Maid for the Prince

by max acorn

an AU story. Dawn is a maid with a secretive past. Ash is a prince and heir to the throne of the Kanto Empire. they meet by chance at a party and a romance is stirred. can this unlikely pair find happiness in a society that says their love can never be?

3. Chapter 3

Ma: Hey peoples. It's xmas eve when i post this. Consider this a long overdue gift. I lost my aunt earlier this year and I've been in a long period of mourning. I thought of quitting but your reviews have been much needed help during this emotional year. So I hope you all enjoy this newest chapter of this grand romantic epic. So without further adieu, ON WITH THE FIC!

MAID FOR THE PRINCE: CHAPTER 3

---

The days and weeks passed by in a pleasant blur for Dawn. She was adapted better than she thought, given that she was working for the royal family. It took her a few days to get a general understanding of the layout of Pallet palace but there were still parts of the estate that she hadn't or couldn't see. As much as she wanted to be a tourist and see every little nook and cranny of the place, she had to remind herself that she was there to work.

Not that anyone would have minded her doing so here. Despite being the center of the empire, the palace was surprisingly lax. Maids chatted freely with guards. Stable-boys and pages hung out with knights. It was worlds apart from the cold rigidness of the Bathorys. Most of that was helped by May. Dawn was ever so happy to have such a roommate and friend like her. Her free-spirited nature was a breath of fresh air and made working with her all the more fun. She didn't think less of her for being a relative novice when it came to the goings on of the palace. She simply told her everything she needed to know at any given moment. Plus, she found her flirtings to be hilarious.

She ran into Zoey a few times, mainly when she had to change out the duty sheets for the knights barracks. She would catch her practicing with her sword, a gift from the Emperor himself, and found her form to be marvelous. Dawn knew little about the ways of combat but even she could tell that the girl was immensely skilled. She was even lucky enough to catch her sparring with her boyfriend, Gary. Now, he was someone Dawn couldn't get a handle on. From what little she could see, he was an attentive and dutiful knight who took his job very seriously. But when he was off the clock, he was a silly drunk. One night, she saw him, clad in a dress, drunkenly asking the moon for a dance. Thankfully, He wasn't a violent drunk.

Paul, she tended to steer clear of. He was like a violet haired wall: unassailable and expressionless. He always had a hard glare for her but May assured her that he was like that with everyone. Well, not everyone. There were a few times, as she was cleaning up the dojo that she would notice him watching the other knights practice hand to hand combat with master Bruno and his star apprentice, Maylene. His focus always seemed to be on her the most. Maybe those rumors about the two of them being an item weren't so far-fetched anymore.

Seeing professor Oak on a near daily basis was a welcome treat. He oftentimes was the one who gave out the duties for the staff of the palace. He would start off the day with a nice Pokemon poem. But it seemed like only she really appreciated it, since everyone audibly groaned upon hearing them. Nonetheless, he was always kind and respectful to everyone, especially her. She didn't know why but the older man seemed to have taken a special interest in Dawn. Not in the sexual or amorous way that many older men she had known in the past had done but in the way a father would for a beloved daughter. Since Dawn never knew her own birth father, this kind of attention was more than welcome.

And then, there was the prince.

He was a struggle and a half. She didn't see him much, due to how busy he was but the few times she did, it was enough to get her all hot and bothered. Most times, she would clean his office while he was reading and signing some documents that the professor had given to him. Ash would look up at her and give her the kindest of smiles before greeting her. They didn't have much time to talk but the few small conversations they struck up were the highlights of her day. Many a time she caught sight of him training in the yard, using a wooden sword and often shirtless. She couldn't see him up close but she could tell that he was in excellent shape. Once or twice, almost like he felt her watching him, he would turn her way and give her an enchanting grin. Dawn was certain she was blushing as she turned away from his gaze and went about her duties.

What she didn't know was that Ash was in a similar situation as her. While he was busy with his own work, he did try to "accidentally" run into Dawn but the timing wasn't always good. But he cherished each and every time they did. Ash didn't think himself charming in any way but when he was around the blue-haired maid, he made a point to turn on as much charm as he could muster. Especially when she caught him training without a shirt. He was used to the maids leering and staring at him and the knights, save for May who didn't find him the least bit sexy, but when Dawn was there, he felt a bit self-conscious. He wondered if she found him attractive at all. That answer came when he gave her a tired smile and he saw how bashful she was. He noted how cute she was when she blushed. But so far, that's as far as things had gotten between them.

That all began to change on a Friday morning.

Dawn was dusting about Ash's office while he was busying himself with another stack of papers that he needed to look over and sign, which was draining. He'd much rather spend his time with the maid who shared the room with him. They had chatted for a bit before both got to their own chores but it didn't stop Ash from occasionally casing a glance at her pleasing figure putter about his office.

Dawn made a point not to disturb the prince as he worked, despite how handsome he seemed, leaned over his desk, reading with amazing speed. She had to distract herself from looking too hard at him, which she did by admiring the collection of vases he had laying about the room. From what she understood, they were presents from various visiting dignitaries and guests of the family from all over the empire. Some were tall enough to be used as chairs but most were very small. Small enough to fit in one's pocket.

Once again, a dark thought rolled into her mind. Dawn hadn't entertained the thought of taking anything from the palace. She was just happy to have a roof over her head and steady work. But that same fear crept into her mind. Such things don't last forever. As nice as the prince, professor Oak and everyone else was, she was still just a maid and maids could be dismissed at any time, at the whim of her employers.

Her eyes drifted to a small vase behind a few larger ones. She glanced back at the prince. Still very busy perusing documents. Surely, he wouldn't miss one. And only one. She stole from the Bathorys both out of a need for a nest egg and because she disliked them immensely. But these people were good to her. And all she had to do was wait until her probationary period was over until she started earning some crowns. This was just to shore things up in her account.

Dawn had gotten this tactic down to a science. From her peripheral, she noted where Ash's eyes were and how often he lifted them. This gave her the perfect window for her thievery. She took her cleaning towel in hand and began to wipe around the intended target. Once she was sure he wasn't looking, she covered the vase with the towel and palmed it, while making it seem like she was still cleaning. In one fluid motion, the vase move from her hand into one of her pockets on her uniform. Her side glance returned to prince Ash. He was still at work and seemingly, none the wiser. Exhaling a bit, she finished up her cleaning duties, making sure to not draw attention to the pocket in question.

"Your highness," she called out.

"Hmmm?" he grunted as he drew his eyes from his papers to the woman in question.

"I've finished cleaning the office."

Ash took a quick scan of the room, noting that the places that did require a good dusting were now pristine. "Excellent work, Miss Dawn," he complimented with a small smile. "You may go now."

She was a bit too nervous to enjoy that cute smile of his, as she bowed her head and made her way out of the room. Just as she reached the door, it opened as professor Oak entered the room, a small folder under his arm. "What a surprise, Miss Dawn," he spoke.

"Good day, professor," she greeted back.

"Kept busy?"

She nodded. "Just cleaned the office."

The older man glanced around the room, appraising her work. "I see. Well, I won't keep you. The prince and I have some business to discuss."

"Very well, sir." and with that, Dawn exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Professor Oak strolled to Ash's paper covered desk and took the free seat across from him. Ash groaned as his teacher handed him the folder. "More petitions?"

he nodded. "Most concerning the indigo festival for later this year. Lady Erica had some concerns about some of the stalls."

The prince sighed. "I don't suppose I could put this off until later, professor."

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown, my boy. And so too is the writing hand."

Ash shook his head at his teacher's joke as he began to look over the documents but as he did, he began to stifle a small laugh in his throat.

Oak raised an eyebrow at his action. "My boy, what's so funny?"

After a few seconds of trying to clear the laugh from his throat, he spoke, "Professor…..I've been robbed."

"Robbed? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"When did it happen?"

"A few minutes ago."

"Do you know who did it?"

"Of course I do. You just spoke to her a few moments ago."

An understandable look of shock appeared on the teacher's face as he realized what the young prince was implying. "Dawn?" he inquired. Ash nodded his head. "Unbelievable. She certainly doesn't seem the type for stealing."

"She certainly doesn't, Professor," added Ash.

"What did she take?"

He motioned over to the table of vases. "One of the smaller one. The yellow one."

"I see. It was small enough that one could easily palm it. How did you know she took it?"

"Because I saw her take it." Truth be told, despite what Dawn was thinking earlier, Ash was keeping a closer eye on her than she thought. It was part of the reason he didn't get much work done. He was too busy staring at her move about his office.

"And you said nothing?"

"I…just wanted to see what she'd do," he said. "Has anything else turned up missing since she got here?"

Oak searched his mind for a few moments before answering. "Not that I'm aware of. Nothing has been reported missing and no one has said that she was acting out of the ordinary."

Ash rubbed his chin in consideration. "So this was her first time stealing from us. Hmmmm."

"Do you think she did this as a spur of the moment sort of thing?"

"I don't think so. The way she moved her hands and how she kept an eye out for me while she did it. No, professor. I think she's done this before."

"I think so, too. Now the bigger question: why?"

"I don't think she'd tell us outright. At least, not the truth." Ash laid back in his chair, pondering about what should be done about the maid in question.

"It is troubling, Ash. I'd rather not have to fire her over something this small but we can't just ignore it."

"No, we can't." the young prince thought hard for a few moments on what should be done. His own feelings told him that he should let this pass, not willing to risk losing her so soon but as a future monarch, one can not overlook such an obvious crime. He had to get to the bottom of this and he knew how to do it.

"Professor, I heard Max is back at the castle from his training from master Koga."

"Yes, but only for a short time."

"Good enough."

"What's on your mind, my boy?" he asked.

A cunning smirk materialized onto the Heir's face. "I want you to bring him here to my office. I think it's time for us to catch up."

_

It was around 1pm when a sudden but not unexpected knock came at Prince Ash's office door. At this point, he was able to get most of his paperwork done and was ready to give his whole attention to the people on the other side. "Come in," he called out. Professor Oak entered, followed closely behind by someone else: he was a much younger man, about 15 years old or so, with dark green hair and square rimmed glasses. He was also clad in a muted, blue uniform, covered with a brown cloak, which was the standard attire for those of his order.

"Young Max, your highness," Oak introduced.

"No need to be so formal with family, professor," Ash spoke as he arose from his chair and advanced towards the duo.

"You still consider me family?" the young man asked, a smile painted on his face.

"Damn right, Max," he replied, pulling him into a tight hug. This was Max, May's beloved younger. He was adopted into the palace the same time as his sister, when he was just a baby. Like her, he too was raised in and around the royal family, so much so that when he was younger, he would often tell people that prince Ash was his "big brother". Not that Ash minded this at all, since he loved Max as if he was his brother. He hung around him and May and all the other kids of his age and he considered almost anything he did to be the best thing ever. He even wanted to be a knight and hoped to stand side by side with Gary and Paul in protecting the royal family but sadly, young Max lacked the talent for such work. Fortunately, he did find a way to protect his adoptive family by joining another part of the imperial army. "You look good, kid."

"Thanks, Ash," he said, trying not to look too happy that his brother complimented him. "I'm still in training so the uniform is just probationary."

"Keep at it, Max, and one day, you'll be protecting me and my heirs for decades to come."

"That is if I survive it."

"I heard master Koga's training can be rather brutal."

Max rubbed his shoulder a bit. "More than you can imagine. I can't say much but rest assured, it's crazy what he makes us do but….it's worth it. Or it will be."

"I look forward to it." Ash smiled at the progress he made in his training.

"So…..you didn't call me here just to catch up, right?"

The prince cast an eye on professor Oak. "Did you tell him anything?"

"I've said nothing. You know he's quicker on the uptake than most," he replied. Max's intellect was certainly impressive. By the time he was six, he was already reading at a college level and he could recall information as well as any adult. It was the primary reason Oak suggested that he be trained under master Koga, rather than just be a simple knight.

"You sussed it out, Max," Ash announced. "Catching up with you was great and all but now…..I need your help."

"It's no problem. We can catch up later. So what do you need?"

Ash was happy to see that he was eager to help him in this little endeavor. "First off, how good are your tailing skills?"

"Pretty good, " Max answered. "Master Koga says I'm one of the best of the class when it comes to stealth."

"That's good. Just what I was hoping for."

"Do you need someone followed?"

Prince Ash considered his question for a moment. He was trying to figure out how to word what he needed without saying too much. "There's a new maid working here. Blue hair. Cute eyes. Name's Dawn."

Max didn't miss how Ash commented on how her eyes were cute but decided not press him for it. "I've heard the name," he answered, "May did say her new roommate was a girl named Dawn but I haven't met her yet."

"That's fine. In fact, it's better that she hasn't met you yet."

"Did…she do something wrong?" the youngster inquired. He noted that Ash and the professor shared a look between them. But again, he chose to ignore it.

"I can't really say right now."

"If you are sure, Ash."

"Anyway, all I want you to do is follow her."

"That's all?"

"Yep. Just follow her. Especially if she heads out. Just tell me where she goes and what she does. Don't approach her or talk to her. I just have a few….questions about her. That's all."

Again, Max had questions. It seemed as though this girl had done something to gain the attention of the prince but it wasn't such that it required her to be captured or tried for a crime but enough to get both his and professor Oak's attention. Who was she? And what did she do to warrant such things? But again, it wasn't his place to ask or pry. But there was one question he needed to ask. "Is…..this an order?"

Ash seemed deep in thought for a few moments. "No," he spoke. "Consider this a….favor."

"A favor," Max nodded. "Fair enough. But what about master Koga?"

Ash held up a hand in reassurance. "I'll tell him you are doing something for me if he asks. Report back to me in a week. And only me and the professor. Understood?"

"Perfectly."

"Good. Professor, show him what he needs to know."

"Of course, highness."

---

It was late in the evening hours when Max found himself in front of the door to Prince Ash's office. The meeting was scheduled as such so that no one could bother them. The spy in training gave a few more cursory glances to either side of him: there was no one around. He understood the need for secrecy, given what he had seen and learned but he still wondered to himself: what would their reactions be? Snuffing out those thoughts, he knocked 5 times on the wood. "Enter," said an older voice. Max quietly slid the door open and entered the room, in a one single fluid, utterly silent motion. Inside, he found Ash seated at his desk and professor Oak seated opposite of him. A free chair was next to the teacher, namely for him. The room was illuminated by a single, decorated lamp on the desk. It was light enough to see but not so bright as to cast shadows.

Ash motioned for the boy to sit, which he did. "Well?" he asked.

"I followed her for a full week," Max started, taking out a small notepad.

"Did she see you?" asked the professor.

Max shook his head. "No. And if she did, she wouldn't let on."

"Good. Proceed."

The teen began to flip through his notebook. "It took her a while to actually leave the grounds. Most of the time, when she wasn't working or chatting with my sister, she was in the library."

"Do you know what she was reading?" inquired Oak.

"Naw. I couldn't get close enough. Not without blowing my cover. You didn't tell me she could read."

Ash leaned forward, his fingers laced together. "It wasn't important. Continue."

"She left the ground approximately 3 times: once with May, once with captain Zoey and once by herself. With sis, they just went to the shopping district. May bought her a few things but nothing big. She's still under probation, right?" the two nodded at his question. "So she didn't have any money at the time."

"At the time," Ash muttered but let Max continue his report.

"With Zoey, they went to the fishing port. The captain was expecting a shipment of something and invited her along. It seems the two of them are friends."

"Expected really," noted Oak. "So what of the last time?"

"This is where things get interesting," he spoke with a bit of excitement. "She told sis that she was going into town to do a bit of window shopping. May offered to give her some crowns to buy something but Dawn declined. Said she didn't wanna owe her anything without being able to pay her back. After that, she made her way to Viridian via one of the daily carriages to the city. Here's where it gets good: she didn't go to the shopping district. AT ALL."

Ash and Oak shared a look. "So she lied," The prince noted out-loud. "Where did she go?"

"To the north-side of the city. Not much there. Just a few old building and some shops. She ducked down a small street near the thoroughfare. She walked straight into a small shop, which seemed like a pawn shop."

"Are you sure?" Asked the teacher.

"Pretty sure," he answered. "I couldn't see much. The windows weren't very clean but I could make out some shapes. The place was full of odds and ends from what I saw. Dawn chatted it up with the owner for a bit. They seemed to be well acquainted with each other."

"So, it's not only not her first time there," said Oak, "but it seems like she and him have some kind of personal acquaintance. Could you see the owner?"

Max shook his head. "only some vague shapes. He looked big and older. Had a pretty big beard."

"What happened next?"

"She pulled out something and handed it to him. It was small and yellow. that's all I could tell."

"So it was that," noted Ash, getting a quizzical look from Max. "Go on,"

That told him enough about the object in question. "Went as you'd expect: he examined it and gave her a bag full of crowns. They said their goodbyes and she walked out. After that, she went back downtown and went straight to the bank of Viridian."

Both men perked up immediately upon hearing that bit of information. "The bank of Viridian? That's the largest bank in central Kanto," said professor Oak.

"Did you follow her?" asked the prince.

"Of course," said Max proudly, "it was crowded enough that I could blend in and not be noticed. She went straight to a redheaded teller. They seemed to be on friendly enough terms. Then she handed over the bag of crowns. The teller counted them and then put them away."

"So she has an account there," Ash thought out-loud. Things were really starting to make sense to him. "And she didn't take any of it away with her?"

"Not a single coin. She just dropped it off and left. Got back on the carriage and headed back to the palace." Max wondered what exactly they wanted to get out of this or why they had him follow this maid around but judging by their shared looks, it seemed some of the questions they had were answered, partially or fully.

"Thanks a lot, Max," spoke Ash. "You went above and beyond for this."

"Least I could do," he spoke, standing up from his seat.

"I'll put in a good word for you with master Koga at the next house of lords meeting. For now, get some rest. You've earned it."

"Thanks. I need it after all the running around I've been doing. Ash. Professor," Max said, offering a small, respectful bow to both men in turn before walking out of the room as quietly as he entered.

"So…."Oak started, "It seems our little miss Dawn has her secrets."

"I know. A pawn shop where she knows the owner and a bank where she knows the teller."

"She's been doing this for quite a while. But therein lies the bigger question."

"Indeed," Oak said, scratching his chin. "If this were merely about money, she would've spent some of the money she got. That just leads to one conclusion."

"She doesn't want to spend anything,"Ash deduced. "She's saving for something. Something big enough and important enough to risk her job over."

"Tis a conundrum. What will you do now, my boy?"

Ash sat in silent contemplation. They had the facts. They knew what she did. They just didn't have a why. They couldn't sweep it under the rug or pretend it didn't happen. It might embolden Dawn to repeat it and the next time, the person who catches her won't be as lenient or as understanding as him. There was nothing more to really think about. In his heart of hearts, he'd rather not do what he was thinking of doing but he was the head of the house, the future emperor, and as his father once told him, "Sometimes, all you have are bad choices. But you still have to choose."

he let out a hard sigh. "No choice, professor. She will be punished."

_-

"Meet up with Prince Ash in his office."

Those words seemed to stick in Dawn's head as she walked down the familiar hallway that led to the destination in question. After her lunch break, May delivered the message to her but it was the way she said that bothered her. May was very informal when it came to the prince, almost always referring to him by his name without his title. This would seem disrespectful but here, it was just part of the aura of Pallet Palace. But here, she called him "Prince Ash". There was something off-putting about that and because of it, the walk to the office felt so heavy and dreadful. This left her thinking thoughts.

"Did they find out?"

It had been more than a week since she stole the little vase and as far as she knew, no one noticed. She was expecting some kind of reaction from prince Ash but he was normal around her. She was easily able to pawn it off to Burch for a decent amount of crowns. But for a while, she felt this strange feeling as if someone was following her. She wrote it off as just being paranoid. She did just rob the prince of the empire after all.

Finally, she arrived at the door to his office but even now, she couldn't shake that sense of apprehension. Dawn actually had to still her beating heart before knocking on the door.

"Come in."

The sternness of the voice told her all she needed to know. Something was wrong and she was at the center of it.

Dawn entered the room and found the prince and his teacher waiting for her. Neither were smiling. They simply glared at her. The bluette's stomach sank like a stone. She had never seen either of them looking like that and it intimidated her.

"W-what can I do for you, your highness?" she greeted.

"Take a seat, miss Dawn." the usual cheerfulness and kindness Ash spoke to her was totally gone. He was in full monarch mode and she wasn't about to displease him in any firm. The maid timidly took her seat in front of the desk. She glanced to her left. The grandfatherly Samuel Oak was nowhere to be found. His hard stare nearly broke her heart. She hated that he was looking so scary. Even more so that he was directing that glare at her. She was terrified to speak to either of them.

Ash got up from his seat and began to slowly walk around the room, his gaze never leaving her. She noted his relaxed outfit of a white shirt and a dashing pair of green pants. She wanted to compliment his attire but her feelings of adoration had to be put to the side. Just then, the man in question stopped right in front of her, his glare at full power. "Do you take me for a fool, Miss Dawn?"

She was slightly caught off guard by his question. "I'm sorry, sire?"

"Do…you…..take…me…for….a fool?"

"Answer the question, young lady," Added Oak, his tone just as cold and sharp as the prince's.

"No. Of course, I don't, sire."

"Then why do you treat me like a fool?" Dawn's eyes went wide from his words. Her mouth moved but no words could emerge. "Don't try to talk your way of it. We know what you did."

"What I…."

"I saw you. I saw you steal that vase."

Dawn broke out into a cold sweat. "The vase…." she squeaked out.

"That vase was given to me by a very dear friend of mine. You think I wouldn't notice it was gone?" Ash ranted.

"We are…sorely disappointed in you, miss Dawn," spoke Oak, channeling all the disappointed grandpa energy as he could muster. Which had the intended effect of causing the maid in question to be on the verge of tears.

"Professor, what is the punishment for a maid caught stealing from the royal family," he asked, never breaking eye contact with her. A few tears escaped her eyes and inside, Ash's heart broke. He never wanted to see tears come from those beautiful blue eyes but he had no choice. This needed to happen.

"The punishment for grand theft from the royal family would be the immediate termination of employment of that maid, trial and conviction of said crime and then long term imprisonment at the Lavender Tower."

Dawn's blood ran cold and her skin paled upon hearing the professor's answer. The lavender Tower was the most infamous prison in the entire empire. It was home to the worst of the worst. Any criminal dreaded being sent there. There were even stories of prisoners begging to be executed rather than being sent there. It also didn't help that it was said the tower was extremely haunted and many inmates were driven insane by the spirits of the dead. Dawn hung her head low. She knew she had screwed up. This time she was caught stealing would probably be the last time.

Ash gave a frustrated sigh. "I just don't understand it. I mean….what prompted this? Couldn't you wait until your probation period was over? Did you need the crowns that badly?"

"It's not like that!" she uttered.

"Then what is it like?" he bellowed. "Before I hand down your punishment, I want to hear it from your own lips: why? Why steal from us? Why steal from me?"

Dawn didn't miss that last part. He sounded hurt and she didn't blame him one bit. The shame she felt was greater than her guilt at being caught. She had disappointed the last two people in the world she wanted to. She felt lower than scum and she deserved to be sent away. But he was giving her a chance to tell her story. She thought it wasn't going to help her case but she wanted them to know why she did what she did. Steeling herself and calming her nerves, she started. "….It's because….I'm a maid."

Ash arched an eyebrow. "A maid? What does that have to do with this."

"Everything," she answered. "I've….been doing this job since I was 8. this is the only job I've ever known. This is all I know how to do. And yet…it can be gone like that."

"What are you trying to say, miss Dawn?" asked the professor.

"A servant's job is dependent on how well we do. That's a given. But sometimes that's not enough." she gripped the fabric of her uniform as her knuckles turned white. Both Ash and Oak saw this and came to the same conclusion. She was about to dig up a very painful memory. "When I was 10, I went to serve under a local lord, somewhere near the Rock tunnel. He wasn't cruel or anything but it was a bit intimidating to a little girl just starting out as a maid. There was….an older maid. She was about 30 or so. She took me under her wing. Taught me everything I know about being a good maid. She was like….a big sister to me.

"Then one day, the son of the lord, a 4 year old little kid, was playing outside in the yard. She had known him since he was born so she was often in charge of him. He asked for an apple off a tree and she gave it to him. What she didn't know was that the apple was spoiled. The boy got sick. When the lord found out, he was furious. She had been working there since she was a teen but that didn't matter. The lord threw her out. No severance. No references. Nothing. She was just…..gone.

"When I was older, I tried to look for her and I found her. After she was fired, she tried to find work but it was impossible. The lord has spread rumors that she was a terrible maid, incompetent and cruel. Because of those rumors, no one wanted to hire her. I could only imagine how horrible she felt. I heard she got work as a waitress at an inn. Turns out the owner was selling them for the night for travelers. All so he could turn a profit. She was sold for a night with one. That was her first time doing such work…and the last."

Professor Oak gasped a little. His anger from early vaporizing by the sentence as she told her story. "Don't tell me…"

Dawn merely nodded. "In the morning, the owner found her body. He….he brutalized her. She died for his pleasure and the owner's gain. He got away with it and the owner just buried her. I asked him where. He just said in some field. I've never found her grave."

"I'm…..I'm sorry, Miss Dawn," said Ash, the pity he felt for her evident on his face.

She wiped a few loose tears before she continued. "That's the reality maids like me live: we can be loyal, hard working, perfect to a fault and all it takes is one mistake to ruin all of that. My friend died because of it. And I didn't want that to be me."

"So that's the point of the account," said Oak.

"Yes. The account was my mother's. Before she died, she gave me the number. It didn't have much in it but it didn't need to for my needs. I know the day is going to come when I do something that will get me fired or I won't be able to work any more, so I just needed a nest egg. So when it happens, I can use the money to buy a place for me to live. Somewhere I can live for myself for once. But maids don't make much. I barely made enough just to feed myself. So….."

"You started stealing."

"Yes, sir. Nobles have so much stuff, it's crazy. They spend so much money on trinkets and things that they can barely keep track of having. So stealing from them was easier than you think. They didn't even remember what was taken. There was a pawn shop owner who was friends with my mom and he helped me out a lot. He always gave me good prices for the things I stole, so I had a good chunk of crowns in the account."

"Was…..this the reason you were fired from the Bathorys?"

"No. They never knew. It was…something else. I stole from them the most, partly because they had so much to take and partly because….I hated them. I hated working for them. I didn't care if they caught me. Part of me wanted them to know, just so they know that my future, MY FREEDOM…was funded by them." the dark look in her eyes and the venom in her voice was a bit disturbing to the two men. Dawn was normally such a ray of sunshine that brighten everyone's day. She didn't seem like she had a mean bone in her body and yet here she was, verbally murdering her former employers. Seeing and hearing all this awoke something in Ash. He wasn't sure why but he had a sudden urge to take a trip to the Bathory manor and beat Conrad within an inch of his life. He didn't know why she wasn't working for them but it seemed to be a sore subject for her and he wasn't going to push it. "but I didn't steal from you because I hated any of you. I…I Love working here. The friends I've made. The feeling of family. I can't imagine what I did to deserve a chance to work here. I guess I did it…..because I was scared."

"That's…..that's rough," he told her, "What about family?"

"Mom and I moved around a lot in Sinnoh. We came to the empire when I was a little girl and then she passed away."

"I'm sorry for your loss. What about your father?"

"I don't know," she answered. "He died when I was a baby. I don't know what he looks like or even his name. All mom would tell me is that he was a good man and that he loved me."

It was a lot to take in. It was frankly more than either man was expecting. "I didn't know you had such a stressful and rough childhood, Dawn," spoke Ash. "My heart really does go out to you but sadly…you still broke the rules. And you still need to be punished. Right, professor?"

"Indeed, your highness," spoke Oak. "Actions have consequences."

"Yes they do." He leaned back on his desk, his continence having long since slipped from fury to consideration. Dawn said nothing as he stared at her. "Well, rest assured, we won't be firing you. And certainly, we won't be sending you to the Lavender Tower. It would be a damn shame to punish you for such a minor thing."

"Good maids are hard to find, sire."

"Yes they are." he held his chin, seemingly deep in thought. Dawn was unsure as to what he was thinking but didn't want to talk as to influence his decision. "Well since this is about money, we will settle this with money. Miss Dawn, for the crime of theft from the royal family, your pay will be docked by 50% for the next 10 months."

Dawn stared at the royal blankly, trying to process what he said, since for her, it didn't make too much sense. "um…your highness?"

"What is it, miss Dawn?"

"The punishment is fair but there is a problem: I…don't have pay."

"What?" said Ash.

"Ahh, she's right, your highness. Probationary period."

Ash slapped himself over the head for his mistakes. "Oh that's right! That's foolish! You aren't getting paid! Well, this is awkward. How long is her probation?"

"Hmmm. I'd say….about another 9 months or so."

"9 months. Well, that's a pickle."

"A big one, in fact."

"Um…your highness?" Dawn chimed in.

"Quiet, miss Dawn. We are deciding your punishment."

"Yes, highness." The maid shrank back quietly as the two men discussed her fact.

"This is a problem, professor."

"Indeed. if she has no pay, we can't dock it."

"And if we can't dock it, then we can't punish her."

"It's a paradox. What do you think we should do?"

"I may have a solution," the prince said as he turned to the blue-haired woman. "Miss Dawn, from until your probationary period ends, you are to be given a monthly stipend of approximately 150 crowns a month."

Dawn's eyes nearly exploded out of sockets upon hearing the news. "150 crowns?" she gasped.

"The normal pay for a maid is around 300 crowns but since you are being punished, you will have to settle for 150."

"150 crowns is great!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree. "THANK YOU, YOUR HIGHNESS!"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so happy? This is punishment."

Dawn brought her mood down a bit but still obviously very happy. "OH! I'm sorry, your highness. I humbly accept your punishment."

"As you should. This is a big punishment. A punishing punishment."

"Yes, highness. I am…..punished."

The professor could barely hold back his smile as he watched the silly exchange between the two young people. All the tension from the room has vanished, which he was glad for. It was too hard to be mad at Dawn.

"Glad you learned your lesson. Your stipend will be personally handled by professor Oak. And you will only receive this under 3 conditions."

"Yes, highness."

"1: you are not to tell anyone about this. Only I and the professor know about this arrangement, so you are to tell no one. Least of all, May. Girl has a mouth that could ship a fleet of ships." Dawn nodded in agreement while stifling a laugh. "2: you are not to spend the money on anything personal. But if you feel the need to drop a few coins into your account, then that's perfectly fine." again, she nodded, "3: and most important of all these…... .you never do this again." there was a seriousness in his voice that made her stiffen up. It wasn't intimidating or anything of the sort. He just wanted her to know how serious that last condition was. "I don't want you to feel the need to steal. We are not going to throw you out for making a simple mistake. I….wouldn't do that."

Dawn knew it was improper for her to feel a certain way at that moment but hearing him say that he would never throw her out and how sincere he sounded caused that same warm feeling to well up inside of her. She was grateful to have someone like Ash being considerate of her and her past. All this meeting did was make her adore him more than before. "Thank you, your highness".

"You are very much welcome, Miss Dawn. You may go back to your duties." the maid rose from her seat and offered a polite bow before gleefully strolling out of the room. Ash watched her go, a small smirk adorning his lips. It felt wrong for him to admire her figure but he couldn't help it. Happiness was a mood that certainly made her more pleasing to his eyes.

Professor Oak then loudly coughed, breaking his former student out of his daze. "You were very….lenient towards her, my boy."

"It's like you said: good maids are hard to find. Would've been a shame to lose her."

"A shame," he said with a grin. "And the vase in question?"

"Leave it," he answered. "I've got plenty more."

"As you will, my boy."

Ash strolled around his desk and glanced out of the window. He wasn't looking at anything particular but for some reason, the scenery felt greener and fresher to him. He had an idea for her but he wasn't sure if she could handle it. "I think it's time to put her through a stress test, professor."

"And what kind of test would that be?"

His smile widened as he answered, "I want Miss Dawn to serve tea at the house of lords meeting."

Professor Oak's eyes bulged a bit in surprise. "That's…... .a big duty. The last person to serve tea there was Mrs. Greens. It's….a large responsibility, Ash."

"I know," he replied. "But I think she can handle it. Besides, the meeting isn't for another 2 weeks. It should be enough time for her to get ready for it."

"She's a smart girl. If I and May help her out, I think she could be ready by then."

"That's the spirit professor. Inform her tomorrow."

"Of course, Prince Ash. I'll leave you to your thoughts."

"Thank you, professor."
The old man casually left his future emperor to stare out of his window. Many would say that Ash was somewhat simpleminded but Oak knew that when push came to shove, the boy could be very sly when he wanted to. That show he put together to figure out Dawn's past was impressive from his standpoint. But he only imagined how hard it was to act like he was angry with Dawn, considering how much he liked her. Oh yes. He knew the feelings of his former student well.

"You are easy to read when it comes to her, my boy."

---

"Come on! Tell me!" whined May as she and Dawn walked along the halls of the servant's quarters.

"Sorry, May," Dawn said with a laugh. "I can't tell you a thing. Not yet at least."

Her roommate pouted like a child. "You're no fun! And here I thought we were best friends."

"I'm sorry, May. Can you wait for a few more months?"

"Why do I have to wait?!" she whined.

"Why are you so interested in this? It was just a meeting."

"That's bull and you know it," she said, "It's rare for that old man and Ash to be so serious about something. And they asked you not to tell? You can't blame a girl for being curious."

"May, I promise, in a couple of months, I'll tell you everything. Be patient and you'll get your juicy gossip."

The brunette eyed her friend and roommate with a suspicious glance but Dawn could tell she was relenting in her quest for the secretive knowledge. "Do you swear to tell me in a few months?"

Dawn held up a pinkie. "Pinkie swear," she answered with a smile.

May let out a defeated sign. "Fine, I guess. But it better be important. Don't wanna waste my time with useless gossip."

"No promises."

"Good. Now let's head to the east wing. The sheets on some of the beds need changing and if we hurry, we might be able to get a meal in before the evening."

"That's good. I could use a bite to eat."

---

May and Dawn chatted to themselves as the duties were called out for the day by professor Oak. They had already been given their tasks for the day: dusting the libarey. May found the idea very boring but Dawn was anything but bored by it. She planned on finishing as early as possible so she could look around and maybe read a book or two. Either way, it was easy work for the two of them to do.

Once the older man had finished handing out the duties, the army of servants began to file out of the meeting room to begin their assigned tasks. The girls would've joined them if the professor hadn't called out to them. "May, Dawn. Could you come here for a bit?"

The maids in question gave each other an inquisitive look, silently asking each other what he could possibly want with them. With no real answers, they walked over to professor Oak as the room began to empty.

"What's up, professor?" May asked in her ever so casual tone.

"Did we do something wrong?" asked Dawn.

The teacher shook his head. "Nothing of the sort, my dear. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It seems that you've made a good impression upon his highness."

"I-I did?" She stammered a bit, a small tinge of red dusting her cheeks.

Oak tried his hardest not to smile at her reaction upon hearing the prince's name or the fact that he thought so highly of her. The poor girl. She has it so bad for him, he thought to himself. "Yes, indeed. He has been so impressed by your hard work, that he felt that your duties should be expanded."

"Expanded?" asked May, with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes. Miss Dawn, you are to serve tea for the house of lords."

May's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets and rolled across the floor, "THE HOUSE OF LORDS!? IS ASH NUTS?!" she all but yelled.

"His highness seems to have faith in Miss Dawn's skills and dedication to her duties."

"But that's WAAAAAY too soon!"

Dawn was clueless about her roommate's reaction. Or even what she was asked to do. "um, May? What is the house of lords?" she asked.

"Forgive me. I completely forgot you wouldn't know the name," spoke the professor. "The house of lords is the bi-monthly meeting of the governors who control and manage the 8 districts that make up the empire. The meeting is for the emperor to understand what is going on in each district and assess any needs they may have. Running an empire is hard work, so it's very important for the emperor to keep up with what his subjects need."

"Oh. I didn't know that. And all I have to do is….serve tea?"

"Its not so simple," chimed in May. "All the lords and ladies take their tea very different from each other. The only person I've ever known to do it was Mrs. Greens. And she had been doing it since the emperor was a child."

"That's a long time."

"And then there's security," added Oak. "Having the leadership of the empire in one place presents a massive risk. Hence why the exact date of the meeting is top secret. Only the royal family, myself and the lords know the date. Thus security will be very tight. It can be very stressful."

"and the prince wants me to do it?" Asked Dawn, suddenly feeling the weight of what she was being asked to do.

"That's why I said what I said. Not saying you are stupid or something, Dawn but it's far harder than you think," explained May.

"Sounds like you have some experience on this,"

She nodded. "I tried to do it once. Never again. Nearly got my head bitten off. Told the professor to never make me do it again."

"It wasn't that bad, May."

Her glare nearly set the old man on fire. "Says you! You weren't there!"

Despite her friend's humorous rage, Dawn still felt nervous beyond belief. She had just begun to adjust to life in the palace and here she was, faced with serving the leaders of the empire. The old professor saw this and gave her a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't worry too much, my dear. If his highness believes in you, I have faith in his judgement."

"I guess so. How long before the meeting?"

"About two weeks."

"TWO WEEKS?!" exclaimed May. "That's not enough time!"

"I figured you could give her some training for the task."

The maid gave the older man a growl. "I don't have that much experience with that! It would require a lot of study and-". May stopped upon making a sudden realization. "Wait," she said before turning to her friend. "You can read."

Dawn gave her a quizzical expression. "Yes. I can read."

"You can read."

"She can read," added professor Oak.

"SHE CAN READ!"

"I think we established that, May. What's the big deal?" Dawn inquired.

"No wonder you were so confident about this."

the older man merely smiled at her accusation. "I was just waiting for you to realize it. So…can she do it?"

May gave a bright smile and a very enthusiastic thumbs up. "Two weeks? She'll be more than ready!"

"That's what I like to hear. May. Miss Dawn. I will leave you to it." With a polite bow, the professor left the two maids to plan and attend their duties.

Dawn was still very much confused by the conversion. "What just happened? What does that mean for me?"

"It means," May started, turning towards her, "that this just got a lot easier for the both of us. It's still gonna be hard, though."

"All because I can read?"

May nodded. "yep. Do you know how to make tea?"

"Just the basics," she answered.

"That's good enough. I'm not gonna lie to you, Dawn. This is gonna be tough but me and the old man have faith in you."

"Thanks. I appreciate it. So when do we start?"

"When you're done with your duties, meet me in the servants' kitchen. And bring a pencil and some paper."

---

The slow clinking of fine china was the only sound Dawn heard as she made her way down the quiet hallways of the eastern part of the palace. She was use to this area very well but the vibe was totally different than before. There were no butlers or maid or any other staff members around. It was just her and dozens of guards. Many of them she recognized but the others were alien to her. She correctly assumed they were the guards from the governors, since today was the day of the first meeting of the house of lords. May was able to give her more specifics on it, mainly that the meeting tended to last for days, depending on what was being discussed. So her serving tea to them wouldn't be a one time thing.

The tea cart she pushed wasn't very heavy but she felt the weight of the responsibility that she was given. This was the most important task that she had ever been given, not just as a maid for the palace but as a maid, period. Dawn was of course nervous. Serving tea wasn't anything foreign to her but tea for the leaders of the empire made the task seem like she was going to battle or climb a mountain. She didn't show it on her face but she was starting to feel the pressure.

The guards cast glances at her as she passed by. Professor Oak had vetted her to allow for her to enter this section of the palace but she still felt a bit of intimidation from their eyes. Best she could do is just keep her pace and focus on her job.

After a while, she finally arrived at the meeting room. She stopped her cart in front of a pair of large dark wood doors, flanked by two large guards. Without a word, the guards looked her over and did a small search of her tea cart. After a few moments, they found nothing threatening or out of the ordinary, they opened the doors and allowed her entry. She heard a few voices speaking loudly from within. Voices that she was unfamiliar with. Dawn steeled herself and firmly pushed her cart into the room.

The meeting room was simple but still well furnished, with a few bookshelves and vases littered about tastefully. In the center of the room was a long conference table, red in color. On either side of it sat the 8 lords of the empire, each spaced between each other, with stacks of papers and documents in front of them. Sitting at the far end of the table, in a slightly elevated seat was Prince Ash. As May had informed her during her training, the meeting was presided over by the reigning monarch, namely the emperor. But since he was away from the palace, that duty fell to Ash. Upon the closing of the door to the room, 9 pairs of eyes turned and locked on to her. She suddenly felt very self-conscious, with so many powerful people focusing their attention upon her. Almost on instinct, her attention turned to the prince. Ash allowed himself the smallest of smiles, which she caught. He couldn't outwardly show that he was glad to see his favorite maid, since this was official imperial business. It would be unsightly for the heir to jump for joy to see a simple maid.

Dawn gave them a small bow, which was enough to allay their concerns and returned to the bushiness at hand. Now Dawn's duties were simply to serve tea but she learned it was far more than that. As May taught her, her job was to be as intrusive as possible, as to not disturb the lords and ladies. So per etiquette, she was required to serve the head of the meeting first. In this case, Prince Ash.

She quietly made her way over to the royal in question and began the process of making his perfect cup of tea. She was required to memorize how each lord and lady liked their tea, but she made a point to learn how Ash liked his. It was made all the easier thanks to her being able to read and write. She was able to write down the information and study it at her leisure. The water in the pots was kept very hot but not so much to burn a person's tongue from just tasting the tea. By this point, she knew how he liked his tea by heart: his blend was called "Pallet's secret", a very popular blend from Viridian, known for its subtle mix of sweet and sour. According to May, Ash drinks about 10 cups of this tea every day and he takes it the same way: a spoonful of sugar, a squirt of Miltank milk and 3 spoonfuls of honey, and stirred approximately 20 times. No more. No less.

Preparations complete, Dawn placed the cup of tea on a small saucer and presented it to the prince. With gloved hands, Ash accepted the drink from the dutiful maid, bringing it to his nose to inhale the scent. After a few moments of enjoying the aroma, he took a small sip. He rolled the tea around in his mouth, allowing the different flavors to be absorbed into his taste buds. Soon, a pleased smile materialized on his face. He nodded his head to Dawn. She had to fight the urge to do back-flips at her beloved prince approving of her efforts. so she simply replied with a curtsy and wordlessly offered him a small plate of cookies. He waved her off and mouthed the word "Later" to her. She didn't know why but that was enough to send a small shiver down her shine. The man had no clue that such a simple thing wreaked havoc upon her poor mind. All she could do was turn around and go about her duties.

First up to be served was Brock of the house of Stone and governor of the Pewter region. With his tanned skin, spiky black hair and constantly squinty eyes, he cut quite the intimidating figure but Dawn knew he wasn't mean or anything. May told her that he went to the same school as Ash and was an old friend of his. Kind and loyal, he was also a total ladies man back then, until he met his fiance a few years ago. He only recently became the governor of Pewter after his father had to retire due to health issues. Not only was Brock a talented Pokemon breeder but he was studying to be Pokemon, which led to him talking with professor Oak on a regular basis. His brand was "Rock of the Mountains", a very earthy blend of tea. He liked his with some sugar and a slice of lemon.

Next was Thomas, lord of the house of Waterflower and governor of the Cerulean region. Thomas was a fair man and quite logical when the situation demanded it. He and his family were noted sailors in generations long past, so they had an affection for the seas. In fact, he was in charge of a shipwright company that built some of the best ships in the empire. He was also known for his 4 beautiful daughters, with special affection for his youngest, Misty. Dawn learned that the prince and Misty were in a romantic relationship many many years ago but they ended it as they felt they were better as friends. His brand was "Ocean's Kiss", a very mellow blend. His was very strange to her: no milk or sugar. Simply a slice of lemon and a spoonful of salt. She did a double take when she learned that. Apparently, while out at sea, Thomas was enjoying his tea when a sudden wave splashed some sea water into his cup. He tried it on a whim and found he loved the taste. Dawn wasn't one to judge. Merely to serve his tea. He took his with a chocolate cookie.

Up next was William Surge, governor of Vermilion. Unlike the other governors, Surge wasn't from a noble house. He was of common stock. He was also a soldier. A veteran of various wars and almost a living legend in the army. He was hardcore soldier who always led from the front. He never accepted any kind of promotion, always staying the same rank throughout his career. So much so that people just call him "the lieutenant". he was awarded governorship of his home region of Vermilion by the emperor himself. Such was the gratitude that the emperor had for him for his service. And despite his background, the other lords and ladies had nothing but respect for him. While he was the physically largest and imposing of the governors, he was a big softie once you got to know him. His brand was "Raichu's Tail", a blend that was high in caffeine. He took his tea straight, nothing else added but he still took 3 muffins to drink with it.

The person was almost the physical opposite to the lieutenant: Ericka, scion of the house of Florinda and governess of Celedon. May said that the woman didn't have just a green thumb. She had a green arm. Ericka was known for her love of nature, specifically plants. She had the largest greenhouse in the empire and she took great care of the plants in it. In fact, she had a large collection of plant Pokemon but she didn't catch them. They merely showed up to her manor and just stuck around. That's just how she was. She had a calming aura about her that made everyone feel at easy. Dawn even noted that she had the slight aroma of flowers coming from her but it didn't seem like she was wearing some expensive perfume. That, combined with her kimono, made her seem less like a person and more like a flower in the form of a person. She always had a kind word and a warm smile for everyone, regardless of social ranking. But she always seemed to have a special sort of kindness for Surge. She always made it a point to sit next to the giant soldier or was often seen in his company. Tongues did wag about the nature of their relationship but she didn't seem to care. Her brand was "Soul of the Forest '', a very floral blend with grassy notes on the end. No milk or sugar. Just a spoonful of honey. Ericka gave Dawn a lovely and grateful smile. She tried not to blush from it all.

The next one unnerved her a bit. Sabrina, scion of the house of Murkwood, and governess of Saffron. She was the youngest of the lords, being a mere 18 years old, but it was noted that she was mature beyond her years. And she was certainly a beauty that any young noble would love to try to marry. But she was somewhat standoffish and her stare was unnerving. It's said that no one could stay in her company for more than a few minutes in social settings. And then there were the rumors. According to May, its said that the members of the Murkwood family had studied and mastered the usage of psychic powers. No one believed such stories but they spread to all parts of the nobility and what's even odder is that none in the Murkwood family said a thing to dis-way such rumors. Sabrina didn't have a brand. She just liked the blandest tea anyone had on hand. It was the way she liked her tea that stood out: half tea and half milk. A strange way to have tea but who was she to question it. As she handed the young lady her drink, she thought to herself "her hair is pretty ''. almost immediately, Sabrina's eyes snapped towards her, as if she heard her words as clearly as if she said them out-loud. Dawn wasn't sure if she did have psychic powers but she made a point of remembering to watch what she thought around her.

Up next was the governor of Fushia, lord Koga. Now, there were no bones about it. Koga intimidated Dawn. The entire time she was in the room, he didn't move a muscle. He just sat there, arms crossed, with the most serious of expressions on his face. He only spoke when he felt he had something to add to the discussion at hand and his eyes drifted around the room. Not out of laziness but out of habit. Koga was actually the head of the imperial information network. He was effectively the spy master of the empire, with an information network that stretched across the entirety of mainland Kanto. If there was something to know, Koga would know it. And he answered only to the emperor and only in person. He did keep Ash in the loop on certain things, due to being the heir to the throne but there were some things that Koga kept to himself. He wasn't ready to know those things yet. His brand was "Green tide", a blend that was noted for its health benefits. He took his with just some milk on the side.

Blaine, Governor of the Cinnabar Islands, was the opposite of Koga. The man was jovial and friendly, like an old friend you hadn't seen in years. He was always ready with a funny story or one-liner to lighten the mood. He was also a lover of puzzles and riddles. So much so that his students called him "Professor Riddles". and yes, he was a professor. While his family, the Cinders, were known for their military service, Blaine felt his calling was in academia. He was an expert on the genetics of Pokemon and the study of legendaries. In some areas, he was smarter and more knowledgeable about Pokemon than even Professor Oak. But it didn't go to his head. He was young at heart and always ready to help anyone with their studies. His brand of "mol-tea", a fiery blend of tea leaves and spices that was too hot for most to handle. But Blaine was noted for his incredibly high tolerance to spicy food and drink.

And finally was the last of the lords, Agatha, matron of the house of Noir and governess of Viridian. She was easily the oldest of the governors and from what Dawn heard, not a woman to be trifled with. Her tongue was as sharp and cutting as any blade, always ready with a cutting barb and insult. The main target of her words were oftentimes directed toward professor Oak. No one knows when or why she started this but most assume it couldn't be very serious, since Oak would just laugh off her insults. She took over for the original governor, her son Giovanni after his untimely death. And she often called Ash her favorite "grandson", due to the fact that Giovanni did court his mother when they were younger and said that if the emperor hadn't taken a shine to her, that she would be his grandmother. Her brand was "Gengar's breath". It was called the ghostly brew, due to the pale shade of grey the tea took when heated. Like Surge, she took her straight up and had a nice brown biscuit with jam to go with it.

The meeting lasted another 2 hours after Dawn arrived. The topics were a bit above her head, not that she needed to know anything being discussed anyway. Her job was to keep the lords and ladies refreshed with drinks and snacks. They certainly kept her on her toes as the hours passed but she adapted to the demands better than most expected. But soon enough, the meeting was winding down as everyone began to feel the weariness of it all.

"I think that's about enough for today," Ash announced to the assemblage. "Let's all get some food and rest for tomorrow. I call this first day of the house of lords to a close. You are all dismissed."

a small collection of groans filled the room as a few of the governors rose from their seats to stretch their stiff muscles and joints.

"Still can't get use to these meetings," spoke Surge.

"It will come with experience, my friend," Thomas commented, patting him on his large muscular back.

"Maybe you can tell me how you can sit like that for hours, Koga."

The spy master merely muttered "Training and discipline, lieutenant."

"And having a stick up your ass the size of the Lavender Tower doesn't hurt either," joked Blaine, getting a scattering of laughs from the others in the room. Koga gave the man a withering look, to which Blaine responded by playfully slapping him on the back. "Don't be such a killjoy. How about we have some drinks on me?"

"I have things to do, besides getting drunk with you. "

"Rain check! Got it!"

Ericka smiled at the good nature teasing between them before turning her attention to Vermilion governor. "If you are still a bit stiff, William, how about going for a walk with me in the gardens?"

The giant soldier seemed as shy and bashful as a school boy before the delicate flower that was the lady of Celedon. "Well, if the lady is requesting my company, who am I to turn her down?"

"Well, before you two toddle off for your little day date," Joked Thomas, "how about we give thanks to the rather talented maid who served us today?"

"Here here," said Blaine, causing a few of the more personable members to give her a polite round of applause.

Koga merely said, "Your skills are admirable. Despite your lack of experience, you did your job well."

Sabrina, the last to arise from her seat, got up and stared at Dawn for a few long, awkward seconds. "Adequate." was all she said before getting out of her seat and being the first to leave the room.

Erika placed a comforting hand on Dawn's shoulder. "Don't take it too personally. She is just…reserved," she explained. "At least you got something out of her. Better than silence, really. But be proud of your work."

"Yeah. I'm gonna be up for a while, thanks to you." Surge added with a bright grin. Soon, He and Ericka filed out of the room, presumably to the gardens.

"Hope you stick around, miss," said Blaine as he started to make his way out of the room.

"Count me in on that. Hey Blaine! I join you for that drink!" yelled Thomas as he followed after the old professor.

Koga just gave her a small nod. But before he left, he gave a small glance between Dawn and Ash. Koga was a keen observer of people and often made note of certain traits when it came to certain individuals. He silently noted how Dawn seemed extra giddy when the prince seemed happy and how Ash's eyes seemed to follow the maid around the room. He tried to be subtle about him, not wanting to draw attention to himself. It would fool most people but not Koga. He could make assumptions but he kept them to himself. So long as such things didn't interfere with the running of the empire or threaten security, he didn't really care what could be going on between them.

Agatha, cane in hand, walked over to the Maid. "You certainly rose to the challenge, young lady," she commented, "Though I wonder why that old sack of bones would put such a young maid in the lion's den like this. I'll have to give Oak a piece of my mind. And a boot to his ass."

The only people who remained were Ash, Brock, and Dawn, who were waiting to see if the prince needed her for anything else. Taking note of this, Ash spoke, "That will be all for today, Miss Dawn. Good job, by the way."

"Thank you, your highness," she replied with a smile and a small bow. Taking hold of the handles of her cart, she pushed it out of the room and headed back to the kitchen.

Ash relaxed a bit in his chair as Brock finished off the last of his tea. "These meetings tend to be longer every time," he said.

His royal friend gave a tired smile. "I keep saying that I'll try to make them shorter but something comes up and meetings go longer."

"True but at least we can hang more often."

"Small miracles."

"Speaking of, that maid was a miracle. Never ran out of tea," he commented as he looked down at her empty cup. "She new?"

Ash nodded with pride. "Yep. Joined a few months ago. She's rooming with May."

Brock gave a muted laugh. "She must be having fun. Or being driven up a wall."

"It's the former. They get along great from what I hear."

"Well, that's good," he said as a smirk rolled upon his face. "She…doesn't seem that bad on the eyes."

"Who?"

"The maid. She is quite cute."

Ash arched an eyebrow at his comment. "Aren't you getting married? What would Lucy say if she heard you say all that?"

Brock hunched his shoulders. "I can look but not touch. Just saying is all. I mean….you agree with me right?"

"I….guess," he muttered, not really wanting to disclose his own feelings for her to his friend. At least not yet.

"Told ya. She seems very pleasant to talk to. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she had some male admirers in the palace."

Ash stared longingly at the door to the room, somehow trying to will her to return to the room, and to him. Even though it had been a few minutes since she left, he found himself longing to see her again. "Yeah," he said wistfully, "I can imagine so."

---

"May wasn't kidding about the throne room," Dawn muttered to herself as she scrubbed the white marble floor of said throne room. It was one of the hardest jobs in the palace for any single maid to do. Dawn didn't really mind it, due to having never seen or been in the throne room and she wasn't going to pass up such an opportunity. And despite how backbreaking the work was, she was still grateful to see the room. The high walls covered with paintings of monarchs past. Beautiful stained glass windows, made decades ago. What few rugs were on the floor were of a deep purple and silky to the touch. And the highlight of the room was the thrones. 3 in number, well crafted and ornate. One for each member of the royal family. She was tempted to sit in one of them but she didn't want to risk getting in trouble again, so she set to work on cleaning the floor. All she had to work with was a bucket full of soapy water and wash rag. She wanted a mop but all of them were being used. A pipe burst in the northern part of the palace and it was all hands on deck for that one. So she had to clean the floors the old fashioned.

She had wrung out her rag for about the 12th time when the door to the throne room was flung out. In stomped Ash, clad in casual daywear, followed by Professor Oak. Normally, she'd be happy to see him but she could easily tell his mood was definitely sour, judging by the scowl on his handsome face.

"Why can't they just take the damn hint?!" he bellowed.

To his credit, Oak was the ever patient advisor to him. "You have to placate them, my boy," he said, "You will need to stay on their good side."

"I know! But it's just frustrating!" he complained, rubbing his forehead. "It's bad enough they keep throwing their daughters in my face like pimps but he wants to mess with a trade route so he can throw his daughter in my face!"

"Such is life. Maybe you could entertain a date of sorts."

"Professors, she's 13. what would we even have to talk about?" he lamented.

"It's the game that's being played. He's hoping for a bond to form between you and his dear daughter. Its nothing new, really. To fair, you have it easier than your father."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. I distinctly remember lord Hathaway somehow sneaking his daughter into his bed chambers back when he was a younger man. I don't think your father liked that very much."

The story caused Ash to smile for the briefest of moments that Oak didn't miss. "I guess you got a good point, professor."

"Of course I do, my boy. All I'm saying is just take her on a simple day date. Nothing serious or anything. Just something to keep her father happy."

Ash let out a tired sigh. "I'll think about it. And even if I agree to it, I'm not getting into a relationship with a girl that young. Just…..no."

Oak could clearly see that the entire situation was something his former pupil did not approve of. But such were the games the nobility played: creating political alliances by using their child as bargaining chips. It all was so messy and he felt bad that Ash had to deal with it. "noted."

"Good. Now can you give me some time alone? I need to take my mind off that stuff."

"Of course, sire. Need I remind you that your appointment is coming up?"

"I remember, professor."

"Good. I shall leave you to it then." with a polite nod, he turned on his heel and began to exit the throne room. But not before looking over to Dawn and giving her a respectful nod as well. Dawn gave the old man a wave as he exited. Ash made his way to his princely throne and collapsed onto it, the stress of the situation still evident on his body. Seeing this, Dawn decided to take a cue from the professor and leave him to his thoughts.

Just as she was about to pick up her bucket, Ash's voice stopped her. "You may continue your work, Miss Dawn. You aren't bothering me."

"Yes, highness," she replied back and got back down on the floor to continue cleaning it. Ash cracked open the blue book he brought with him and began to thumb through the pages. She had seen him with the tome a lot. Apparently it was a book on combat tactics. No one really questioned it since he was an avid reader like her. But what no one knew was that he wasn't really reading the book. He had done so so many times that he nearly had the entire thing memorized. Indeed, the reason why he almost always had it with him was due to what it contained: a contract. Dawn's contract.

He found himself looking at it over and over again and pondered what it really meant. She was employed by the crown. She worked for his father and by extension, him. In fact, if one were to look at it another way, he technically owned her. Like a slave. Ash immediately threw the thought out of his mind. He detested the idea of treating or even considering her a slave. It felt distasteful to him. But such thoughts plagued the more he thought about her. More-so as he glanced up from the book to see her work, her plump, perfect ass wiggling and swaying with each scrub of her rag. She tormented him and she had no idea. She probably didn't even know how much he desired her. She seemed too professional for such things. And she didn't seem like the type of maid who used her looks to get what she wanted. She was simple and straightforward, which he adored about her.

But could he risk that?

It wasn't unheard of for a noble to advance themselves upon their help. In some places, it was expected. Many would assume that he and his father had dalliances with maids but it couldn't be further from the truth. He never considered any maid for such a thing. But then again, this was Dawn. She wasn't just any maid to him.

He found his resolve. He needed to know. He needed her.

And it was here he noticed it. First time in a long time, Ash was alone with her: no Oak, No May, No Gary, No Paul, no anyone. They were totally alone.

He snapped the book close and stood from his throne. Ash calmly and quietly walked over to the girl, still hard at work and still waving that horribly delicious backside at him. He had to see what he stood with her.

"Miss Dawn," he spoke, slightly surprising her by how close he was.

Ever the professional, she stood up and presented herself to him. "Yes, highness."

"By Arceus, she's beautiful."

Ash had to throw the thought to the back of his mind. "Miss Dawn, I have been making some serious considerations when it comes to you."

"Me, your highness?"

"Yes," he said in all seriousness. "I'm reminded of your little…incident with the vase."

A cold chill ran down her spine. "But, I thought my punishment had settled it?" she pondered, both with equal parts confusion and fear.

"Yes, you were punished for your crime but I think that it was too…light."

Dawn immediately went into panic mode. "your highness! Please!"

"No! I think your punishment needs to be more thorough."

Dawn fell to her knees. "Please, your highness! I meant no disrespect!"

"But you have!" he snapped back.

"I have served you well, my prince!"

"That you have. But I still demand loyalty. How can I expect loyalty if you steal from me?"

"I am loyal!" she pleaded. "How can I prove that I am?"

"How can you? Do you truly wish to prove your loyalty to me?"

"Yes, highness. I am yours to command!" she exclaimed.

Ash arched an eyebrow at her words. "Rise, Miss Dawn." nervously, the bluette returned to her feet to look her lord in the eye. "What did you just say to me?"

"I….am yours to command."

Ash took a half step closer to her. "Say it…..again." Now, Ash didn't really need to turn on the charm when it came to women. Being the prince and being handsome as he was, he didn't really need to do much to charm the pants off a woman. But he was capable of being very charming and he decided to do that with her. His voice was low and husky. There was no anger in his eyes or tone. He just looked into her blue eyes.

And it was having an effect. Dawn's frantic fear was slowly draining out of her as she gazed into those lovely brown eyes of his. In an almost trance-like state, she repeated those words. "I am…..yours to command."

Ash got ever so closer to her. "Say that…one…..more…..time….."

He was so close to her. Closer than he had ever been to her in all the time they had known each other. Now, why she said what she said next, she couldn't say. It just came to her in the midst of being so close to someone she liked. "I….am yours…"

The prince closed the small gap between them and gave the maid a small kiss on her lips. It lasted only a few scant seconds but it felt like an eternity for the two of them. Ash broke away and looked at her. He was worried he did something he wasn't supposed to. He was worried he had crossed a line he wasn't supposed to cross. He was expecting her to flee from him. To cry. To yell. To scream at him for violating her space. But there was nothing. Dawn merely stood there, looking at him right in his eyes.

He was about to apologize when she closed the distance between them and gave him a chase kiss. It was even shorter than the last one. But the message was sent.

Dropping his book, Ash kissed her hard and passionately. Dawn returned the kiss with just as much intensity. Dropping her rag, her hands grabbed onto his shirt, holding on for dear life. His hands wrapped themselves around her waist, clutching her as if he was scared she would dissolve into mist, like she had done so many many times in his dreams.

She tasted like daisies.

He tasted like toast.

She smelled of soap.

He smelled of carpet.

Months upon months of hidden desires, secret glances, and barely contained lust for each other had finally boiled over. They were lost in each other. If the world had ended right then and there, neither of them would mind it or even noticed. They finally had each other and in that moment, nothing else mattered to them. They were no longer a prince and a maid. They were simply a man and a woman.

After 2 solid minutes of kissing, they finally broke for air, arms still entangled with each other, foreheads pressed against each other, breathing each other's air. Dawn felt like she was on a cloud. She was high on him. No amount of liquor could make her feel this good. It had been years since a man had kissed her, let alone kissed her with such passion and power. She hoped they could have stayed like that for a little while long but suddenly Ash removed himself from her. He casually strolled back to the throne and sat back down.

"I messed up," she thought to herself. Her spirits started to deflate. She assumed that he probably just wanted to kiss a maid on a whim and he found her lacking.

"Miss Dawn," he spoke, getting her attention from her own thoughts. He didn't seem displeased. On the contrary, he seemed quite happy. "What are you doing standing there? Come over and have a seat."

Dawn walked over to the prince but stopped herself upon reaching the thrones.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

"There…... .isn't anywhere for me to sit, highness," she said bashfully. "I can't sit on the thrones."

"Well, of course you can't sit on those." Ash patted his lap. "THIS is your seat. So have a seat."

Dawn felt like she was going to spontaneously combust on the spot. Her face felt hotter than a Moltres at the suggestion of what he wanted her to do. Composing herself, she walked over and, as she was ordered to do, sat down in the lap of the prince. It was a totally unreal situation for Dawn and she would've thought it a dream, if not for Ash snaking his hands around her waist, smiling up at her.

"Tell me," he said, "What are you thinking?"

Dawn blushed as she turned away a bit. Something he found utterly adorable. "I'm…not sure."

"Not sure about what?"

"This." she motioned between the two of them. "I mean, I'm sitting in your lap. It feels so…unreal."

"Huh. I suppose it is. Do you want to get up?" Dawn shook her head. "Good. Because I don't think I'm ready to have you leave my lap yet. And…..I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

"What? Have me sit in your lap or kiss me?"

"Would you believe both?"

Dawn smiled at his comment. "Stop that, sire."

"Stop what?"

"Stop being so…..charming."

Ash gave a small chuckle. "I'm afraid I can't do that. I got too much of a reason to be charming."

"Well, in that case….." Dawn began to reposition herself in his lap until she was straddling his lap, both of her legs on either side of his own. "This better?"

"Much better," he said, glad that she was finally loosening up to him.

Dawn placed her hands on either side of his neck as she looked into his eyes again. "How long?"

"Hmmm?"

"How long have you wanted to…..?" she hinted.

Ash buried his face into her chest, inhaling her scent eagerly. "Since the party."

"That long?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yep. Since you failed to curtsy me in the hall."

"Do you have to remind me of that?" She joked, playing with his raven locks.

"I wouldn't have noticed you, otherwise."

"Glad my failings got your attention, your highness. But…..why me? You're always surrounded by beautiful noble ladies. I'm just a silly maid."

"A silly maid who's beautiful, charming, can read, makes me laugh and can carry on a conversation beyond talking about how awesome I am."

"Well, you are pretty awesome."

"Glad you think so. But to answer your questions," she felt him give a heavy sigh. "You heard what me and the professor were talking about, right?" the maid nodded. "Been like that since I was a kid. Nobles just throw their daughters at me, all wanting a chance to be the empress. They all start to…blur together after a while. I am nice to them but beyond that? Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Don't let the newspaper stories fool you," he answered, "I don't go around shagging ladies. This…has been the most intimate I've been with any woman in a long time."

"And you decided to do that with a maid? I'm touched."

"Ha-ha." he faked laughed at her joke but he was still very happy.

"if you liked me for that long, why…didn't you say anything?"

"Because…I didn't know if you liked me like that. And I didn't want to make it seem I was abusing my position over you."

Hearing him actually say that made her heart flutter like nothing else. He was the total opposite to Conrad, in every way that mattered to her. He could've easily done anything he wanted with her but he decided not to. "Thank you. That…... .that means a lot to me. More than you know."

"Glad you approve."

"But just for the record," she started, lovingly stroking his face, "If you had decided to act on that urge to kiss me, I would've let you."

"Really now, Miss Dawn?"

"Of course, your highness. I am yours to command," she whispered with a level of seductiveness that she didn't know she was capable of.

"Then, as your leader, monarch, and employer, I command you to kiss me."

"I am commanded, highness." it was an order that she was more than willing to follow. What remained of his bad mood was now totally and completely dead, thanks to this goddess kissing him. He felt his manhood rise and harden. Before today, he wouldn't allow such a thing to happen outside of his room but now, he wanted her to know. He wanted her to know the effect he had on him. And she certainly did, even through her uniform. He probably wouldn't feel how wet she was but she was sure he knew how badly she wanted him. He woke up a side of herself that she had buried with her past. She had to keep it hidden as a maid but now, this prince, this perfection of man, had stoked the embers of her heart and now a fire burned inside of her. A fire that would only serve to warm him up.

"HEY ASH! YOU IN THERE!"

The couple froze the instant the voice rang out. "Oh crap! That's Gary!" sneered Ash.

"Damn his timing!" grumbled Dawn as she scrambled off Ash's lap and made her way back to her bucket and rag. Ash was grateful that she didn't need him to tell her that they needed to keep this a secret. She could easily hide her arousal but he wasn't so lucky. Thankfully, he had the medicine for such an ailment: he trudged up a memory of himself accidentally walking in on lady Agatha changing when he was younger. The effect was immediate. He was softer than a wet noodle.

"Yes, Gary! I'm here!" Ash yelled back. The knight in question opened the door and walked inside.

"There you are!" He spoke, "Grandpa said you were here. So I-" he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He noted Dawn's presence and how she seemed very focused on cleaning the floor and avoiding looking up at him. Ash was even worse: he was trying so hard to look natural that he looked unnatural. What's more, he noted that his best friend was a little flushed. "…..everything ok in here?"

"YES!" Ash yelled out before clearing his throat. "I mean….of course. I'm ok. Things are OK. Very ok."

"You sure?" Gary asked, "Grandpa said you wanted some time alone."

"He was right."

"Then what's she doing here?" he nodded his head towards Dawn.

"Dawn was already here when we came in. She wasn't bothering me and I didn't want to interrupt her work just because I was in a bad mood. So she's been cleaning and I've been reading my book."

Gary raised an eyebrow. "Reading, eh? Well, if you were reading, then what's your book doing next to Dawn and not in your hands?"

Ash's brain shut down from that. He forgot that he dropped his book when they first kissed. And he didn't have a good excuse for it. He knew the longer he stayed quiet, the more suspicious he would get but he just couldn't come up with a reason on the spot. Fortunately, his favorite maid was nothing if not quick on her feet. "He threw it."

"Huh?"

"Prince Ash was so frustrated that he couldn't focus on his book and just…..threw it. Almost hit me."

"Yes! I threw the book!" Ash added. "And I apologized to Miss Dawn for it. I let my anger get the better of me."

The knight's eyes darted between his friend and the maid. His instincts told him something was up but he couldn't really place what that was. He wanted to believe their story for what it was but they were both obviously hiding something. He wanted to pry more but he respected his friend's privacy and Zoey wouldn't be too happy to hear he was grilling her new friend over something that didn't seem that serious. "Ok. That sounds cool."

"So what did you want?"

"Just here to remind you that it's almost 2:30."

"For real!?" the prince exclaimed as he jumped out of his throne. "I totally lost track of time. I'll be on my way in a few."

"Good. You shouldn't keep her waiting. You seem to be in a better mood. Grandpa said you were really grouchy."

"Oh, I'm better alright. I blew off a good bit of steam."

"Great. I'll let her know you are on your way."

Ash strode over to the door, passing Dawn along the way. "Miss Dawn, you can clean the throne room later. Take a break for now." Just as he finished talking, Gary exited the room, leaving the two alone again.

Dawn stood up and gave a tired pout. "Do I have to?" she whispered.

Making sure Gary wouldn't return anytime soon, Ash turned back around and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "No, you don't. I'll see you in a little bit." and with that, he left her alone in the throne room.

---

The afternoon sun made for the perfect backdrop for a proper tea session as Delia, wife of the emperor, sat in the lavish gazebo in the middle of the royal gardens. She was dressed in a regal deep red gown, with very few jewelry or make up to adorn her figure. Her husband loved her being as simple as possible as to not overwhelm her natural beauty. Not that it was out of the ordinary for her. She was always a simple sort of woman, despite her noble background. She only really dressed up for formal occasions. And today was a simple occasion as she was having afternoon tea with her beloved only son, who was now running through the garden to meet her.

"There's my perfect little prince!" she said as he approached.

"Mom, if I was perfect I wouldn't be running late."

"A mother always thinks her son is perfect." Ash laughed as he approached his mother and kissed her hands. "How are you, dearest? Professor Oak said you were in a bad mood."

Ash sat down and replied, "Bad mood has left me, mom. Just needed some time to myself."

"I'm glad," she commented as she took a sip of her tea. "I know you dislike dealing with these…..situations."

Ash took a bite of a cookie. "Just annoying really."

"If you agree to a day date, just let her down easy. Poor thing can't help that her father is using her like that."

"Noted, mom."

Delia took another sip of tea as she eyed her son, who seemed to be in a far brighter mood than his words would suggest. "What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been smiling since you got here."

"So? I always smile when I'm with you, mom."

"But this is different," she noted as she watched how Ash reacted to her questions. "Son, did you meet someone?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Call it a mother's instinct."

Ash's eyes seemed to drift off, looking at nothing in particular. He seemed oddly content, as if he found the answers to life and didn't want to tell anyone. The empress had never seen her son look like that before but it didn't really bother her. He seemed so happy and his smile threatened to break his face. He idly played with his Arceus pendant as he looked at the afternoon sky. "Arceus…..can be very kind, can he?"

"That he can be."

Delia decided to drop the subject. He was old enough to have his secrets and wise enough to make his own choices. It was a girl. She knew it for certain but she didn't want to press the issue. If he wanted to tell her, he would in time. But for now, she was content to let him keep this girl to himself. Besides, a new romance needs to be private for a bit.

---

Dawn crawled in her simple bed as she felt the weariness finally taking hold of her. She was so tired that she didn't even have time to read the book she bought the other day. But reading was the last thing on her mind.

"Ok, what the hell is up with you?" May spoke from her own bed.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"Did something happen today?"

Dawn tried to play dumb. "Nothing really. What makes you say that?"

"Because you've been smiling like a Meowth since your shift ended. And you didn't get a chance to read your new book today."

"Damn," she mentally cursed, "She knows me too well."

"It's nothing really, May," she lied, "I just had a good day."

May's eyes narrowed as she observed her roommate. "You met a boy, didn't you?"

Dawn gulped a bit at her accusation. How was this woman so good at reading people? "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah. You met a boy. No doubt about it. No woman smiles like that unless she got some sugar from a guy."

the blue haired maid tried to think of any kind of deception to tell her friend, to get her off her trail but the more she thought, the more she knew May would see through the lies and get to the truth. So, defeated, she decided to feed her a small bit of truth to satisfy her. "Fine," she sighed. "I….did meet up with someone."

"HA!" the vet maid shouted, "I knew it!"

"But it's not like we planned it or anything! It just sort of…..happened."

"AWWWW! My little Dawn is growing up! Meeting up with guys and getting hot and heavy."

Dawn glared at her. "We didn't have sex, if that's what you are saying!"

May wagged her finger knowingly. "You still got some action, didn't you? Maybe a hot make-out session?"

"No comment."

"Phooey. You tell me this stuff and you don't share the details? At least tell me who it is."

Dawn put her finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

"Was it a page? Or a chef? Oooooooooooo! Was it a knight? I bet it was a knight. I see the looks they give you sometimes."

"Again, no comment."

"Fine," snarled May, "Keep your mystery man to yourself. I'll figure out who it is and I'll be the first one in line to make a joke. And just make sure he isn't using you for your body or something like that."

Dawn smiled even wider as she leaned back and rested her head on her pillow. "I don't think that's gonna be a problem, May. Not with this guy."

"Huh. Sounds like a real prince charming."

"Yeah," she whispered with a knowing grin. "A charming prince."

---

Thanks for reading this newest chapter. And before you ask, there will be some tasty pearlshipping smut upon the next chapter. When that is? I don't know. Just remember to read and review my work. It really helps me feel up to write more.

LATER FICCERS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!