She pictured Darling's face when she saw the suit of armour.
Before the silence could get too tense, Darling's mirrorphone started playing a short tune. She pulled it from her pocket. Her face scrunched up a little. "It's Dare, the Withering Heights dragon is at school again."
Apple could have sung praise for that dragon and Darling's big brother.
Darling looked between her phone and Apple, she chewed the inside of her cheek. "Are you okay if I go? I'll walk you back with me."
"There's no need, I have an order to pick up from the Glass Slipper," the simple lie came quickly. Apple wasn't worried about the dragon, it never actually did anything. It was a threat to the school architecture more than anything. It would be shooed off and it would fly back to where it came from.
"If you're sure," Darling sighed, standing up. "Hext me when you get back, so I know you're safe."
Apple managed a real, genuine laugh. "You're so protective," she tilted her head back, accepting a quick kiss.
"Always," Darling responded, before starting the run to the school. Apple watched her, taking a moment just to watch her knight run to protect.
Apple took her mirrorphone from her bag and pulled up her notes app. In big bold letters was "SMITHY'S," followed shortly by Darling's measurements in a note that Apple had titled "Darling's surprise armour." She was already in Bookend, now the only hurdle was to find the blacksmith.
Apple looked around, trying to spot it from where she sat outside the restaurant. She couldn't see the blacksmith, but could spot a dark, flowing puff of smoke from deep in Bookend.
Apple hooked her bag back on her arm and stood up from the table, dusting off a couple of crumbs that had fallen to her lap. She hadn't planned on ordering the armour today, but she might as well. The sooner she had it made, the sooner she could get all of this lying off of her conscience.
Apple's heels clicked against the cobblestone path that led up to the Smithy's blacksmith, a much bigger building than Apple expected. Putting on her most confident smile, Apple grasped the iron door handle and twisted it.
It was strangely quiet when she stepped inside, and very empty. There was machinery and what she guessed were works in progress. But no people. "Hello?" she called, beginning to worry she'd walked into a closed shop.
A door creaked, and Apple turned.
A very tall woman emerged from a hidden room, she wore deep black braids and a dirty apron. Apple sighed in relief.
"Princess Apple White?" the woman's voice was almost gravely, but she somehow still sounded bright. "I never hexpected to see ya here." The woman walked closer until she was just two steps away, she held out her hand for Apple to shake. "I'm Betty Bunyan. What are you here for?"
"I'd like to order a suit of armour," Apple said, letting go of Betty's hand.
"Alright. What kind?"
"Um…" Apple fumbled for her mirrorphone. Daring hadn't told her anything about the different types of armour! Her face grew hot as she realized how stupid she must look.
"First time?" Betty smiled at her sympathetically, as though she'd dealt with clueless, prim princesses a hundred times before.
"Yes, I'm so fairy sorry!" Apple rushed the words out. "It's not for me, it's for my girlfriend. She's a customer of yours."
Betty tilted her head in a much more exaggerated way than Darling did. "Who's your girlfriend?"
"Darling. Darling Charming."
The woman's face erupted into a grin. "You're Darling Charming's girlfriend?"
Apple's face did too, she nodded proudly. "Yes. I am."
"Don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of it. Come over here," Betty gestured her over to one of the work stations. Apple followed. The woman reminded Apple so much of Darling, from her calloused hands to her cool, confident nature, she held the kind of air that beckoned any man to come and challenge her at her craft. It was reassuring, to say the least.
Betty reached beneath the work station and pulled out a thick binder, dropping it onto the table. She flipped through it, the pages all thinly laminated and crinkled with age. "These are all the kinds of armour I can do. Have a good look and see what you think she would like." Betty flipped the book and pushed it towards Apple.
"Thank you so much." Apple started to run her eyes over all of the options. "I just want something that will be easier for her to move in. She fell recently, you see."
Betty nodded, her elbows perched on the desk. "Sorry to hear that. I knew it would be a matter of time until she got tired of that armour. If ya don't mind me asking, why are you here ordering it for her?"
"I'm surprising her," Apple responded. She started to eye one style in particular.
It wasn't so chunky like Darling's. It wasn't so much a suit of armour as it was plates, looking much more movable and lithe, with separated plates rather than large expanses of metal. It had a sword sheath with it, too, which Apple knew Darling's didn't have.
"I think this one," Apple turned the book to show Betty.
"Perfect choice," Betty affirmed, taking the book. "This style is perfect for quick moving."
"And will it protect her completely?" Apple knew it was probably a silly question, but she couldn't bear the thought of the armour that she got Darling causing her harm.
"Not to worry, I wouldn't sell anything I believe wouldn't be completely protective," Betty assured her, tucking the book back underneath the desk. She took out a much smaller notebook and pulled a pen from the pocket on her apron. "Do you have Darling's measurements?" she asked, and began listing off measurements Apple hadn't thought about.
"Oh…" Apple looked down at her note. "I only got these," she showed Betty the measurements, only the standard clothing measurements.
Betty simply smiled at her, quickly skipping through the notebook. "Not to worry. I've got Darling's slightly older measurements here, should work a charm. She hasn't gained much muscle in the last couple months?"
Apple shook her head. "No, she hasn't." Now that everyone knew and Darling could work out freely, she was doing so much more often, but hadn't reaped the benefits yet, which she'd been very pouty about. Apple just told her it would happen in due time and she was plenty fit enough as she was.
"Perfect," Betty wrote something down, Apple guessed details for the armour. Apple looked back down at her note and scrolled.
"I nearly forgot! Do you possibly do engravings in the armour?" Apple asked, holding onto her mirrorphone tightly.
Betty looked up. "Sure do. What do you have in mind?"
Apple leaned on the table and showed Betty the rough doodle on her phone. "Something like this on the chest plate?"
"Yep," Betty wrote it down, along with an impressively similar sketch. "That's more than doable."
Apple slipped her mirrorphone back into her bag. She could finally breathe a full sigh of relief. "Thank you so, so much for all of your help, Betty."
"No problem, always happy to help out Darling. Looks like I can have it done for you to pick it up in about a week, does that work for you?"
"It does, yes." Apple could keep a secret for a week, couldn't she?
Couldn't she?
2 days later, Apple laid in the enchanted forest, her head on Darling's lap. A half eaten picnic splayed in front of them.
Darling's fingers played with Apple's curls, wrapping them around her knuckles and making the occasional tie-less braid.
Apple had tried avoiding Darling for the better half of the last two days, but it was difficult to do when they were so used to being attached at the hip. Darling very quickly noticed, everyone did. So, she was coaxed out into the Enchanted Forest for a peaceful picnic, no doubt in hopes of her confessing.
But she wouldn't do it. No matter how much the lies tore up her mouth.
Darling started another thin braid, a bird hopped its way onto Apple's leg. Any other time, this would have been a dream.
"How's your mom been?"
The question was so sudden, like a sneak attack, completely interrupting the almost peaceful silence. Apple lifted her head from Darling's lap ever so slightly. "Hm?"
It wasn't like Darling to bring her mom up out of the blue, both of them avoided the topic of their parents at all cost.
"Have you spoken with her recently?" Darling asked, fingers still deftly putting braids in Apple's hair.
"No, no. Why?" It was faux innocence, Apple knew exactly why Darling was asking.
Darling looked down at her for a long moment, Apple could hear the pad of the bird's feet on her leg. "No reason."
Apple plucked a flower from the ground, spun it between her fingers. It was a daisy. Apple reached up, tucking the flower behind Darling's ear.
Darling inched back in surprise, a blush quickly growing on her face.
Apple sat up from Darling's lap, just to press a kiss to her lips and nuzzle her nose with hers. "So pretty," she cooed as she dropped her head back down.
She had successfully thrown Darling off.
The day after that, Apple kept herself busy in her free period by completely reorganizing her locker.
She balanced a stack of books dangerously in her arms, using one hand to brace them and the other to hold several pictures of her and Darling.
"It's killing you, isn't it?"
Apple jumped at the sound her roommates voice, the heavy textbooks slipping from her grip and the photos flying in the air.
"Whoa." Raven's magic enveloped all of the objects, the books stopped just shy of Apple's toes and the pictures paused in mid-air. She made a motion with her pointed finger and wrist, the books floating back to Apple's arms with the photographs neatly stacked on top of them. "Sorry," Raven gave an awkward grin. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"I know," Apple flicked away a curl with her free hand.
Raven knew all about Apple's plan, really everyone but Darling did. Briar and Daring of course knew, Apple told Raven the night she ordered the armour because the idea of keeping a secret from Darling for a whole week was eating her alive, and Ashlyn found out the other day when Apple actually had a shoe order to pick up. Really, if Apple had any other group of girls surrounding her Darling would already know all about it.
"Why don't you just tell her?" Raven asked, while Apple shoved the books back into her empty locker. "You aren't planning a marriage proposal, what difference does it make?"
"Its called being romantic, Raven," Apple responded, flipping through the photos again. She just couldn't choose!
"Ehh, I wouldn't say much is less romantic than avoiding your girlfriend at all costs."
Apple chose to ignore that. Instead of acknowledging it, she turned the pictures around to show Raven. "Which one for inside of my locker?"
Raven leaned down a little to look at them. "This one," Raven plucked one from the pile. Apple took it back, smiling at it.
It was of her and Darling at the top of the Fairest Wheel during the last Spring Fairest. Darling had taken the picture, one hand holding her phone while the other cupped Apple's cheek and held her for a kiss. They were the last couple on the Fairest Wheel, the sun was just beginning to set behind them. Even though they had spent the entire day together, Apple had wished that the ride would have gone on forever so that she never had to stop nestling herself into Darling.
"Thank you," Apple put the other photos on her locker shelf, picking up a roll of apple patterned tape.
"I would have picked that one too."
Apple nearly threw the tape up in the air. "Darling!"
Apple whipped around to face Darling, who stood there sly like a fox, her sword brandished at her hip. Apple could see the faint stains of sweat on her hairline. She just finished Heroics, Apple could identify, and judging by her subtle confidence, she'd gone unchallenged.
"Sorry, honey," Darling pecked her on the cheek. "Hi, Raven."
Apple didn't like the smile on Raven's face. Not at all.
"Well," Raven took a step backwards, Apple could only beg with her eyes. "I'm gonna leave you both to it. Spell you later?" Raven's cocky grin rivaled even Darling's after the easiest of matches as she slipped away into the hall. Leaving Apple alone with Darling. Again.
"Redecorating your locker already?" Darling asked, leaning in just a touch closer.
"Mm-hm," Apple picked up the stack of photos and started looking through them again, only to avoid Darling's eyes. "I felt like a change." She watched out of the corner of her eye as Darling leaned against the locker, probably forming plans for making her crack.
"Need any help?" Darling peeked into the locker. All of Apple's things, except for her hextbooks, were piled onto the bottom shelf, she'd taken down the old pictures in favor of newer ones, and her mini bin was filled with random bits she'd cleared from her makeup and handbag.
"No, thank you, but," Apple leaned down to slide the old pictures onto the bottom shelf, she grabbed her perfume bottle. She heard Darling's little laugh before she even saw it.
It was their routine, Darling always had a free period after Heroics and spent the time at Apple's locker, Apple sprayed her with what could be mistaken for half a bottle of perfume to cover up the scent of her sweat. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, but it stuck. Darling always said that she just enjoyed smelling like Apple.
"All better?" Darling teased after Apple spritzed her, all too used to the routine by now.
"All better," Apple confirmed, leaning up to press a kiss to Darling's lips. She was being surprisingly natural, maybe she could be a good liar after all. Darling's hand pressed to her back, bringing her closer.
"So you're still feeling okay?" Darling asked, her voice much quieter than before, softer and sweeter.
Apple nodded. She grabbed her Chemythstry hextbook as swiftly as she could, tucking it to her chest. "Of course, why wouldn't I?" There was another thing that made Darling an amazing knight, that damned relentlessness.
The bell rang.
Darling looked between Apple and the bell, ultimately coming to defeat by whatever turmoil went on inside of her head. "Do you want me to walk you there? That book looks a little heavy."
Apple had carried that book in front of her hundreds of times, Darling knew full well that she could carry it. The excuse was cute, nonetheless.
"I'm fine to carry it, thank you, sweetie."
Apple pressed a final kiss to Darling's cheek and disappeared into the sea of students as quickly as she could.
2 days later, Apple sat in the student council room, talking out a proposition by Hunter about setting up more infrastructure to help wildlife in the school gardens, like bird feeders and houses for mice and squirrels.
"I completely agree with you, Hunter," Apple said as she wrote down a few notes in perfect calligraphy. "And honestly I can't believe we haven't done anything like this yet, the gardens hold so much important wildlife, especially with the Enchanted Forest so close."
"Ashlyn told me that you'd get it, thanks, Apple!" Hunter grinned, gathering up his hand drawn blueprints for bird houses and baths.
"No worries, Hunter," Apple smiled as she signed her signature. "I'll work on getting this implemented as soon as I can."
Hunter nodded, he thanked her again as he left. He said something else that Apple couldn't hear over the sound of her flipping through papers.
"Another day of helping us all?"
Apple jumped in her seat, the ink of her pen very nearly marking the paperwork. She shot her head up.
Darling stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed and an easy smile on her face. "Darling! How long have you been there?"
"Not long," Darling answered, walking over to behind Apple's chair. Her hands dropped to Apple's shoulders, beginning to massage them. "You've been very jumpy lately, honey," she commented. Apple shrugged.
"I'm just a little stressed, you know with graduation coming up, and student council work."
Darling made a noise, a noise that sounded like it was trying to convince Apple she was believed. "Well, that isn't good," Darling gave a kiss to Apple's hair. "Need anything? Tea, you've eaten today, I assume?"
Apple started to needlessly rearrange her papers to protect herself from Darling's doting. "I'm perfectly fine, and yes, I've eaten."
"How long ago?" Darling pressed.
Apple missed breakfast one time for a council meeting and she still never heard the end of it.
"Not long, Briar took me out for lunch," Apple answered. She almost expected Darling to ask for receipts.
"Okay," Darling relented. "Just making sure."
Darling tucked a curl behind Apple's ear, she cupped her jaw and gently pulled her face towards her. From an upward angle, Darling looked near goddess-like, but a fighting goddess, come to personally keep Apple safe, from others and herself. "You know I worry about you," Darling leaned down to kiss her.
Apple sighed when they pulled away, turning so that she didn't have to look Darling in the eye. "I know…"
Apple detested that she was doing this to Darling, worrying her like this, she detested it so much that each kiss started to hurt. Her head ran in circles of It'll all be worth it, even though she was starting to doubt it.
Darling pushed her thumb into the nape of Apple's neck, rubbing slow, soothing circles. "Tell me if you need anything, okay?" Apple nodded, another kiss blessed her head.
"I'll let you work, I promised Hunter a sparring session." Darling squeezed Apple's shoulders once more before she left.
Apple sat in her hair for awhile wondering if she had just gotten a minute of what it would be like to be Queen with Darling as the knight at her side.
"It's only 2 more days, you can do 2 more days, can't you?" Apple said to herself the morning after, staring at the calendar, at the date she would pick up the armour from Betty, conspicuously labeled "dress pick up" in case Darling caught sight of it.
"Please, just tell her," Raven begged as she walked out of their bathroom, a bit of toothpaste still in the corners of her mouth. Apple gestured to it before she sat down at her vanity.
"I can't do that," she said, raising her voice for Raven to hear as she wiped her mouth in the bathroom. Apple pulled her favorite jewelry box towards her and opened it. Sat on top was the gold and ruby necklace Darling had given her last True Hearts Day.
Apple had always found it difficult to give Darling gifts, what exactly do you get a knight princess who showed little interest in the typical princess things and bought knight gear all on her own? It was a struggle, and each gift came with a murmuring voice in her head that Darling didn't like it as much as she put on and maybe even already had it. Apple had always been extraordinary at gift giving, but Darling was the exception. She thought it would get easier as she grew to know more and more about Darling, it didn't. It actually got harder, because she knew whatever gift she thought of wasn't good enough.
This was her one chance to give Darling something she knew she needed and wanted.
"Better?" Raven asked, stepping out of the bathroom. Apple looked at her mouth and nodded. She held up a pair of dangling earrings to her ears.
"Hexcellent," Raven gave a thumbs up, Apple smiled. She could always go to Raven for honest fashion opinions. That was one of Darling's very few flaws, she always just said "you look perfect in all of them," when given options, like a magic mirror programmed to only give positive responses.
It was kind of cute.
Apple placed the earrings back in her jewelry box, letting out a long, dramatic breath. "I just feel guilty, Raven. She thinks that there's something wrong with me, and she won't let go of it."
Raven smiled a little. "The Charmings are attentive, aren't they?"
Apple nodded, slouching in her chair. She assumed Daring was the same now that he was with someone he had real feelings for. If he wasn't, Darling would already have torn him to shreds for not providing the best to her best friend.
"She sent me a hext last night just to tell me she's here for me," Apple told Raven as she left her vanity and opened her closet.
Raven hummed in understanding. "The last time I accidentally lashed out at everyone, Dexter asked me every hour if I was feeling okay and if anyone was bothering me."
"Awwww," Apple cooed as she pulled her chosen dress from it's hanger.
"It's cute when it isn't you, isn't it?"
"It is…"
Apple was almost frightened to see how the next 2 days would play out.
The two days went by with, surprisingly, little hitch, a few stutters from Apple, more attentiveness and affection from Darling, constantly answering if she felt okay, if she had eaten and if she needed Darling to do such a thing.
It would all be lovely if Apple actually needed the help.
She laid in bed the night before she was to pick up the armour, buzzing behind the screen as she hexted with Darling.
Fairest, fairest pleaseeee, she typed out, about Darling letting her watch her next spar session. Apple enjoyed watching Darling fight, even if it nearly caused her to faint.
I'll kiss you on the cheek if you win, she followed it up with. It was much easier to flirt and pretend everything was normal over hext.
When I win;) Darling corrected.
My apologies, when you win. So is that yes? Apple tapped the back of her mirrorphone as she waited for a response.
Since you asked so nicely and promised a kiss.
Apple smiled wide. She opened her mirrorphone camera and dropped her cheek into her hand, making herself look adorable and took a picture.
See how happy it makes me? she followed it up with, still smiling as the dots bounced with Darling's response.
You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen, Darling sent, with 3 blue hearts. Apple's face quickly grew pink. She squeezed her mirrorphone to her chest as it set in that she'd get to watch Darling spar in her brand new armour that she bought her.
You're the bravest knight I've ever seen, Apple responded with, including 4 red hearts.
Not as brave as you are pretty.
Apple rolled her eyes and quickly typed a response.
I'm not playing that game this late at night<3
It was a weekend tomorrow, so she could sleep in a little and didn't need to worry about running to Betty's in between classes. but she still wanted to get a good nights sleep. Even if hext flirting with Darling was a dream.
Whatever you want, my future Queen.
Apple pursed her lips tightly, imagining the engraving she'd asked for sitting on Darling's front.
When Apple woke up in the morning, Raven had already left for an early breakfast with Dexter. Apple laid in bed for a while longer than she usually allowed herself, scrolling through her and Darling's chat and re-reading their flirty hexts from the night before.
She could hardly wait to see the armour for the first time, or to see the look on her Darling's face. Darling had the cutest face when she was surprised. And, Apple would finally be able to give reasoning for her odd behavior. If this were anyone else, it probably wouldn't have been an issue, but Darling had some sort of magic ability to see every single detail of Apple, even the tiniest twitch couldn't go unnoticed. Apple had long learned that she could never truly hide anything from Darling, no emotion could be pushed down deep enough for Darling to never find it.
When Apple finally pulled herself out of bed, the doves on her windowsill sang a little louder than usual, a little more joyous, like they could sense Apple's mood and knew it was a happier day. She got dressed with the intention of meeting Darling later, putting on the dress she wore on their first date and painting her lips with the lipstick she knew Darling favored.
As she put on the final touches to her make-up, Apple's mirrorphone chimed from beside her. Apple cleaned up the edge of her lipstick then picked it up. It was just a Pagemail from Betty, telling her that the armour was all ready to be picked up. Apple slipped her mirrorphone into her dress pocket.
Apple had already prepared the lie that she was going out to help Ashlyn when Darling asked, but after leaving her dorm and nearly reaching the entrance, Darling hadn't appeared, which was strange for a girl who always seemed to be everywhere at once, everywhere usually being near Apple.
If she was in Bookend, this would not end well.
"Dexter!" Apple called, running in her heels to catch Darling's only slightly older brother at his locker.
"Hey, Apple," he smiled, a lot like Darling, as he sorted through his books.
"Do you know where Darling is?" Apple asked, she began to worry a loose thread on her dress.
"Um…" Dexter stared upwards, recollecting. "I think she said she's training at the heroics field today," he answered. pushing a book back into his locker.
Apple felt like all of the tension in her body was spelled away. "Thank you, Dexter."
Apple's hand shook around the iron door knob as she turned it, either with nervousness or excitement.
"Betty? Are you still here?" Apple stepped into the empty building. It was a weekend, but Betty told her to pick it up anytime. Apple hadn't paid the full price yet either, just the down payment.
"Right here!" Betty announced, rising from underneath a piece of equipment, wearing a welding mask. "Good to see ya again, Apple," Betty pulled up the mask and smiled at Apple, dusting off her gloved hands.
She pulled the gloves off and threw them on a random table, she waved her hand to tell Apple to follow her. "Darling's armour is right over here." Apple skipped to match Betty's pace, eager to see the armour.
Betty led her to what vaguely looked like a mannequin covered in black cloth, hidden away in the corner of the shop. "Didn't want it getting dirty or customers thinking it was for sale," Betty explained, grabbing the edge of the protective cloth. Apple squeezed her own hands in anticipation as Betty ripped it off.
It was perfect. Exactly what Apple had been envisioning every night before she fell asleep for the last week.
"Betty, this is amazing!" Apple stepped closer and tentatively touched the cold metal. It was smoother than Darling's current armour, the design in its entirety was much sleeker.
"Glad you like it," Betty grinned at her. "Some tweaks can still be made, so if Darling has any hassle, tell her to come back to me."
Apple stood admiring it for another few moments, or rather the mental vision of Darling when she saw it and wore it.
"I'll pack it up for ya, will you manage carrying it back?" Betty asked, already pulling the armour off of the mannequin. That was another thing, it looked so much easier to get in and out of, with leather straps pulling the leather plates to their wearer's body.
"I'm sure I'll manage it," Apple answered, she dug into her bag for the money she owed as Betty placed the armour in a box and sack. "Thank you so much again, Betty. I'm sure Darling will love it!" Apple couldn't stop smiling as she placed the money on the counter, she probably looked a little bit like Kitty when she cracked an egg on Humphrey's head.
"It was no problem." Betty brought the sacked armour over to Apple. "Let me know if ya need anything in the future."
Apple nodded happily.
The armour was heavier than Apple expected it to be, but she managed to drag it through Bookend at the price of just sore arms, and she enlisted the help of Daring to get it up to her dorm. It now sat in its box, square on her bed waiting for its owner to retrieve it.
Her final task was to track down Darling and lure her.
That made it sound much more difficult than it would be, she probably wouldn't have to bat her eyes once.
So, she found her way to the heroics training field, where she assumed Darling still was. It had been hours but the girl had a fighting drive that rivaled even the most prolific of knights. Apple had personally watched her battle in fencing and jousting tournaments and express disappointment that they didn't last longer.
Apple smoothed out her skirt and approached Darling, who was training solo with a sword and dummy. She stayed silent for a minute or so, watching with fascination as Darling delivered a quick, clean kick to the neck of the dummy. It already had several sword and arrow marks, like Darling had been at it exclusively for hours.
"Did it say something bad about me?" Apple teased, crossing her arms.
Darling paused as she registered Apple's voice, her shoulders fell. She dropped her sword to the grass, like it was the least interesting thing to her now that Apple was in her presence.
"It wouldn't dare," Darling responded, that little smirk on her face. Apple laughed, shaking her head. Darling did too and gave Apple their greeting kiss on the cheek. Her arm wrapped itself around Apple's waist.
"How long have you been out here for?" Apple asked, starting to dab at Darling's hairline with her handkerchief. Darling shrugged.
"A few hours. I started not long after breakfast."
"You know that weekends are meant to be for relaxing?"
"Weekends are for doing what makes you happy," Darling amended. Apple was pulled closer to her, until their noses almost brushed. "And right now I'm doing two things that make me very happy."
Apple turned her head away, swallowing. There was that damning charm again, sometimes Apple thought that Darling did it on purpose, that she could turn it on and off whenever she saw fit;when it felt like fun to watch Apple get flustered. Apple pushed the piece of cloth back into her bag.
"When you're done, I have a surprise for you," Apple said sweetly, deciding she was done with making up excuses.
Apple watched Darling's head tilt to the side again, so adorably and innocently that it reminded Apple of Herowing when she was a baby. "Oh? What could that be?"
"What could it be?" Apple tapped her finger on her chin. "You'll have to find out for yourself."
"A true knight never ignores a call to venture," Darling lifted Apple's hand up above her head, twirling her until her skirt began to swish. Apple beamed, not just because Darling was being so unbelievably lovely, but because the secret was finally over. She never wanted to lie to Darling again!
"Lead the way, my princess."
Apple took Darling's hand and started leading-maybe dragging her-to her dorm, she remembered belatedly that Darling's sword was still sitting in the field grass, Darling didn't seem to care.
"Is it in my room?" Darling asked from behind Apple as she was led up the stairs to the dormitories.
"No," Apple sang. "Mine."
"Hmmm," Darling's hum was exaggeratedly long and thoughtful. "What ever after could it be?" she asked herself.
"You'll find out soon," Apple assured her. She was starting to find it difficult to stay calm with all the excitement jittering in her bones. They were nearly at the top of the staircase, Apple's dorm was a few steps and a turn away.
When they reached her door, Apple was practically bouncing on her heels, Darling trailed behind her. "Someone's excited," Darling commented, affection light in her voice.
"I just want you to like it," Apple said, pushing open the door.
Apple rushed to sit on her bed, right next to the dark box. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her knee, watching Darling enter and set her sights on the box.
Darling ran her hand over the box as she studied it. Apple watched the excitement reach her eyes. "Is this from Smithy's?"
"It might be," Apple tapped her fingers on her knee. "Open it."
Darling lifted the top of the box carefully, almost cautiously, like she was scared of damaging it. The armour sat wrapped in protective tissue paper, Apple waited in deep anticipation as Darling pushed it aside.
"Apple…" Darling lifted the pieces of armour out of the box, laying each one on the bed with a delicacy that no armour required. Darling was smiling, grinning, even.
The chest plate was the very last piece left in the box, Apple could hear Darling's breath hitch. Apple's heart picked up in pace, Darling looked so beautifully shocked, so caught off guard it was thrilling to watch. "I know how much you want to be my knight," Apple said, as Darling rested her hand on the chest plate.
In the heart of the chest plate, an apple was engraved. Not just a plain apple, the inside was decorated with intricate, weaving vine-like patterns, comparable with the one on Apple's favorite dress. It sat like a royal crest in the metal, like a promise of her future role in Apple's life.
"Do you like it?"
Darling's hand left the chest plate.
Darling's lips were on Apple's before Apple had even realized she'd moved, her calloused hands cupping her cheeks. Apple smiled into the kiss, leaning forward to deepen it, her hands slid up to Darling's hair, it felt like silk beneath her fingers.
Darling pulled away with a deep breath, she still held Apple's face in between her hands, thumbs stroking her cheeks.
"I'll take that as a yes." Apple could feel the stain of lipstick on her chin, and she could see its color faded on Darling's lips.
"Thank you, honey," Darling sighed. "It's perfect."
"You have Betty to thank," Apple laughed softly, still a tad breathless from the long kiss. "I didn't have a clue what I was doing."
"So…" Darling's thumb continued massaging Apple's cheek, "is that what everything was about? The measuring, your behavior?"
Apple put her fingers to work at fixing Darling's collar, nodding. "I know I worried you, I'm sorry. But you are hexspecially difficult to lie to."
"I've been told that before," Darling nuzzled their noses together, a sweet and short I'm sorry. "Thank for doing this for me."
"I couldn't stand it. My Darling deserves proper armour," Apple pecked Darling on the lips. "And you'll look amazing in it. Remember, you promised I can watch your next spar."
"I did, didn't I? It's only fair, seeing as you paid for it," Darling teased, a lilt to her voice. Her hands had long left Apple's face and were now on her waist, Apple started to think that it was her favorite place to put them. Not that it bothered.
"It wasn't much, Betty's very reasonable."
Darling nodded. "She is. She helped you out?" Darling asked.
"She was very helpful, when I told her you're my girlfriend she gave me all the help I needed. She reminds me a little of you," Apple played with a lock of Darling's hair. She watched with amusement as a subtle pink came over Darling's face.
"Yeah, she…she's helped me a lot."
Apple reached up and cradled Darling's warm cheek in her hand.
She knew that Darling had never had it easy, that being a lady knight in their world came with its own unique set of challenges, but it hurt a little more each time she remembered it. Apple was grateful for each and every person who had ever inspired Darling, inspired her to be the knight that now stood in front of her.
When Darling was officially her knight, she wouldn't need to worry about any of those challenges. Apple would make certain of it.
A week later, Apple sat at the sidelines of the heroics training field, watching as Darling sword sparred with Hunter.
Darling looked about as much of a Charming as she could get in her new armour, Apple admired how swift and smooth her movements were, a tough elegance to them. So much more like what Apple had seen when Darling kicked the dummy than anything she'd watched her do in her old armour. Apple also enjoyed that she could tell it was Darling, even with her helmet on. Of course she knew what Darling's previous armour looked like, but sometimes it had crossed her mind that it could be anyone underneath there. So easy to impersonate.
Apple jumped up and clapped as Hunter was pushed to the grass by Darling's foot, holding his hands up in defeat. His sword laid out of reach.
Darling whipped off her helmet, her tied back hair falling down her back like a thin river, only adding to the nothing less than majestic sight. Apple was surprised her heart didn't give out in her chest.
With all the joy of a princess whose knight girlfriend just won a spar, Apple ran up and threw her arms around Darling, pressing the promised kiss right on her cheek. It left a slightly smeared red mark as Darling picked her up and spun her around.
When Darling put her down, Apple turned to Hunter, who was wiping sweat from his forehead and being awkwardly pat on the back by Ashlyn, who had an amused but sympathetic "you'll get her next time" expression. "You," he said, pointing at Darling, "are insane."
Ashlyn shook her head, now on Hunter's arm. "The armour looks great, Apple," she smiled at Apple.
Apple smiled back, being kept close by Darling's arm. "Thanks, Ash. Did you like it, sweetie?" Apple looked up at Darling. The most important thing was that Darling felt comfortable and free in it. While she certainly looked it, Apple couldn't be sure.
"I love it," Darling answered, with heavy emphasis on the 'love.' Something in Apple wept with joy. She pressed herself closer to Darling.
A few minutes later Ashlyn announced that her and Hunter were going for a relaxing walk through the Enchanted Forest and left, leaving Darling and Apple alone in the field.
"You really do love it?" Apple asked as soon as Hunter and Ash were out of earshot, her fingers began to trace the details on Darling's chest plate.
Darling rested her forehead against hers, Apple could hear her breath, still heavy with adrenaline.
"It's the best gift I've ever received."