Hello readers! Well, here it is, my first story. Dedicated to a fellow reader and writer, BlazeFan , who has been very supportive and helpful in this time. Hope you enjoy it, please be kind.

Consulting Others

Silver the Hedgehog walked alone in the park. He'd got bored sitting at home and had come here to be alone with his thoughts. However, these were all focused on one person: Blaze the Cat, the lavender-coloured, pyrokinetic princess and his best friend… or at least she was. She hadn't spoke to or contacted him in almost a year. Did she hate him? Was she embarrassed to be with him?

He stopped walking and sat down on a bench, looking out at the lake, where the palace was glowing in the dark. As he sat there, someone saw him and walked over to him.

"Hi there", said a voice that snapped Silver out of his thoughts. A human boy, roughly 14 or 15, stood looking at him. He was tall and thin, with brown hair reaching down to his neck. He wore a black fluffy coat, black jeans and blue and white sneakers. He was smiling, in a comforting, friendly way.

"May I sit with you? You look like you need some company", he asked. Silver was rather taken aback, but he returned his smile and budged up the bench and let him sit.

"I'm Daniel", said the boy, as he sat down.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Silver", the hedgehog responded.

"Oh yeah, I've heard of you. You're a friend of Sonics aren't you? Some people say you also know princess Blaze", Daniel enquired.

"Yeah, you could say that. She is…", Silver paused before continuing,"… was my best friend."

"What do you mean, was?", said Daniel, his tone voicing concern.

"Because she doesn't talk to me that's why. She hasn't spoken to me for almost a year! Why?! Have I done something wrong?!" Silver yelled.

"Something tells me your feelings extend to her as more than friendship", Daniel said, his tone sincere. Silver's response was to blush. "Thought so. Well , I think she's just been really busy. I mean there's been that Eggman attack, she's probably been kept really busy at the minute. If you guys are so close, she probably misses you as much as you do. You never know, she may contact you tonight"

"You think so?" asked Silver

Daniel shrugged "You never know. Just keep on hoping"

"Yeah, you're right". Silver stood up to go home. "Thanks for this Dan. I won't forget it". He then turned and ran off home.

Dan smiled as he watched him run. "Good luck Silver!", he shouted after him "Good luck".

"Bonnie, relax. Eggman is crippled. He's not going to attack me while I'm walking through the garden", Blaze assured her personal servant. Bonnie had been in the princess's service for years. She was not only her servant, but also her friend. Bonnie opened her mouth, as if to argue back, but gave up.

"Very well, Your Highness, I will attend to my duties. But be careful!", the light blue hedgehog warned.

"I will Bonnie, I will", said the princess and walked off. Blaze came to the Palace gardens whenever she needed to think, or to be alone, away from the hassle that her life offered. She sighed as she sat down on a bench. She missed Silver. The last time she'd seen him was during the battle a few days ago. He'd destroyed one of Eggman's robots and ran off to take on more. He was so naive, but she'd always liked that about him.

A loud snip bought her out of her thoughts. One of the servant girls was trimming the rose hedges close to her. The palace employed a mix of humans and Mobians and this girl was human. She was young, about 13 or 14. She was wearing casual wear, trainers, t-shirt and jeans. The gardeners could wear what they liked. She looked up from her work, saw the princess and dropped her hedge trimmers and bowed. Blaze giggled slightly.

"As you were", she said to her. The girl stood back up and picked up the trimmers.

"Thank you Your Highness. I hope I wasn't disturbing anything", said the girl as she returned to her work.

"No I was just thinking", she responded.

"About what miss, if you don't mind me asking?", asked the girl.

"What's your name?", asked Blaze.

"Sophie, Your Highness", she said.

"Just about a friend. I've known him for a long time and...", she checked there was no one else around, then whispered "... I think I love him. But I'm scared he doesn't feel the same, or if my parents will approve."

"Miss Blaze, speaking my mind, I think you should tell him. Otherwise, you'll never know."

Blaze had never thought of it like that. Now she had whole different view. "Yeah, you're right. I should tell him". She got up and made her way back to the palace. Sophie smiled after her, then went back to trimming.

When Blaze got back, Bonnie was waiting for her.

"Your highness, there is a visitor to see you. He says his name is Silver and that it is urgent that he sees you as soon as possible", said Bonnie once the princess was inside.

Blaze's heart skipped a beat. "Well, what are waiting for? Send him in at once." Bonnie bowed and left. Blaze checked herself in a mirror before turning to the door. Bonnie then walked through, followed closely by Silver. He wasn't any different.

"You may leave us Bonnie." She bowed again and exited the room.

Silver opened his mouth."Blaze I...". However he was cut off when Blaze ran up and hugged him. Silver blushed scarlet and hugged her back.

"Oh, Silver I've missed you so much! I've been meaning to call but there's so much going on. I was just going to and here you are."

"Well..." Silver was going to say he'd been worried when Blaze hadn't called him, but stopped at the look of utter happiness on her face. "I missed you too Blaze, more than you know", he said sincerely.

"Know you're here, I have to tell you something. Something I should have said long ago. Silver, to put it bluntly and simply, I love you", she said, without a trace of hesitation.

Silver was shocked and at the same time relieved. He responded by leaning forward and kissing her. He then whispered in her ear "I love you too".

Then neither of them said anything. They just stood there in each others arms, content and happy. Bonnie, who was peeking through the door, withdrew and smiled. "About time too", she said to herself, before turning around and going off to direct the servants for tonight's celebration.