Chapter seven:
As soon as she was finished with breakfast, Darling slipped unseen out of the castleteria, trying to avoid her many admirers following her to her destination. While she slowly made her way around the outside of the school Darling kept looking around to made sure that no one was following her.
When she reached her intended destination at last, Darling quickly looked around to make sure she was still alone, and let out a sigh of relief as she realised that no one else was around.
Darling took a few steps back from the school building and looked up, above her was a window and she hoped with all her heart that a red rose would be on the windowsill.
A wide smile spread over her face and her heart soared inside her chest as Darling spotted the red rose sitting on the windowsill. "She wants me to continue wooing her…I can't believe this is happening…" Darling whispered to herself in an awed, but happy voice.
With an expression of happiness still on her face Darling made her way from the school towards Book end, as she walked Darling consulted the list of flowers and foliage which she would need for her message to Raven today.
When she reached the florist in Book End Darling began to carefully selected what she needed from its many buckets of flowers and foliage. Once Darling had picked what she needed for her message, she looked around contemplating if there was a flower, she could place in the bunch of flowers to represent herself and thereby give Raven her first real clue as to who was the one wooing her, but Darling couldn't see anything she felt would be fitting.
Darling paid for her flowers, she concealed them in a large shopping bag and then took a stroll around book end window shopping. As Darling looked into the window of the craft store, she noticed some white and ice blue peacock feathers in the display. As she looked at them Darling realised that they would be a perfect way to represent herself in the bouquets.
Quickly Darling made her way into the shop, she made her way over to one of the shop assistants and addressed her politely. "Could I purchase a dozen white and light blue peacock feathers?"
"Of course." The shop assistant said cheerfully.
Without hesitation she fetched Darling her requested feathers, she rung them up and told Darling the total, Darling didn't hesitate to pay asking as she did so. "Thank you for getting me the feathers, will you have them in stock often or are they a one-time item?"
"We are not sure at the moment. If they are popular than yes, we will keep them in stock, but if they are not, we will be happy to order you some." The shop assistant told Darling.
"Thank you for the information." Darling said to her before carefully packing the feathers into the bag and then making her way out of the store and back into the village.
On her way back to school Darling heard laughter she easily recognised as Raven's. Unable to stop herself Darling looked in the direction of the laugh and smiled at the sight of the one she loves walking through Book End with Maddie.
Seeing Raven looking so happy and beautiful made Darling's heart beat faster, she felt as though someone had released a tone of butterflies inside her, Darling wanted desperately to go over to them, talk to Raven and maybe spend some time with the one she loves.
Darling shook herself out of her contemplation, she was a charming, they were all brave and she was the white knight of Wonderland she would not hide away from spending time with Raven. Despite telling herself this Darling felt nervous about going over to them and spending time with Raven, she didn't want to somehow reveal that she was the one wooing Raven.
A wave of determination swept over Darling, she pulled her shoulders back and then bravely went over to Raven and Maddie. "Hey Maddie! Hi Raven!" She greeted them cheerfully.
"Hey Darling!" Maddie responded just as happily.
Raven smiled at her in a friendly way and addressed her. "Hi Darling."
"What are you both doing?" Darling asked them, trying to act like this was just a casual interaction between friends.
"We were just taking a look around town." Raven told her simply.
"Yes, we went to see if our eyes could be caught on something pretty enough for purchase." Maddie said in turn to the princess.
Darling nodded in understanding as she asked them. "Ah I see and have you found anything worth buying?"
Maddie shook her head. "I have not, but Raven has spied a book which she did not hesitate to pay good coin for and a dress in which she would look most fair, but she will not get it for fear of Apple causing a riot over its appearance."
Darling decided to ask the now blushing Raven about the book first and then the dress so as to ease her clear embarrassment from her friend's forthright words. "What was the book about Raven?"
Raven replied to this question without hesitating. "Well, I am sure that by now you have heard that Apple has become interested in the language of flowers." When Darling nodded to confirm to Raven, that she had indeed heard about this Raven continued talking to her. "I was originally just helping Apple with her research into the subject, but now I to have become interested in the topic as well, so I decided to see if I could find a book on the history, use and meanings of flowers for myself. We had to go to several book shops, but I finally found the book I had been searching for."
"It's wonderful you have found yourself interested in such a subject. I think that it is sad that the language of flowers and its use for sending messages, has been permitted to wither and die in the face of technology." Darling said to Raven in a serious voice.
"Oh, do you know about it then?" Raven asked her curiously.
This question caused nervousness to bubble up inside Darling and she knew that she would have to be extremely careful with her answer to this question. When she did answer this enquiry, Darling made sure to do so in a light hearted tone of voice. "Of course I do, It is considered a charming way to woo someone, but it is also something which a Charming princess should know to be charming by floral messages being sent to herself by an admirer."
Raven nodded smiling slightly at Darling. "I see. I on the other hand had no idea flowers and plants could mean things or to send messages…I knew all about their magical properties, but now I know they have a language too, it suddenly makes sense to me why certain flowers and plants are used in specific spells or potions."
"Oh?" Darling asked genuinely curious about what the witch was saying.
Nodding to Darling Raven answered this polite enquiry. "Yes, for example now I know Poppy means sleep, I understand why it would be part of potions to assist in getting or giving someone a good night's sleep."
"I can see how that would be helpful in potion making or interesting for someone such as yourself who makes potions." Darling said smiling softly at Raven, before talking to her again. "What was wrong with the dress you saw?"
"Oh well…" Raven was blushing slightly and looked at the ground nervously.
Maddie jumped right into the conversation at this point. "Raven fears it is too maidenly and not Evil Queen enough for her to ware it. This means that Raven is all a worry that Apple will take possession of the Queen of Hearts words and off with her head if she were to purchase it!"
Knowing how strict Apple can be over Raven's appearance Darling gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to hear that…Why don't you show me the dress, maybe I can make suggestions on how to make it look more as Apple would wish it to look, without the dress losing what makes it charm you so."
"That is a most tip top idea!" Maddie said with excitement, before turning large puppy dog eyes on Raven and saying to her. "Please allow Darling to see it! You deserve something which shows the truth of you, rather than the lie you must ware to satisfy she who is most fair."
Bravely Darling placed a hand onto Raven's shoulder and spoke to her gently. "Maddie is right. You should be able to be yourself Raven and even if you could only ware the dress around those of us who count you as their friends, wouldn't it still be worth buying?"
"I never really thought of it like that…It would be nice to have something in my wardrobe that doesn't scream Evil Queen's daughter or Evil Witch, and instead reflected the real me." Raven said to them in a whisper.
Smiling at Raven in a kind way Darling said to her. "Let's go and look at that dress."
With a nod from Raven the trio made their way back to the shop. When they came inside a fairy fluttered up to them and addressed Raven. "Ah, you are back. Did you decide you wanted the dress after all?"
"I wanted to show Darling it and see what she thought." Raven told the fairy.
The fairy smiled with understanding. "I see. Another person's perspective is always good if you are uncertain of a purchase. If you go over to one of the changing rooms, I shall be over in a moment with the dress."
"Thank you." Raven said to her, before setting off towards the changing rooms.
Maddie and Darling meanwhile, settled in to two comfortable chairs in the main area of the shop and waited for Raven to be ready. A few moments later Raven came out of the changing room, she walked around the chairs Maddie and Darling were sitting on and came to stand in front of them.
Shock and awe travelled through Darling at the sight of Raven in this dress, she looked exquisite and very maiden like in it.
The dress was floor length, it was lavender in shade, the material shimmered with a soft sparkling whenever it moved, the dress had a voluminous skirt, the cut of the bodice was form flattering, with a simple jewel neckline and slender straps over Raven's shoulders.
Darling had never seen such a simple but beautiful dress on anyone before, it suited Raven perfectly, however she could see why Raven would be concerned by Apple's reaction to the dress, it was rather maidenly in appearance. "You look beautiful." Darling told Raven honestly.
Raven blushed slightly from her comment. "Thank you Darling."
Darling stood up, she walked over to were Raven stood, she took both Raven's hands into hers and said to her softly but firmly. "I can understand why you would worry about Apple's reaction to this dress, however I believe that you should get the dress and if Apple says anything then tell her you got it because you liked it as it was. You should be able to like this dress just as it is Raven and dress in a way which both makes you comfortable and feel like yourself."
"You're right, I should be able to dress how I want to and I love this dress…It's so simple yet so beautiful." Raven said to Darling slowly finding her courage with Darling's help.
Darling smiled warmly at Raven and said to her softly. "I think it suites you very well."
The blush on Raven's cheeks brightened slightly. "Thank you Darling."
"You are welcome." Darling told her with sincerity.
Reluctantly Darling released Raven's hands. The witch made her way back to the changing rooms, she changed out of the dress and back into her normal clothes.
Maddie turned to Darling, she gave her a wide smile and said softly but pointedly. "The perfect dress for a knights lady or a princess don't you think?"
Darling tried to ignore the fear which filled her as Maddie hinted at her in this subtle way that she was suspicious that she was behind the flowers. Trying to keep her voice as even as possible, Darling gave Maddie a smile and said softly. "It is a dress worthy of Raven and Raven is worthy of being any true hero's princess or any knight's princess."
Maddie raised one eye brow at Darling's words, then smiled slightly and nodded with understanding. "You are quite right."
A silence settled over them both while they continued to wait for Raven to return from the changing rooms. When Raven came out of the changing rooms again the dress was on its hanger once more, she made her way over to Maddie and Darling. When she came to stand before them they rose, together the three girls wordlessly made their way over to the counter, Raven paid for the dress, the fairy at the till carefully folded it and placed the dress into a bag for Raven who said smiling to her. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." She said in turn smiling at Raven.
They left the shop together, once outside Darling turned to Maddie and Raven. "I had a wonderful time with you both, but I should be heading back to the school now."
"Oh, that's a shame Darling." Raven said in a soft and sad voice.
"It is, maybe we can organise a get together for the three of us sometime soon." Darling suggested to them, trying to sound as casual as possible while her heart filled with hope that Raven would agree to her suggestion.
"That would be tip top!" Maddie enthused with a wide grin on her face.
"I'd like that." Raven agreed smiling slightly at Darling.
Darling smiled back at them both, she felt euphoric that Raven had agree to spend more time with her and she couldn't wait to see her again. "Well, I'll see you all soon then. Bye!"
Maddie and Raven both chorused their goodbyes to Darling, who with a friendly wave turned and made her way back to the school. As she walked along, Darling's heart and mind were full of Raven, she had very much enjoyed spending time with her favourite witch and she hoped with all her heart that she might be able to get to see Raven in her new dress on a date or at one of the meetings between the rebels.
Darling felt very sure that no matter what occasion the witch chose to ware this new dress to it would turn quite a few heads when Raven did finally ware it. Darling hopped with all of her might that she wouldn't become somehow possessive of Raven or envious of others seeing her look so beautiful.
At the same time Darling couldn't help but picture Raven arm in arm with her as they walked through the Enchanted forest. This image was followed by a little imagining, in which Darling was in her guise of the white knight, she had rescued Raven, the witch pulled her helmet off and kissed her.
A happy sigh left Darling, she really hoped that Raven could become her lady princess and would accept her as her knight in shining armour and prince. Just thinking about Raven becoming her lady princess made Darling flush with pleasure.
Darling hoped that the message she was to send Raven would please her as the ones before had, at the same time Darling contemplated whether it was time to use the feathers she had brought earlier in order to give Raven more clues as to who was wooing her.
