Chapter 3

A Lady In Deed

Three months had passed since they had met in the forest and had kept their true identities from the other. But both Ash and Dawn suspected each other true identities from the start, both having vivid memories of the other from their shared childhood. They had continued to meet in the forest and write to each other all the while giving their partner subtle hints of who it was they were talking to. This was one such occasion, Ash had decided to pack a picnic for them to have for the day, he knew what treats Dawn loved to have during brunch so packed it all up in a basket. He had written her the day before asking her if she'd like to have a nice brunch with him the next morning, to his delight she had sent him an affirmative response.

He was swept away from his thoughts by her soft voice, "Oh Red! What a lovely spread you have put together today!"

"Of course my lady. You being my constant companion outside of the Capital I had to do something to thank you for being such an amazing friend to me." He responds bowing in respect.

She giggled at his reply returning his gesture with a curtsy, "I love our mornings in these woods, good sir. It is the highlight of my days. I should be the one tanking you Red."

"Fair is fair. I accept your thanks, Pearl." He says taking her hand in his and lifting it to his lips kissing the back of her palm.

The gesture left her nearly breathless, she couldn't fathom why he acted this way toward her. She had fallen for him when they were hardly in their teens, he had always been charming… yes, devastatingly so. Oh, how she wished they could dance together under the moonlight. She suddenly wanted to invite him to Ursula's coming-of-age soiree.

She cleared her throat and spoke, "Have you heard about my step-sister's coming-of-age soiree?"

"I think I've heard it mentioned around the palace. The royal family has been invited the the event, but I am not sure if they are going." He responds only eluding to the fact that it was mentioned.

She pouted and clutched onto his arm, "Please come Red for me. I'm always so lonely during their parties. I never get to enjoy them because they always force me to work, not that I hate serving the people but I never get the chance to talk to them."

He knew what she was doing. Those big azure eyes of hers shone with a hint of melancholy, her pouted lips, and the way she was begging. It was unmistakably reminiscent of his long-lost childhood friend, the blue-haired girl knew he couldn't resist her request and frankly, he didn't want to.

"Alright, alright! You don't make this easy, don't you?" He says giving in to her plea. He did not want to leave her in the shroud of loneliness they would subject her to, she's been under it for long enough.

Seeing her smile and now mirthful eyes was worth it, "Thank you!"

She hugged him, he stiffened surprised by the contact. She froze thinking she was brought too forward, she was about to pull away when his arms came around her shoulders. He pulled her closer against him, placing his chin on top of her head, he breathed in the scent of her hair.

"Vanilla with a hit of lemon. Just like how I remember she smelled." Were his thoughts. He felt a sense of nostalgia.

Dawn leaned her head on his chest, she could feel the muscles through his uniform. He was lean and fit, she liked the fact that he wasn't overly muscular. She nuzzled his neck taking in his scent.

"Mm, mint and warm spring nights." A similar nostalgic feeling engulfed her as her thoughts kept running.

They stayed that way for the rest of the time. Enjoying the serenity of the moment and each other's company, they felt at peace knowing their suspensions of the other were fully confirmed.

Hello! Wow, chapter three finally. I know it is shorter than you guys expected, but I promise the next one will be longer. I hope that the sweet bits between Dawn and Ash will satisfy you and make up for the shortness. As always, thank you for the support you have been giving my fanfics! Feel free to give your opinions and suggestions in the comments or you can send them through Discord.

Discord: s_mika24

Next Update: October 10

Singing off,

WL_17