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Cherri and her knight had been on the run for a week when they finally had a chance to rest.
With the opposing kingdom's attack, Apo was diligent to make sure they were far, far away from Soluna before they could let their guard down. This meant minimal time to gather their bearings as they traveled from place to place lest they face... unwelcome surprises, in the form of soldiers looking for them. They seemed to have noticed Cherri's absence from the castle, and this led to many a wanted poster across the alleyways of the towns they traveled through. This meant that Apo and Cherri had to travel halfway across the continent just to be free of danger.
This also meant that at least one of them had to stay awake as the other rested and Apo, being as they were, hastened to take up that burden most of the time.
Cherri felt ashamed, honestly, that she hadn't noticed it at first, grief-ridden as she was. Apo, her knight, was the last remaining link she had to their kingdom, and yet she failed to notice how much of a burden she was taking onto herself.
So, as soon as they were far enough away to be deemed safe, Cherri took it upon herself to make her knight rest, whether they agreed with it or not.
As soon as they could breathe again, inside an inn which was relatively safe, away from harm near an inconspicuous travelers' footpath, Cherri noted the heavy weight that began to set in her bones. They were ill-suited to the harsh exertion, but honestly, what they did would leave anyone a bit worse for wear. The living proof of that fact sat in front of her on the side of their shared bed--a fact which both of them silently agreed not to comment on--as even Apo, with her years of training to become a Moon Knight, was clearly affected by the entire ordeal.
Her normally calm, composed expression held a few cracks and their heavy weariness shone through. Furrowed brows, a tight neutrality to her expression that threatened to break into a frown if they were not careful. Their hair was a tousled mess, and her skin was littered with bruises and small cuts from the numerous scuffles they got into with.... Troublesome individuals. Her knight's injuries were nothing compared to what she did to them, but Cherri couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, especially as they looked at their own skin, unmarred and untouched by the bitterness of battle.
All her knight's doing. The fact that they were even alive right now was a testament to Apo's diligence, and Cherri didn't know what to do with that.
The silence between them was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, but it was completely necessary to come to terms with everything, now that they had the chance to. And Cherri didn't know where to begin. They missed their father, missed their home--but the potential that it could be completely gone was both terrifying and completely inconceivable to Cherri. All in all, things.... Really didn't feel real, right then.
So she decided not to think about it. It was just something they couldn't control, and as preposterous the notion would've been not so long ago, Cherri had no choice but to accept it now.
As to not lose her mind, Cherri distracted themself with staring pointedly at Apo's hand. Their hands were close to touching, mere inches away from each other over the sheets, and Cherri remembered with a light flush how it felt to have that same gloved hand envelop her own, bringing it to her knight's lips, the warmth of that fleeting kiss that sent sparks of electricity through her veins, warming her from the inside out. How much her greedy heart wanted more, more, more-
"My Lady?" Apo said, voice clear and level with the slightest hint of concern, breaking Cherri from her reverie.
"Y-Yes?!" Cherri all but squeaked out. Apo wasn't loud by any means, but the thick silence between them was so taut that Cherri could pinpoint the exact second it snapped, and she went from indulgence in fantasies of the two of them together to the present time, a furious blush overtaking their face, as they sat inches apart yet were unable to bridge the gap.
"I apologize for the... Less than ideal accommodations. We're not completely out of potential enemy territory yet, but there's a river up ahead that we can follow out of dangerous territory. After you rest for a while, we can take that route. Does that sound good?" If Apo noticed her strange state, she didn't comment on it, despite how easy it was to see Cherri's predicament. Grief could obscure things that were usually obvious, Cherri noted, and it was just like her knight to prioritize their safety like that, even asking her what she thought about an obviously well thought out plan.
And, gods, if Apo's care wasn't intoxicating. It was something she never grew tired of, like the warmth of a childhood friend; like a ballad she knew by heart. Every concerned glance her way and reminder to stay safe was like an accelerant to Cherri's burning, aching heart. Apo, Apo, her Apo, her brave, sweet, and caring knight.
"Your highness?" Apo said, and Cherri realized that they had been unresponsive, simply staring at Apo like they personally hung the moon and the stars just for her. Slowly, Cherri barely managed a nod, still not taking her eyes off of Apo beside her. Apo frowned. "Are you unwell perhaps?" And oh, it was like the universe itself heard their desperate plea and decided to punish them for it, for Cherri would surely die if Apo continued to look at them so intently any longer. Cherri was given full view of her knight's face up close as they placed a palm to their forehead, and Cherri could only watch, utterly starstruck, as her deepest desires were placed right in front of her.
Cherri could see every single wrinkle, every line carved into Apo's stony mask, she could count the number of eyelashes she had, the dark circles underneath her eyes, every detail telling a story that she couldnt help but be completely hooked on. Messy strands of hair framed their face and those eyes, god, those eyes were about to be the death of her, rich red like vibrant gemstones.
Gone. Cherri was completely and utterly gone.
The distraction had worked as intended, it seemed, because a giddy feeling spread through Cherri's chest, her mind knowing and thinking of nothing but Apo, the urge to interlink their fingers the only thing on their mind.
And, well, Cherri had never really been good at denying their urges, had she?
While Apo was still thinking, Cherri slowly brought a hand to their wrist, rubbing circles at the calloused skin before removing it from her forehead. One pair of hands, prim and soft, encircled a palm which was calloused and rough, and lovable all the same. Years of dedication led that, and regardless of what was considered proper for a noble, Cherri couldn't find it in herself to feel anything other than fond.
Apo had gone deathly, eyes slightly wide and trained on that point of contact. Cherri noted with satisfaction the increase in her heart rate, felt through the pulse point on their wrist, and any thoughts of whether such impropriety was wise was thrown out the window, assuming it had existed in the first place. Cherri's father Ren cared about such formalities much less than the average monarch, and Cherri herself couldn't care less, not when she was sitting hand in hand with their beloved knight, a private moment just for the two of them.
"My lady, what are you--"
"Shh....." Cherri smiled softly, idly tracing circles on Apo's palm. Apo closed her mouth, opened it again as if they wanted to say something, but nothing came out. "I'm fine, Apo. Thanks to you."
"I'm glad to hear it, princess." Apo said quietly, voice barely above a whisper as if anything more would shatter that precious moment. It still sent a flutter through Cherri's heart, unbelievably warm with the weight of their love towards her.
"Mm. You've done a good job. We're safe now, so please..." Cherri brought the hand she had been playing with and pressed small kisses to each knuckle, drawing a sharp gasp from Apo. "Rest now, my valiant knight. We have time. I will keep watch while you do so."
Apo stayed silent at first, as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. It was difficult to read how they felt, since Apo herself was so used to putting on a mask, and rarely blushed if at all. But their heartbeat, which had skyrocketed exponentially with each little peck, was a dead giveaway.
"But, my lady, surely I cannot. That would be.... Improper." Apo argued weakly, clearly wanting to say more but too flustered to do so. Cherri smirked.
"Why ever would that be so, Apo?" Cherri continued playing with her hand, pleased at the effect it had.
"We have travelled a long distance to get here, my lady, and you must be tired."
"I'm not tired. If you're tired, you should rest, especially with all the wounds you got protecting me." Apo straightened. "Is that what this is about? To live and serve you, that is my greatest honor. A few measly scratches are nothing to me."
"Are you sure, Apokuna? What if due to your neglect of your own health, a big, bad bandit comes and takes me away when you're too tired to fight back?" Cherri wailed dramatically, as if the very thought was unbearable to her. They grabbed Apo by the shoulders and shook them a little for good measure.
"I am perfectly capable of knowing my own limits, your highness." Apo sighed, rubbing her temple with her free hand. "I promise that I am not hurt enough for it to affect my fighting.
"But you are hurt, aren't you?" Cherri looked at them with big, pleading eyes. "Remember what my father always said? That it is good to be strong, but we must give ourselves time to recover, lest we push ourselves too far and lose that strength for goof?"
At the mention of Ren, Apo stiffened, but she soon relaxed again, a sad smile pulling at the edge of their lips.
"Oh, princess...." Cherri's heart tightened at the tone, grieving and fond. She wondered what Apo saw when she reminisced like this, staring at Cherri yet too far off to be truly seeing her. Cherri themself couldn't feel the weight of her kingdom's ruin, floating in a sense of uncertainty. it would eventually come crashing down, they knew, but until then she wanted to smile at Apo, to free them of all worries. even if for just a day.
"Fine. I concede, your highness." Apo said, fondly exasperated.
"And you will let your princess help you, as well?" Cherri giggled, ecstatic at the idea of making her knight feel cared for, in the same way that she cared, devoted so much of herself.
"Yes, I will." Apo smiled, and this time, it wasn't mired in sadness.
This time, there was something Cherri could do. This time, she didn't have to stand back and watch as something they loved was put into ruin. She could help them bandage their wounds, she could undo the tangles in Apo's hair herself, make her get the rest she deserved. Make Apo feel a fraction of what she did for Cherri everyday.
Seeing Apo present, at peace, resting, made Cherri believe that maybe they would be alright after all.
For now, she brought the covers over her beloved knight, tucked her into bed--much to her apparent embarrassment--and lay waiting, thinking, loving as they rested.
Whatever they had to deal with in the future, whatever trouble Cherri got into, she believed that with her knight by her side, they could survive anything.
Together.