A/N: Now I know this chapter is pretty short- not even a thousand words- but that's beside the point. This chapter is purely heart warming and childish fluff. For any of you out there who think I'm sick and twisted for doing anything between a 10 year old and a 27 year old ('cause that's how old I say Ambrose is XD ) you can save your protests. This is just friendly fluff --; Okay, I think that's all I needed to say, onwards!
Chapter 3
Apple Afternoons
Skip forward a few years and we find 10 year old DG standing in the garden under an apple tree, looking up yearningly at the deliciously ripe fruit on the boughs far out of her reach. Closing her eyes she concentrated raised a hand and spun her little finger around a few times in the air. With a soft 'thunk' an apple fell and landed at her feet. A smiling DG was later seen sitting under the same tree, surrounded by apples she had magicked down.
"Your highness! Did you do this?" Ambrose scolded.
"Yes Ambrose.." the girl replied, having the grace to look ashamed. At least until she started giggling that is.
"Will you help me? Papa will be upset if they're wasted and I know I can't eat them all myself,"
The advisor looked at the dozens of scarlet orbs surrounding the princess and said, "I suppose you can't. Well, let's see what I can do," and sat next to her in cleared spot.
Picking up an apple he bit through the tight skin and into the crisp flesh. After chewing for a moment he swallowed.
"You know very well I can never say no to a good apple, nor to you,"
Ambrose flashed her a rare smile she was sure he only used for her. They had always been close friends. He had been taken on as advisor when Azkadellia about 5, just a few months before DG was born. He just hadn't developed the same closeness with her as he had with you younger sister. Azkadellia always viewed him as another member of court, another adult and her mother's advisor. It was probably best that way though.
The relationship with DG was different. Less than an hour after she was born the man had been allowed to hold her in his arms. At first he was incredibly nervous; she had been so very small and fragile, smaller that his forearm and hand. But the way she giggled and cooed, burbling and grinning at him, he soon forgot his fears and worries. From that first moment he had known this little girl would be special, different from any other for the rest of her life, though he didn't know quite why.
As she grew, he made sure to always be there, always ready to help or protect her when she needed him. He knew the life of a princess could be very lonely, even with a sister and the entire court at your disposal for entertainment. In the eyes of their parents, no playmates were good enough for the sisters but even if there were other children there would never be time enough for them. A princess' days were filled with all sorts of lessons; reading, writing, arithmetic, music, drawing, singing, riding, dancing and etiquette were all essential skills for them to master. Dancing of course, was his forte and so the queen had been delighted at his offer to teach the girls. In times like this when the kingdom was peaceful and prospering, Galinda's advisor didn't have much advising to do. After a time Az warmed up to him when she saw DG trusted and even loved him. Just platonic love of course, at her age anything else would just be wrong.
"Now," Ambrose started, "I've eaten all the apples I possibly can and there are still several left,"
The princess and advisor were surrounded by discarded apple cores and plucked stems. DG pulled her sleeve down some and, holding the end in her hand, swiped it over her mouth to wipe away the juices running down her chin.
"DG! You don't use your sleeve to wipe your mouth. You use your kerchief," Ambrose admonished and reached into his pocket for a hanky but didn't find it...
He now had the embarrasing choice of leaving the sticky applejuice around his mouth or using his own sleeve.
"Well, we don't use our sleeve..unless we have no kerchief," he said and with as much dignity as he could muster, pulled his own sleeve over his hand and wiped off the sticky mess.
Looking down at his young charge he whispered, "No one hears about this, right? If your mother ever found out I was teaching you habits like this she'd have my head. Now, what do you say to taking these apples to the cooks to make pies for dessert? I'm sure your father won't consider that a waste,"
Jumping up, DG waited 'till the man stood and then threw her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug. Well, that is to say she hugged his legs and lower torso-she couldn't reach much higher.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! For not telling and getting me into trouble, I mean. Mrs. Bartcrumple would have yelled and fussed and told me to be a proper young lady. But not you Brose, 'cause you're my best friend right?"
Mrs. Bartcrumple was the girls' and musical instructor. At the moment she was teaching DG to play something akin to a clarinet and was known to be terribly strict. Galinda had been taught by the same woman and whispered to her daughters more than once that she was sure the old woman would be around to teach their daughters. They had all shuddered at the thought.
"Of course DG," 'Brose' replied softly as he bent to return her hug.
That night as the apple tarts, turnovers, pies and baked apples were served DG smiled at Ambrose across the large dining table used when the family ate together. As Ahamo wondered aloud about the number of apple dishes, Galinda caught the look passing between her youngest daughter and advisor and allowed a smile of her own. After a walk in the gardens and past a certain apple tree, she had some theories of her own about their fruity meal.
A/N: See? That wasn't so bad! Oh, and anyone who can catch an Eddie Izzard reference gets a cookie! Reviews are, as always, very appreciated. .
