Chapter fifteen:
When Raven woke up the next morning she instantly smiled, because she was for the first time in her life completely happy and content. Slowly Raven sat up in bed, she reached out, picked up her mirror phone and checked it for any messages or reminders. She found a reminder waiting for her on the screen, which told her that Darling's birthday was at the end of the week.
Never before now had a week ever seemed to Raven like to short of a time in which to organise the perfect gift for someone's birthday. Raven comforted herself with the fact that she only felt this way at this time, because Darling was so very special to her and wanted to make sure the present for Darling was impeccable.
There were in fact three things which Raven had wanted to present to Darling as a gift for a very long time, it was just that until now Raven had felt that giving Darling such presents would cause Darling trouble and for others to suspect that she had romantic feelings for Darling.
Raven got out of bed, still in her lavender shaded nightgown she knelt down by the side of her bed and drew out from under it three, large, locked black leather cases. Raven carefully placed them onto the top of her bed, she went over to her desk, got out the key and unlocked each one.
Just as she was about to open them Apple's voice cut into her quite revery, asking her curiously from where she was sat up in her bed. "What are you doing?"
The unexpected voice made Raven give a start of surprise, she gasped and turned to look at Apple. "Oh! Apple you made me jump! I was just getting these out…You see I have wanted to give them to Darling for some time now, it was just that before now I didn't feel that I had the right to do that…Now though, things are a lot different from how they were before and I really do want Darling to have them…After seeing that Darlin's birthday was at the end of the week, I found myself considering the idea that they would make good birthday gifts…."
"What are they?" Apple asked even more curious than she had been a few moments before. As she spoke Apple climbed out of bed and without taking off her lemon yellow and green apple patterned pyjamas she padded quietly over to the side of Raven's bed.
"They are from my family armoury." Raven explained as she unlocked the first box and opened it. Inside settled on a cushion of black velvet was a white metal shield, it was clearly well made, but bore on it no heraldry, but there was a line of symbols along the top.
Apple noticed them and pointed towards them asking as she did so. "What are those?"
"They are magical runes Apple, they are on the shield to protect the wielder against, fire, wind, water and earth." Raven informed her in a pleasant voice.
As Raven opened the next case inside was a glowing silver bow and an empty quiver of arrows. Apple looked at the quiver and then asked. "Why is it empty?"
"Ah that! You see Apple this is the bow and quiver of the moon, the quiver just looks empty, in fact within it are moon arrows, when you reach to draw an arrow out of the quiver, one will appear to be drawn and the arrows never run out." Raven told her.
Apple's eyes went huge and shock travelled through her. "The moon bow! This is really the one and only moon bow?!
"Yes, it is, the bow belonged to my great grandfather several generations back." Raven informed her, she reached out and stroked over it. "I think it will suite Darling very well."
As Apple ran her eyes over the bow again, she nodded in agreement. "Your right it will suite Darling and I think she will love this gift."
Raven then opened the last of the cases, inside lay a well made broadsword with a purple dragon for the handle, it's wings making up the cross piece, the head and body made the handle, the eyes of the dragon were shimmering purple stones and the dragon's tail embraced the blade.
As Raven ran a hand down the sword, her eyes lit with delight and she said too Apple in a voice which was almost a whisper. "My father had this sword made when I was born, in hopes that I would one day be able to present it to my spouse or knight. Now I finally have someone to present it to at last. I really hope that Darling will be happy to receive the shield and bow from me for an early birthday gift…I think I'll wait until the day of Darling's birthday to formally present her with the sword…Do you think that is a good plan Apple?"
"These arms all looks wonderful to me and I am sure that Darling will be very glad to receive them from you." Apple told Raven, smiling softly at the sight of so much joy shining in Raven's eyes and then before Raven could say anything Apple addressed her for a second time asking with a tone of hope to her voice. "Presenting the sword to Darling on her birthday would be a lovely thing to do, but may I offer you a suggestion about its presentation?"
Raven gave the princess a nod. "I would be very glad to hear your idea Apple."
"It is customary for a sword presentation to be a very formal affair…You see this is because it would be then that you would officially 'knight' Darling then give to her your blade. Personally, I think you should with the help of us your friends, set up a form of throne room in the great hall, then you dressed as a formal graceful princess would 'knight' and present the sword to Darling with all of us there to witness this event."
Raven hummed in thought as she turned the idea over in her mind, the more she thought about this idea, the more Raven liked it and it filled her with a deep sense of joy and pleasure. Slowly Raven nodded to Apple and said to her with eyes alight with delight and a slightly dreamy note to her voice. "You're talking about a presentation which would be in the form of something that would not be out of place in the legend of King Arthur."
"Yes exactly. What do you think?" Apple inquired of her, with a hint of nervousness to her voice.
"I think that would be wonderful…But would we be able to find me a dress which would match that kind of period of history in time for this? After all we only have a week to prepare in." Raven asked Apple in deep concern.
Quickly Apple took Raven's hands into hers and spoke to her reassuringly. "We are in a school with a fairy godmother and I am sure Farrah will be more than willing to help us with your dress if we can't find one, however there is a vintage store in town which we can try first. I'll get Briar and others to help me to sort out the 'throne room' and we will make sure to keep things a secret from Darling! I promise you that no one is going to spoil this surprise for her and if anyone tries it, I will make them regret it. You can help us prepare if you want, though I feel that you should really spend a little time focusing on is the words you wish to say to Darling on that day."
"That sounds like a spell binding idea. You're sure that those you have in mind to help you won't object to assisting with this endeavour?" Raven inquired in a worried voice.
Apple smiled widely at her, she was determined to see Raven happy and knew that the idea she had presented to her had given Raven great joy and so shook her head at her. "I am sure, once I explain to them what this is all about, they will all be more than happy to help us."
Raven smiled back at her as she said to her joyfully. "Then I can't wait to see what comes of this idea! Oh, it sounds so wonderful and romantic Apple! I think such a presentation would be not just a dream come true for me but for Darling too."
"I am glad to hear you say that." Apple said honestly, as even more determination to see this presentation come to pass perfectly for the lady who had stolen her heart settled on her.
With this now settled Raven grabbed her phone from her bedside table, saying as she did so. "I think I'll hext Darling to see if I can go to her room and present the bow and shield to her…If I send a message just saying I want to give her an early birthday gift today, then it should prevent her from expecting anything more from me later on."
"We can also cover the preparations, by saying we are organising her a birthday party! That way if Darling unfortunately hears anything about what we are doing she will only be expecting a party and nothing more." Apple said with a flash of inspiration.
"Yes, that would be perfect!" Raven agreed as she sent a hext to Darling.
"Let's head down to breakfast and then I can get started on plans and I can make a call to enchanted attic to see if they have a dress or dresses you might be able to use in my free period." Apple offered with a large smile on her face and her eyes a glow with enthusiasm.
"That sounds like an excellent plan to me." Raven said to her in agreement.
A moment after she said this to Apple a message popped up on Raven's mirror phone causing it to ping. "Oh! It's a message from my father!"
As Raven read the message from her father, she started to smile, the smile of delight grew larger quickly and seeing it caused Apple to say to her. "It's clearly a good message may I ask what your father is saying and who he is?"
There was a moment of hesitation, but Raven pushed this normal hesitation of telling who anyone who her father was to one side, after all now she was a good princess telling people who her father was should not cause him any harm. "My father is the Good King. He is very happy to hear that my long-held dream of being able to be a good has been achieved at last, my father is also very glad to know I have found my true love, knight and prince in Darling and he hopes that Darling's family will be happy to hear of our joining as well."
"Your father is the Good King! As in Good King, Stephan Good King?!" Apple inquired of her in utter shock.
Raven flinched at the sound of her surprise, she curled into herself a little as pain ran through her and murmured in a hurt voice. "Yes, my father is Good King Stephan Good King."
The moment Apple saw the way Raven reacted to her astonishment, she regretted the way she had reacted to this news and quickly sought to repair the damage she had just caused. "I'm sorry Raven…I just didn't expect him to be your father…No one knew he had any children…I really didn't mean it to sound as though I felt this way because you had at one point been a villainous character."
Relief worked its way through Raven as Apple explained her reaction to her confession. "Oh, I am glad to hear that…I assume most people are going to react to who my father is, in the same way."
Apple nodded to her. "Yes, that is more than likely, as I said everyone thought he was childless…If you are his heir, you should be able to get permission to be able to change your last name to Good King or Good Queen."
"I can?" Raven asked her with shock.
"Yes, you can." Apple assured her, before saying to her in a soft voice. "Personally, I think Princess Raven Good King will suite you perfectly."
"Thank you for saying that Apple." Raven told her roommate in a grateful voice. She had never dreamed that she would be able to take her father's name, but now that had all changed. "I should hext my father and ask him to start whatever the prosses is to change my name."
Raven typed a hext to her father and sent it off before turning to Apple and smiling at her widely. "There all done. Let's get ready and go down for breakfast."
Apple nodded her agreement to her roommate before heading over to her side of the room. They both got ready for the day ahead and then once they were ready headed down to the castleteria to get breakfast.
When Raven and Apple reached the castleteria they grabbed some food as they turned to look around to find somewhere to sit, Darling rose from her seat and waved at them, calling out as she did so. "Raven! Apple! Over here!"
The moment Raven heard Darling's voice her heart leapt in her chest and a large smile spread over her face. Raven with Apple following along behind her, made her way over to where Darling was sitting with Maddie and Kitty. Raven sat down beside Darling, who pressed a brief kiss to her brow, then lifted a flower from the table and held it out to Raven. "For you my lady princess."
"A Canna lily, thank you Darling." Raven said accepting it and sniffed the flower.
Maddie looked between them and said in a confused voice. "Um…I assume that flower means something…"
Raven smiled over at her friend and nods to her. "Yes, it means you rise above all others."
"Aw that's more adorable than the cutest tea pot I own!" Maddie said clasping her hands together and smiling widely at them.
"Why thank you Maddie." Raven said in turn as she tucked the flower into her hair. After Raven had done this, she kissed Darling's cheek while saying to her in a loving voice. "I love you very much my Charming lady knight."
A gentle blush spread over her cheeks, and she smiled at Raven. "I love you too my lady princess."
"Did you get my hext? Or hear from your parents yet?" Raven enquired curiously.
Quickly Darling shook her head, embracement rushed through her and the blush on Darling's cheeks grew a deeper shade of red. "Oh by the ancestors, I'm such an idiot! I had it on silent while I practiced my sword play and forgot to turn the sound back on after I was finished! I'm so sorry Raven! What did the message say?"
Raven took one of Darling's hands into hers and said softly. "I told you I wanted to give you two early birthday presents and asked when would be a good time for me to give them to you."
Darling quickly thought over her day and then spoke to Raven. "I will be free after the last lesson today, we could meet up then."
"Great! How about I come to your dorm room after classes?" Raven asked her.
Darling nodded to her. "That would be great. I wonder what the presents are going to be."
A chuckle left Raven, as she heard the note of curiosity in her voice and so said to her teasingly. "You'll have to wait and see."
"Oh, you mean!" Darling said with huge smile on her face. "Don't I even get a clue?" She then asked her pleadingly.
"Nope!" Raven said with a shake of the head.
Darling smiled at her playfully as she said to her. "Oh, ouch doubly mean!"
Another chuckle left Raven. "I just want the presents to be a surprise for you."
"Then I shall spend all day looking forwards to finding out what your gifts are." Darling told her with a warm smile on her face. Then she asked Raven. "Since I can't get a clue about my gifts, may I have a kiss to get me through the day?"
Raven nodded too Darling, she leant in towards Darling and kissed her gently on the lips. As soon as their lips touched enjoyment filled both of them and instantly a gentle gold light flared in the air around them both.
As they broke the kiss, Darling and Raven sighed with delight and their gazes met. "I love you so much my Darling." Raven says in a soft and loving voice.
Gently Darling rested her forehead against Raven's and she sighs in delight. "I love you with all my Raven. I best check to see if my parents have said anything at this time."
Darling pulled her mirror phone out and checked it, before saying to Raven with a touch of nerves to her voice. "Yes, there is a message from my parents."
Raven placed a hand onto Darling's arms and squeezed it comfortingly, saying to her as she does so. "It's going to be alright Darling. Go on open it. I'm right here beside you if you need me."
"Thank you for saying that." Darling said to her gratefully.
Nervously Darling opened the message, she started to read it and the more Darling read the more she relaxed. When Darling finally finished reading the message, she smiled at Raven and said to her in a soft awed voice. "My family is surprised about what has happened to both of us, but they are not unhappy with this turn of events. They are more than willing to accept my bond of true love to you and wish us luck with our story."
"I am so glad to hear that!" Raven said as relief washed through her, she leant in and kissed Darling's cheek again.
Darling returns this gesture, before saying reluctantly to Raven. "I have to go to class now…I'll see you after class."
Raven nodded to Darling and they reluctantly released each other so that Darling could make her way to class. Raven didn't take her eyes off Darling until she left the castletearia and the moment he could no longer see Darling a deep sigh left her and she asked no one in particular. "Will I ever stop hating it when Darling isn't at my side?"
Ashlyn shot Raven a look of understanding as she said. "Unfortunately no…I always miss having Hunter beside me and it gives me a lot of pain…So I can only imagine what it would feel like for a couple like the two of you that shares true love."
"It hurts…It's like a part of me is missing…" Raven told her in a soft and sad voice, while she placed a hand on her chest over her heart.
Ashlyn noticed this gesture and compassion filled her eyes. "You'll get to see her again soon, so try to draw comfort from that fact."
Raven nodded to her, as she said to her gratefully. "Thank you for that advice Ashlyn, hopefully taking it will help me. I should get to class myself."
Raven rose from the table, she sorted out her things from breakfast, then made her way to her first class of the day.
