𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 | Choni

Eleven

Cheryl all but ran to the library as soon as everyone had gone their separate ways after a family game of charades.

Without trying to make too much noise and alert the whole castle to her whereabouts, she entered the room carefully. The brunette can’t have heard her enter as Cheryl peered around a bookshelf to see the Serpent girl sat on the floor, leaning against another bookshelf, with a soft blanket over her lap.

Cheryl watched as she quietly mouthed out some of the words of the pages of the book she cradled in her hands. It was one of the sweetest and most innocent things the Princess had ever seen.

Toni must have felt eyes watching her as her own timidly moved off the pages and were drawn to Cheryl’s. A smile broke out on each of their faces.

“How long have you been watching me?”

“Long enough to know that was the sweetest moment I’ve ever witnessed!” She’d moved and was now sitting next to the Serpent girl who was now placing half the blanket over her legs.

“Please don’t patronise me.” Toni closed the book looking down.

“No patronising happening here. I can help you if you’d like?” The Princess offered.

“Would you really?” She looked to the redhead for any hint of teasing and found none.

“Of course.” Cheryl insisted as she took the book from the brunette’s hands.

The pair spent the rest of the evening and into the early hours flicking through different books and exposing Toni to a variety of new words and sounds. They took a few breaks to just talk in the easy way they’ve found they do. They even went to the kitchens and made hot chocolate.

Cheryl loved the castle during these hours. This is when she felt most free and most like herself. She hoped Toni felt something similar to this.

They were tucked back under the blanket again in the Library, but this time on one of the soft sofas facing one another.

“Okay, favourite animal?” Cheryl threw out.

Toni screwed up her face as she mulled over the question. “Probably a dog. I've never had one, but I don’t know; it's like they remind me of home. I know that sounds silly...” She trailed off looking to her lap.

Cheryl shook her head earnestly, “No it doesn’t. Nothing you could say would ever sound silly to me.”

The brunette smiled up at her again before asking, “So how about you, favourite animal?”

It was the redhead’s turn to stop in thought. “I’ll be really boring and say a horse.”

“That’s not boring. I wouldn’t want to know how my brother would react if he heard you say horses were boring.” Toni chuckled to herself.

“I didn’t say horses were boring, just that I was boring.” The Princess clarified.

“You could never be boring Cheryl.” Toni’s eyes connected with her own. The Princess quickly looked to her hands that were fiddling with a loose thread in her lap.

Toni slid her own hand over them to draw her attention once again. “I mean it. I know you have some self-confidence issues, but please know I mean what I say.”

She gave one last squeeze to the other girls’ hands before releasing them. “I’ve taken up far too much of your time tonight, or is it this morning? Either way, I will bid you goodnight, or is it good morning?” She made to stand with a chuckle at her own awkwardness. She’s such a goofball.

Cheryl stood too and drew the slightly shorter girl into a tight hug. “Goodnight, Toni. Thank you for your kind words. If you’d like we can keep practicing reading whenever you’re free?”

“That would be amazing, thank you.” Toni was amazed she could still form words as she felt herself turn into a puddle in Cheryl’s arms.

She was in serious trouble, but she kind of liked it.