Xirysa Says: Hehe, my first multichaptered fic for RoV! So yes, this is going to be the same format as those little children's books that explain the alphabet. Just because I can. So... Yes. Here. Wow. Anyone realize that my messages up here are getting shorter and shorter? Oo

"A" Is for Apple

"Hey, André?"

The boy in question gave an affirmative grunt as he bit into the large red apple he held in his rather small seven year old hands. He closed his eyes and chewed, smiling at the sweetness that flooded his mouth and using a sleeve to wipe away the juice leaking out of the corners of his mouth.

"André?"

Swallowing, he sat down at the base of the large apple tree by the stable and looked at the small blond child who stood next to him. Looking at her out of the corner of his deep green eyes, he raised one eyebrow questioningly before taking another hearty bite out of the fruit. He swallowed and wiped his lips once again before turning his head to look at his six year old companion.

"Yes, Oscar? What is it?" He noticed how she glared at the fruit in his hand and sheepishly transferred it the other. However, the apple really was too large for the petite hands of the boy, who almost dropped it on the ground. He gave a small cry and fumbled a bit before holding it securely with two hands again. Turning his head towards her, he gave her a goofy little grin. Her response was to sigh and lean back against the tree.

"What is it, exactly, with you and apples?" She clenched her fist, and the sheathes of the two rapiers she held grated loudly against each other. "I told you to meet me out here so we could fence, not so that you could stuff your face with fruit!"

As if on cue (or to annoy her, she never understood which), the boy promptly took another bite out of the red fruit, sighing in pleasure as the flavor swept through his tiny mouth. She looked up at the sky, almost pleadingly, as her friend continued to indulge in his treat—she definitely getting fed up with his antics.

"I love apples so much! They're so sweet and juicy and yummy…" Anything else he might have said was lost as she hit his head with the hilt of her sword. A sharp crack rang through the air.

"Then why don't you marry your precious apples!" She couldn't help but smirk as he sat there, rubbing his head ruefully as his apple rolled about in the dirt. Her feeling of triumph immediately changed to one of guilt as she saw the tears well up in his eyes and saw the bump beginning to form through his dark hair. Had she really hit him that hard?

He sniffled and looked up, eyes narrowed and lower lip protruding slightly. The blue eyes met the green and looked away uncomfortably.

"Ah… Sorry about that, André." His eyes widened—it was rare for her to apologize. Rarer still was for her to apologize with such an apologetic tone in her voice.

Realizing that his mouth was hanging open, he quickly shut it and stood up. Of course, standing up so quickly caused the blood to rush to his head, and he was unsteady on his feet for a few moments before he felt stable enough to speak.

"It-it's all right, Oscar. I told you I'd fence with you, so we'll fence." He promptly took one of the swords from her hand, swinging it about so that it crossed his chest diagonally. Looking down at her, he gives her a goofy little grin.

She smiled and mimicked his motions. The stood close to each other, noses barely two inches apart. She had to suppress a giggle as she realized he smelt exactly like a giant apple.

"Tell you what, André. You win, I'll get you a whole bushel of apples."

"You're on, Oscar."

They bowed to each other, as was customary before a duel. A moment later, they were a blur of steel and fabric as they began to practice.

Needless to say, she won.

But she gave him the apples anyway.

Xirysa Says: So, I don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but it sure happened to me a lot when I was in grade school. You say you love blank because blank, and then some smart ass goes "Why don't you marry it?" So... I just had to put it in there. Um... Yeah. André and apples. Sort of goes together, doesn't it? Hehe, please do the whole shebang with the reading and the reviews! Y'all will get virtual cookies if you do!

Up Next: The Letter "B": Bath