Just your standard meet-cute, but with the author interrupting for some historical analysis. Speaking of, our resident historian Griffin has some bonus notes for us today:

Griffin: How very interesting that Aldric's heritage was first disputed in the 1800s! Ru, you pointed out, off-the-record, that the late-1800s actually kicked off the 19th-century version of the, er, 'weaboo' movement? Rather, what the French labeled 'Japonisme.' When Japan was forced to end its isolationist foreign policy at the end of the Edo period, the influx of Japanese goods and artwork into the western hemisphere made everything Japanese very trendy.

Thank you, Griffin. So informative!

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Did you know that The Golden Apple is actually complete on both my PATREON and ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN (AO3 is free but without illustrations).

If you like what you read, do check 'em out! You may enjoy the next part of the story, The Sheriff's Jewels. Subscribing on Patreon and/or hitting the kudos button on AO3 are both ways you can support my work! ^v^)/