A/N: I've been trying forever to write Prince Joshua and I've finally got it! It's kinda like Prince Wilfred's Man's Best Friend but more personal, I think. I hope you enjoy! R&R please! PS: I'm so glad to be back! :)

A New Friend

Loud barking startled Prince Joshua and he mismarked his papers with his pen, making a huge mess on the document, "What the hell is that?" Joshua's shout startled Jan, but he quickly recovered.

Jan straightened his tie as the prince narrowed his gaze, "That is Skylar's dog, Sugar. They are in the courtyard playing fetch last I checked." He stole a glance out the window to see they were still enjoying themselves.

Joshua growled and turned back to his work with a scoff, "Dogs."

"They're very loyal creatures, Your Highness." Jan stated, "Sugar hasn't left Skylar's side since she arrived."

"So?" The prince became disinterested immediately and Jan found it better to keep silent as he worked.

Joshua didn't mind dogs. They did not harm him as that cat had done in his childhood. He shuddered at the reminder and threw away the document that had been ruined. When he really thought about it, he never had a pet in his life. His life was lonely without his parents and all he did was study. Prince training wasn't the most sociable event of his life, but it prepared him to care for his country. Surely, having a pet wasn't a huge thing he's missing out on. It wasn't apart of Dres Van tradition to have a pet, so with a shake of his head, Joshua decided to drop the matter.

Still… His heart ached in curiosity. If Skylar had a pet that cared for her so much, maybe he should try studying it.

"Dogs." Prince Joshua pretended to sound disgusted where he was intrigued, "Another beast."

"I found her very adorable."

Prince Joshua glared into the documents he had been reading and silently wondered if he meant the dog or Skylar. Jan doesn't feel that way about Skylar. Even if he did, why does it matter to me? Taking a deep inhale and slow exhale, the dark haired prince put his pen to paper.

Jan watched his hunched figure quietly work with an occasional glance out the windowsill to see Skylar playing with her puppy in the courtyard happily. A smile appeared as soon as he caught sigh of them, and he wasn't used to smiling on his own. Usually, he forced one. His mind weighed heavily on grave matters and to have thoughts of her and her dog brightened Jan's day. Oddly enough, he had perceived lately that she and the prince have started to open up to one another over her visit. Maybe that's why she has prolonged sending the forms to me. The paperwork that would send Skylar home was finished and piled into a neat stack on her desk and didn't look to be touched in a couple of days.

Bitterly, Jan's tight lipped smile stretched into a knowing smirk. The two have begun to talk during breakfast and the glowering prince has been smiling every day for a week now. He could only imagine how difficult it would be to have the two of them admit anything at all to one another. Somehow, Jan stopped himself from bursting into laughter at the thought of either pushing their pride aside. He didn't find the concept possible. It was downright delusional.

He glanced over at Joshua and returned his gaze to Skylar. Jan admitted they would be good for one another, if the opportunity should ever appear. However, the slim chance materialized as a great dream to him. One he wished they'd attempt for both of their sakes.

Skylar beamed as Sugar hopped into her arms. The dog ate her up with slobbery kisses, and she took it like a woman who loves her dog would. Wrapping her arms around the puppy, she couldn't remember the last time she'd heard the dog whine so much. When Sugar had spotted her, she cried and howled in her arms. Skylar nearly burst into tears and kept rubbing her stomach to console her. Had it really been a week since she'd been in Charles? How long had she been spoiled in Dres Van? Sugar's arrival sparked her homesickness back to a new level. Charles had been on her mind frequently, and it wasn't her job she missed. She simply missed her quaint little yellow house on Levaincois Avenue right across the street from the Rose Cafe.

It seemed so surreal that she was still in Dres Van. Honestly, she had the paperwork done but a part of her couldn't hand it in to Jan. He'd stopped by her room a couple of times asking about it, and she would make up some story that she wasn't finished. It was plain to see the papers were filed and ready to go, but he made no argument and left her with a knowing smile.

Why do I feel like I should stay? Skylar fell back into the grass and Sugar lay on her stomach as she her chest heaved in long, shallow breaths. She sighed and knew it before he entered her mind. Prince Joshua was the reason. She's caught glimpses of his real self, and Skylar likes seeing that side. The memory of the blanket and candlesticks burned in her heart. It couldn't have been a dream. Closing her eyes, she felt a smile tug on her lips.

He isn't as bad as he makes himself out to be. She opened her eyes and her brunette hair spread beneath her head as she looked back toward the manse courtyard. These moments were very peaceful, and she found her thoughts in turmoil. If she stayed any longer, she'd never want to leave.

The idea of leaving caused Skylar to chew on her cheek, "At least you're with me Sugar." She mumbled and scratched behind the dog's ears.

Later that evening, Skylar left Sugar to nap in her bedroom to call her father on the balcony. She leaned against the railing as she chatted with her father about her 'sabbatical' from work. As far as her father knew, she was on vacation with an old college friend. Her father nearly tripped over himself asking if it was an old lover. She shook her head in a fit of laughter and said it was a girl. He wasn't to blame for the fact he wanted his girl provided for. Skylar could remember meeting boys throughout high school thanks to her father's mid-life crisis. He blamed it on his old age, but she would just nod and agree with him. Her father was the only man she wanted in her life despite recent misleading thoughts. Besides, her father was just the right man to talk to about her thoughts. Even if it isn't entirely word for word true.

Prince Joshua knocked on Skylar's door with sweaty palms. He cursed at himself and rubbed them against his pant legs. She's just a commoner for pity's sake. However, he found it hard to convince himself of that. Knocking for the third time, he impatiently exhaled. Was she purposely ignoring him? He scowled at the thought. Joshua just spotted her coming this way.

After arguing with himself for a good three minutes, Joshua opened the door. Empty. Only a small puppy occupied the room. He found himself eyeing it suspiciously as he scanned the room again. His gaze fell on the cracked balcony door where Skylar was chatting with her father. For a second, Joshua felt a sting in his chest as she spoke of her day to her father. He was ready to peek his head in and interrupt the phone call, but he thought better of it.

Shrugging off the feeling, he stepped toward the door and caught a sluggish movement in his peripherals. Prince Joshua swiveled back and found the white puppy lying on its back asleep with its tongue sticking out. He chuckled and shook his head. This is not what I was expecting. He walked toward the bed and curiously poked the dog's stomach with his index finger. Sugar barely sputtered in her sleep, but she left the prince jumping in fear. He didn't expect her twitch like that and nearly fell backwards.

He blushed and checked to see Skylar was still occupied with her phone call before he treaded toward the dog again. Joshua glared down at her with mock courage before poking her again. This time, her eyes peeked open and spotted him standing above her. She swiftly rolled onto all fours and gazed up at him with excitement.

Prince Joshua didn't know what to do now, "Um," He scratched the back of his neck and held out his hand, "good girl?"

Sugar sniffed his hand before licking it excitedly.

He found himself grinning at the puppy, "You are cute." Joshua was honestly expecting a vicious looking dog. Looking into her face again, he felt his heart rise in his chest.

"Prince Joshua?" Skylar spoke up when she finds him standing by the bed petting Sugar.

She was startled that the prince who wouldn't walk near a cat is petting her dog. It was astonishing in the least. Once his face flushed bright scarlet, she simply smiled and walked forward scratching the back of Sugar's ears as Joshua rubbed her belly.

Skylar cleared her throat and glanced over at him as she sat on her bed with Sugar, "I didn't know you liked dogs."

Prince Joshua shrugged and stopped petting Sugar, "I didn't either."

Sugar whined and stretched her neck out to Joshua. She nearly fell off the bed as she searched for him with her snout and pitiful brown eyes, "It looks like you have a new friend, Prince Joshua. Sugar likes you a lot."

He smirked at the animal and outstretched his hand to her, "I guess she does." Smiling, Joshua chuckled at the dog's tongue that hung from her panting mouth, "My new friend." So this is what it's like to have a pet?

Joshua blinked as his heart swelled in his chest, "Haven't you ever had a pet, Prince Joshua?" Skylar asked. Her sapphire orbs pierced through him so easily.

"No." He answered and she could see vulnerability in his glassy purple eyes.

She bobbed her head and popped her lips as she stood, "Well, you can share Sugar with me while I'm here. It'll give you a feel of what having a pet is like. It has its ups and downs." Skylar explained and turned back to Sugar, "She'll always listen, and she'll know when you're sad."

"A true friend, huh?" Prince Joshua smirked when he finished her thought.

"Exactly."

"Kind of like you?"

Skylar felt her cheeks burn in disappointment and embarrassment, "Yeah. Like me." A friend. She could barely keep a smile on her face; Luckily, Sugar could distract her enough to fake one.

Prince Joshua grew nervous and bit his lip as he glared out the balcony door, "Well, you're a better friend than anyone I've known." He muttered under his breath.

Skylar looked at his profile as he stared off to the distance. Maybe it took him a lot to say that. She shook it off and instead scoffed, "Sure. I bet I'm the only friend you have."

He glared her down and shouted, "Take a compliment, woman!" Storming out, Joshua sped away and slammed the door behind him.

Skylar stared after him incredulously and fell back onto the bed with Sugar, "What the hell was his problem?" She questioned Sugar, but the dog gave a huff and dropped her head.