((So we heard that back in the day throwing apples at a woman was considered a marriage proposal and…this was spawned. This is Jareth's mom and dad meeting in our AU which is seemingly never soon to be written. Thought you might enjoy it?))
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Apples
Oneshot
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"He's looking at you again."
"Stop!" She giggled.
"He can't keep his eyes off you."
"Adalyn!"
"She's right, Miranda. He's been giving you bedroom eyes since you walked in."
She risked a glance over her shoulder and her mouth went dry. There he was, heir to the realm, staring at her like she was ripe fruit. His mouth pulled into a devious smirk as he dipped his head to her and she looked away with burning cheeks.
Adalyn bumped her with her hip. "Go talk to him."
"And make a complete fool of myself? I'd rather not," Miranda replied, needlessly smoothing her dress.
"Oh, come on! What's the worst that could happen?"
She shot her friend a glare before peeking over her shoulder again. He was gone.
…
Miranda finished a sip of the honey wine and gazed into her glass. She was alone. Some lordling had swept Adalyn away to dance and Kelisandre was engaged in debate with another. The crown prince was being elusive. She'd only caught quick glimpses of him before he'd melt back into the crowd. Not that she was looking for him. No, that would be absurd. She took another sip, peeking discreetly over her cup around the room.
…
Soren watched, flipping a coin over his knuckles, as the girl finished yet another glass of honey wine. Judging by her size, he wagered that she was pleasantly tipsy. She'd piqued his interest the moment he'd laid eyes on her. Curious really. She was average by Fae standards; still beautiful but…plain. Not his normal cup of tea. But it wasn't her looks that had drawn his attention. He couldn't rightly name what had, actually. And that frustrated and interested him all the more.
He toyed with the coin in his hand. She was looking for him, trying for and failing at discretion. He'd wound her up with his little game of keep away and he'd be a liar if he said he didn't enjoy it. But she enticed him as much as he did her and the game was quickly losing its allure. He wanted to know the sound of her voice when she said his name. Wanted to hear the way her breathing changed when he touched her. Wanted to know the feeling when she did the same to him. He flipped his coin into the air.
…
The coin bounced when it hit the ground. Wobbling for a moment, it began to roll, its path guaranteed through the crowd by an unseen hand.
…
Miranda was about to take another sip from her glass when she felt something bump against her ankle. She looked down to see an apple wobbling at her feet. Her brows furrowed as she bent to pick it up. It was red and round and perfect. She straightened, transfixed on the apple until she noticed the man before her. And then it took her a moment to remember how to breathe properly.
He grinned and bowed low. "My lady."
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she returned his greeting, "My lord."
He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the lilt of her voice, before standing. He cast her a smirk. She returned it with a smile that was one part shy and one part flirtatious. "You know, the mortals have an interesting practice concerning apples and marriage proposals."
"Really?" he replied, the surprise in his voice belied by the amusement in his expression.
Her smile grew bolder as she rolled the fruit between her hands. "But, surely, this is just a coincidence," she said, taking a bite from the apple.
He laughed low in his throat. "Hardly."