Zack shifted from side to side uncomfortably in front of the palace gate: he hadn't worn his dress uniform for ages. No matter how badly he tucked and adjusted it, the uniform was still far from comfortable. And on top of that, while hurrying to the palace, he had broken a sweat. By now, he was drawing the attention of not only the palace imperial guards, but also passing couples on their way to the festival events.

"Stupid… Piece of… Why did I even pay for this", he sighed, trying to button his right sleeve in failure.

He was waiting for Ashe, who had skillfully and unwaveringly demanded him to be his escort the night before. As usual, he was early, but Ashe was nowhere to be seen. Being a princess required one to be discrete, especially with so many people watching your every move. Already as children, Ashe had often been forced to sneak out of the palace in secret to play with her commoner friends Angeal and Zack.
Even though being late it had become a sort of custom between them, Zack always arrived on time: he was a punctual man; though in his childhood he had been highly forgetful concerning meeting times (especially when coupled with all the knowledge noble children were expected to memorize in their youth).

With nothing better to do, Zack looked up at the night sky and hummed a faint melody. The evening wind blew gently across his hair, and he yawned.
He remembered it was Ashe that had started his habit of being punctual, when he had been late for her 16th birthday.

A young girl's 16th birthday was supposed to be a celebration of her step into womanhood, coupled with jovial feasting and energetic dancing. For a while, Ashe's event was a successful party: laughter could be heard all over the ballroom, while Ashe greeted guests in her usual polite, courtly manner. All this changed however, when she inquired her butler, Alfred, if Zack had arrived: unexpectedly, he had not.

As expected, Ashe had exploded. She had taken a sullen mood, refused to continue to greet her new guests, and even spilt wine on her dress. Despite Angeal's comforting and soothing, Ashe didn't relent on her anger: the fact that he wasn't there during the most important event in her youth infuriated her deeply. She always had had a closer, more special relationship with the quiet, thoughtful Zack than the bashful Angeal, although the latter was more talkative and socially active. While Angeal would go around making new friends in the city, Zack would close himself in the dojo or in the workshop. Zack always paid extra attention and effort to anything he was doing, always striving for excellence in all things, be it studying, singing, or fencing. His birthday gifts to Ashe were always self-made, expensive, and exquisite. In a way, he seemed to be trying to make up for his lack of social skills and self-esteem by constantly striving to impress others, especially the more poplar Angeal, and it was this part of Zack's personality that attracted the young princess, who felt a similar pressure as a figurative head of state.

An hour passed as Ashe pouted in her room, cursing Zack for his forgetfulness, promising that she would punish him when he arrived. Angeal, left outside the door sighing and shaking his head after delivering the princess, had left to rejoin the party: he saw the event as a chance to make new connections and to raise his social prestige- moves that would serve him well in the future.

Suddenly, the great oak doors boomed open, and a wet, soggy figure stepped into the entrance hall, accompanied by some footmen. The whole room seemed to go quiet, as everyone stared at this dirty newcomer. After a moment of mixed shock and disbelief, it was Alfred stepped up towards the young man, and offered to take his coat, while telling the other footmen to inform the princess that her cavalier had arrived.

When news of Zack's final arrival spread throughout the ballroom to Ashe's ears, she started immediately and stormed towards the entrance, with a furious look on her face. She felt betrayed: indeed it had taken all her will to even get up and go see Zack, as understandably he was the last person she wanted to see. As she approached the doors however, she suddenly lost her grip on her anger: Zack, his suit soaked and his jet-black hair a wet mess, was standing in front of the doors with his head hanging. In his hands, he cradled a soggy, soaked, silver-wrapped parcel, which he held in his shivering hands.

Zack looked up slowly at Ashe, and extended his arms with his present, which he slowly offered to Ashe, as if probing her anger.
"I…I got caught in the rain… Dad was out and…. I'm sorry Ashe, I've spoiled your party, haven't I?" he mumbled, looking away dissapointedly.

Ashe thought differently. She flung herself on Zack, and immediately hit him on the chest repeatedly, but not too hard, just hard enough. Just enough to let him know that she was there. Just enough reassure herself that he was there.

"You dummy… you Big Dumb Dumb Dummy!", she mumbled as she continued to hit him. Zack took the blows in silence, resigned to his punishment.

"Ashe, my present… you'd better check if it's still okay"

Ashe opened the parcel, slowly. Inside, was a green jewel lined with gold, connected to a long gold chain. An exquisite emerald pendant, carved with a gold-lined image of her ornate family coat-of-arms. It glittered brilliantly, the falling light reflected in a thousand different angles, the warm green glow filling up the entire room.

Ashe, clearly shocked and amazed, put her hand to her mouth, her eyes opened wide with wonder.

"Zack…This is….", she had mumbled, followed by the most crushing hug Zack had ever experienced.

Yeah… I used to be more gloomy back then. Almost got killed by Ashe too… At least I'm over that phase now.

Zack looked down and smiled. Ashe had changed him, or rather healed him, by showing that even royalty had a human side to themselves.

"I owe a lot to that spoiled brat…" He muttered to himself.
"Excuse me? You owe a lot to who?" came a quick, familiar reply.

Oh Shit

Zack spun around, and naturally, came face to face with the princess, her head tilted at an angle and her teeth gritted in anger. Zack hypothesized that she had tried to surprise him, and had caught his off-hand remark by accident.

"My Lady Ashe! Ah… I was referring to… Sir Despalus! I received a letter regarding his immediate return to our beloved capital, and… while I was waiting for you, I took the pleasure of reminiscing over our adventures together!"

Zack made a silent prayer, while Ashe still looked at him in doubt.

"Zack… I hope you realize that, at an utterance by me, I could have you exiled, tortured, or worse?" she smiled innocently.

Zack immediately bowed his head elegantly: "Of course my lady, I would never dare to upset you".

What seemed like an eternity passed before the princess spoke again:
"Well?"
Zack fidgeted: "Well… What , My Lady?"

"Aren't you going to compliment me on my appearance this evening?"

Zack's mind stopped. In his nervousness, he had completely forgotten to look at Ashe's appearance. But now that he had, he could not find the proper words to describe his feelings. Her turquoise evening gown was elaborate, but warm enough for the slightly chilly night, revealing her exposed shoulders down to the top of her bosom. He noticed that she was wearing the old pendant he had given her, and smiled despite himself.

"What are you staring at, Sir Haven?" came a voice filled with mischief. "Could it perhaps be this conveniently-placed pendant here?"

Zack blushed, but forced some steel into his voice:
"You- You look stunning Ashe", he said tremblingly.

Ashe smiled at him: "You don't look half so bad yourself. Ah, but your necktie is crooked. Here, let me help you". Ashe stepped up close to Zack, and began fixing his tie. Zack gave a big swallow: he was sure to Ashe, this was just a game of tease, but for him it was a constant battle of willpower.

Stepping back, Ashe nodded at her handiwork: "Much better. But seriously, you need to relax! I refuse to have a stiff mannequin as my partner tonight. Now come on, let's go!"

She took off suddenly towards the lantern-lit streets, waving for him to come after her:
"If you don't hurry up, I won't give you the surprise I promised you!"

Surprise? You don't mean…. No – No way…

He had a few clues about what that surprise might be, and he suspected all of them would eventually end in scandal, pain, and exile. Zack took a big swallow, and took off after Ashe, dashing through the narrow streets and corridors.

"May I inquire Ashe, what is this surprise you're referring to?" he asked in concern.
Ashe spun around, her silky, long blonde hair swaying around her graceful head.

She winked at him as she teased him:
"That's a se-cret , Zack", she answered as seductively as she could. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you now, would it?"

Oh crap.

It was going to be a long and eventful night.