MA: hello, peeps. well here it is. another chapter of my new project. hope you weren't too bothered by the long wait. things just kept coming up. health issues and all. but before i begin, i want to call out something that's been bothering me. while i love reviews from you guys, the one thing i don't like is folks telling me what to write: specifically, sex scenes. i'll just say it here and now: i know exactly how i want this story to go and how the scenes will play out. please, don't comment about how you wanna see ash and dawn do freaky shit that doesn't make sense in the story. just enjoy the ride. so with that off my check, ON WITH THE FIC!
MAID FOR THE PRINCE
CHAPTER 7
Dawn sighed.
It wasn't a loud or annoying sigh. It was just a simple sigh.
And it would've gone unnoticed had it not been in the presence of one Samuel Oak.
He and Ash were in their usual meetings, and piles of papers needed the prince's perusal and signature—a standard affair.
Dawn slid into the room to give Ash his daily cup of tea, which happened at or around 2 p.m. There wasn't a schedule for her to do it. She knew him well enough to know that he liked his tea at that time of day. She decided to tidy up a bit around the office, making sure not to interfere with the business the two men had. But still, Oak began to notice her utterances. After the 5th time in an hour, he began to grow concerned.
"Are you alright, my dear?" he spoke.
The maid snapped out of her duty of dusting and turned to the older man. "Professor?"
"I asked if you were alright."
Ash placed his teacup down on the partnered saucer and turned his attention to her, making sure to note her physical condition. He didn't want to have another incident of her becoming sick. "You aren't sick again, are you?"
"No, Your Highness," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not sick. I feel great."
"Then why are you sighing?"
"I'm not sighing."
"My dear, you've been sighing for the last hour. Is there something troubling you?"
"You know, you can tell us if there is a problem, right Miss Dawn?" Said Ash. But in reality, he was saying she could tell him specifically. And it was something that she couldn't help but notice.
"It's…...silly."
"No problem is silly. Only silly not to share it."
Dawn sometimes hated how wise the professor could be. But he couldn't help it. Living as long as he had, he was a fountain of wise words and sage advice. She didn't want to worry him or most of all, Ash. With another sigh, she resigned herself and prepared to explain her situation. "Do…...do either of you know what this week is?"
Her question caused the both of them to take matching quizzical expressions on their face as they began to search their minds for anything happening this week. It was after a few moments that the prince could answer her question. "Oh! It's this week?"
"What is, my boy?"
"It's the Trios Festival, Professor."
Oak arched a gray eyebrow. "Really? It's this week?"
The Trios festival.
One of the biggest and most beloved holidays in all of the empire. It is a 3-day festival held in Viridian City to celebrate the 3 great birds of Kanto: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Like all legendary Pokemon, these 3 are considered to be directly created by Arceus himself as a means of creating balance among the many regions of the world. Every region had its trio of legendary Pokemon and these birds were Kanto's.
"It slipped my mind," said Ash.
"Well, you have been busy this year. Sometimes, things just slip by."
"It happens. So you wanna go back to the festival?"
"Going back implies that I've been before," she answered solemnly.
Both men looked at each other in astonishment at her words. "You've…...never been to the festival? Truly?" inquired the professor. The maid nodded sadly.
"Not even once?" asked Ash. "Everyone goes to the festival at least once in their lives."
She let out another sigh. "Not when you are a maid. Every time it came around, I was always busy."
Oak shook his head. "Now that's a crime in and of itself. You should've been allowed to go. Even maids are given time off to enjoy the festivities."
"My former employers didn't think so. At least, when it came to me."
"I'm sorry, my dear," said Oak, "And based on what I know of your schedule. You won't be free until the weekend."
"It's ok, professor. I can wait another year," she answered solemnly. While she did try to keep a stiff upper lip, both men could see the disappointment deep inside of her. Dawn wasn't the type to fish for pity but they certainly felt pity for her at that moment. Especially Ash. Every fiber of his being wanted to jump over the deck and crush her with a hug while smothering her with kisses. But he knew better and kept those feelings to himself. For now, at least.
"Well until then, could you be a dear and hand these papers to lord Marcus?" asked Oak.
Dawn smiled, wanting something to take her mind off the festival, and took the bunch of papers in her hands. "Of course, Professor."
Upon her exit, Ash took a sip of tea that she made for him earlier. "A shame, really," he comments."
"Hmmm?"
"Dawn and the festival."
"Oh, yes," said the professor, sipping from his cup. "Poor dear. I feel for her."
"Well, she's been working for as long as she has. Not much chance of her to go and enjoy herself."
"If I had known that, I would've certainly made time in her schedule for her to go."
"Can't do that now?"
Oak shook his head. "You know as well as I that the duty sheets are made a week in advance. If I did so, it would throw everything off."
"I understand, Professor. There is always next year."
"Indeed. Wish there was something we could do for her."
An idea formed in the prince's head. And that idea became a plan. A plan that would require quite a bit of secrecy on his part. But a plan that would certainly make a certain maid he knows very very happy. He smirked as he sipped more of his tea. "Yes. We should."
Another sigh escaped Dawn's lips as she made her way back to her room.
"It's gonna be fine," comforted May, as she walked next to her. She knew the source of her melancholy, having inquired about it a few days ago. "We can go together next year with Zoey and Maylene."
"I know, and thanks for it. It's just…..every year I miss it, I feel like crap."
May rubbed her roommate's back. "Tell ya what. I'll sneak a bit of wine from storage and we get the girls together?"
Dawn looked up at her friend incredulously. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"
"Buzzed maybe," She answered. "A wee bit of the beast is good for getting over the blues."
Dawn wasn't much of a drink. She could count on one hand the amount of times she enjoyed a drink. And even less for times when she was legitimately drunk. So, she would've rejected such a suggestion but her mood was so low, she wasn't going to reject the idea. "Fine. I guess."
"Thatagirl!"
The pair entered their room as the sun began to set. Just as Dawn was about to resign herself to an evening of casual drinking with her friends, she noticed something on her bed that certainly wasn't there when she left: a small letter. Her thoughts immediately turned to Ash. Was this from him? A smile grew on her face as she walked over and picked up the folded piece of paper.
"OOOOOO!" exclaimed May. "Is that from your secret admirer?"
Dawn pressed the paper to her chest. "That is none of your business." she punctuated her statement by sticking her tongue out at her.
"Always with the secrets. Fine. But I'll find out one day. Nothing in this castle stays a secret from me," May said as she walked out of the room to give her friend some privacy. As noisy as she was, May was nonetheless respectful of her roommate's space, which Dawn was grateful for. With her much-needed solitude, she unfolded the paper and read the contents: a small, rudimentary map and some words under it.
8 o'clock
Follow the directions on the map
dress casually.
Dawn wanted to squeal like an overexcited schoolgirl but kept those emotions to herself. She wasn't sure what he had planned but she was certain it was something to cheer her up. Maybe dinner? Or more sex? She honestly wouldn't say no to either of those options. She was just happy he was thinking of her and seemed to want to make her happy. It was already half past 6, so she had some time to get ready and give May an excuse as to why she couldn't join her and the others in for a drink.
The map, despite how simplistic it was drawn, was accurate enough for her to navigate the path she needed to go. It led through many corridors and pathways that kept her off the beaten path so that no one noticed her. It led her through the library and passed a hidden passage behind a bookshelf that she didn't know existed. The tunnel was well-lit and somewhat clean, meaning that it saw a lot of use. Not surprising to Dawn, since the prince was very knowledgeable about all of the hidden ways in and around the palace. This was her first time navigating these hidden paths but the map made it easy.
Dawn followed the instructions and put on her most casual outfit, which was her only other outfit she had: the simple white and brown dress, matching boots, and a white hair bun to keep her long blue hair in check. It was bland and nondescript, which was befitting a simple maid. But as she wandered the dimly lit passageways, she wondered what Ash had planned for her, so late in the evening.
Eventually, she found the hidden door at the end of the passage. Pressing a loose rock, another door slid open and a rush of fresh cool air hit her face. She peeked out of the passage and scanned the surroundings. The area was heavily wooded and somewhat dark, the moon being the only source of visible light. Taking a few tentative steps out of the passage, Dawn looked around for any kind of landmarks to guess where she was. She guessed that she must be off the palace grounds but not too far away from it. As the door slid close behind her, she wondered how long she would have to wait for whatever she was supposed to waiting for to happen. Thankfully she didn't have to wait too long.
"Good. You didn't get lost."
Dawn would've jumped out of her skin at the sudden voice that cut through the night but at this point, she was used to him suddenly surprising her. "You gave good directions."
Ash emerged from behind a bush and started to dust himself. Dawn found herself stunned for a few moments, mainly due to his appearance: he wore a simple light tan shirt, with a brown vest, matching pants, and boots, topped off with a newsboy hat. She was so used to his fine casual outfit or his official royal outfit that it was utterly odd for her to see him dress so….well, normal. At least normal for her. Compared to how he normally looked daily, he looked utterly plain and unimpressive.
"What is it?" He asked, noting her quizzical expression.
"Nothing. It's just…..you don't look like a prince."
He looked himself over for a moment before smiling. "I should hope so. I can't go into town in secret if I was dressed to the 9s."
"Town?" she asked. "What for? And why in secret?"
"Why, for the festival. You said you wanted to go, right?"
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. It all made sense to her now. And she felt her heart skip ten beats upon understanding why he was doing all this.
"You….you mean….me and you…?" she stuttered out.
"Yes. Figured going in the evening would be better for both of us. Low key and all."
"Really?!" she exclaimed. Ash gave a smart nod, which caused her to close the distance between them and crush him in a hard hug. He grinned like a conquering hero as she rained kisses upon his face. Seeing her mood vastly improved from earlier in the day was worth all this planning and secrecy. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU, YOU SWEET WONDERFUL MAN!"
Ash gave a deep rumbling chuckle. "Thank me later, after we get to town. We still have a festival to get to. Speaking of, we better get a move on." he peeled himself away from his favorite maid and returned to the bush he emerged from. Before Dawn could inquire about what he was doing, Ash pulled out a good-sized bike from the leaves.
"No Wally?" she asked.
Ash shook his head. "Can't exactly appear in a festival covertly on top of a Pokemon, can we?"
"I guess you got a point. Shame."
"Already taken with him, have you?"
"He's a cutie. I can't help it."
Ash held his hand over his chest, faining an arrow to the heart. "Oh, you wound me, Miss Dawn. To hear you speak of someone else in such a way. You break my heart."
Dawn held a giggle at his dramatics. "I am so very sorry, your highness. I do hope you can forgive me for my betrayal of your trust. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"
Ash loved it when she was so playful with him. "You certainly can but that will have to wait until the end of the evening. For now, get on," he motioned as he hopped on the bike. Dawn followed her prince's order and climbed on behind him. Thankfully, there was more than enough room for her to sit comfortably on.
"Are you sure you can make it?"
"This isn't my first time riding to Viridian. It won't be much of a problem. But before that…."
"What?"
"Well, you can't call me 'Ash' while we are there. At least not out loud. Same with me calling you 'Dawn'."
"Hmmmm. Good point. You thinking….code names?"
"Catch on quick, Miss Dawn," he commented.
"Any ideas?"
"Easy. I already picked out some."
"Share."
"Ok. I'll be 'Satoshi'. And you will be 'Hikari'."
" 'Hikari'," she said as if trying to get used to saying the name on her tongue. "It's weird but it's a nice name. Still gonna take some getting used to calling you 'Satoshi'. Any reason you picked those names."
"I'll…..tell ya one day."
"Oh really? Well keep your secret," she said, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.
"I promise I'll tell you one day. Now, let's get underway. We have a festival to get to."
"Onward, metal steed!" she proclaimed as he began to pedal down the small dirty path toward Viridian. But it was then that she noticed something. As they were traveling, Dawn heard him humming a tune to him. She didn't recognize the song but it was a simple tune with a gentle melody. And every so often, a few lyrics would escape his lips as they rode towards town.
Somewhere,
beyond the sea.
To say that Viridian City changed would be a total understatement. Dawn was left in awe at the city she had always visited for business. The streets were brightly lit with blue-tinted lights, with blue streamers and banners that adorn the buildings. Stalls and outdoor shops were hawking all kinds of wears and trinkets from street level. People came and went in a kaleidoscope of activities: children wearing blue shirts ran throughout the streets with small kites in the shape of a bluebird. Adults eating festival foods and happily chatting with each other about various topics. People marched down the street, waving flags and banners in celebration of the event. And music filled the air, causing many to break out into dancing on the sidewalks.
And Dawn couldn't be happier.
By the time they made it to the town center, she was firmly enraptured by the atmosphere. Her eyes drifted from one stall to another, pointing out the glorious decorations that lined the buildings. And all the while, her arm was hooked tenderly into Ash as they strolled through the crowds. As he thought, no one noticed or recognized him, due both to the festive chaos and to his choice of clothing. And he wouldn't have it any other way. Because for the time ever, he was out with Dawn, in public. Sure, they had to hide who they were and all, but he still felt elated to be out in public with her on his arm. And most of all, he was just happy to see her so excited.
"LOOK AT THAT!" she said, pointing to a large float with a paper mache Articuno on top of it. "It's glowing!"
"They put lanterns in the floats to give off that glow. From what I understand, they have to keep the lanterns at a certain level of brightness to get the effect just right. Too much and it would burn the paper. Too little and it would be too dark."
"Wow," she muttered in awe. "It almost looks alive."
"It does, doesn't it? I always enjoy seeing them."
Dawn gave him a playful side-eye. "don't tell me this isn't your first time sneaking to festivals, misters."
Ash gave her a wink. "Don't tell mom, alright."
"No promises."
"SUGAR STICKS! GET YOUR SUGAR STICKS!" called a rotund but very friendly-looking middle-aged woman from a stall next to them. Surrounding her stall were sticks of blue-colored sticky candy. "FRESH SUGAR STICKS!"
Ash looked at his date for the evening, easily noting her hungry lips wetting themselves at the sight of the treats. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a coin and walked over to the stall. "2 of your finest sticks, madam," he spoke with a confident smile.
The older woman matched his smile as she accepted the coin. "Coming right up, sir," she replied. After a few minutes of her honed craft work, she produced two fresh treats. "Here you are, my son. You two have a good time, you hear?"
"Thanks. You too."
Ash handed Dawn a stick, which she took eagerly. She took a few tentivative bites before her face lit up like the aforementioned float. "MMMM!" she groaned in pleasure. "So good."
The hidden prince mirrored her actions and matched her elation. "Mmm. Nothing makes a festival like a good sugar stick."
"Do they all taste like this?"
Ash shook his head. "Nope. They change the flavor to match the day. The days of Zapdos and Moltres have flavors of their own."
"Can't wait to try them all. We….Can try them all, right?"
"Of course we can," he said, "Just gotta plan things out."
The effect of his words accomplished what he wanted as an excited look came across her face. "I can't wait!"
"Good and-" he stopped himself as his eyes drifted to the center of town. "Oh good. We didn't miss it."
"Miss what?"
"Come on!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her arm and pulled her through the crowd and the street towards the center of town. The further in they went, the thicker the crowd seemed to get but Ash made sure he had a firm grip on her to keep her from getting lost. Soon the pair arrived at the town center, somewhere she knew intimately during her days of "liberating" items from her workplace. But now, it was different: a large stage was set up in the center, with crowds of people circling it in eager anticipation. There was a small section off to the side of the stage with what looked like a band, each member tuning up their instruments, looking over their sheet music, and making idle chatter with each other. Above it all was a massive banner emblazoned with the image of Articuno on it.
The pair were not able to get any closer to the center, due to the thickness of the crowd but they still had nice view of the stage. "Looks like we made it in time," Ash spoke.
"In time for what?"
Almost on cue, the band began to play a rather festive and upbeat tune, causing the crowd to give a loud excited exclamation. "Opening ceremonies".
Dawn lightly clung to his arm as the band played and she absorbed the rising excitement. Just then, a large, husky man strode upon the stage with great flourish. He sported a bright blue cape that covered his shirt figure. He was rather rotund but he seemed very much in shape for someone his size. On his face was a stylish blue mask that barely seemed to cover his face but he didn't seem all that concerned with concealing his identity. He spread his arms wide and gave a loud booming echo of laughter that Dawn was sure people could hear back at the palace. It was then that a wave of realization washed over her face. "is that who I think it is?"
Ash nodded. "Crasher Wake. The most famous pro wrestler in the empire."
"I thought he retired."
"He did. Runs a wrestling dojo in Saffron. He comes here every year to open the festival. Still got that charisma."
The retired wrestler then motioned for the band to cease their playing, which they complied. Crasher then turned his attention to the throngs of peoples eagerly waiting for him to speak. "HELLOOOOOOOOOOO, MY FRIENDS!" he called out.
"HELLOOOOOOOO, CRASHER!" the crowd called back in delighted unison.
"It is good to see you all again. I, your eternal champion, Crasher Wake, am always pleased to appear before you as your master of ceremonies. For this! The first night of the Trios Festival!" this got a round of applause from the crowd. "Every year, we gather to honor and celebrate the protection and guidance of the sky trio that has watched over Kanto for centuries. Tonight is the first night and thus we honor the first of the trio: the great bird of ice, ARTICUNO!" he proclaimed, pointing to the banner above, which also got a round of cheers. "I see many returning faces and a few new ones here. But regardless of which one you are, you are all my friends and I bid you all to enjoy yourselves for the next 3 days. But before we do any of that, we have to give our respects to the ones who made this all possible: our glorious emperor and the royal family."
On cue, a trio of banners rose up from behind the stage, each one carrying the regal portrait of the royal family: the emperor in the middle, with Deliah to his right and Ash to his left. "It is a shame that our emperor still campaigning away from Kanto but I assure you all, he is thinking of us while winning ever lasting glory for the empire. Hail to you and your family! Hail!"
"Hail!" the crowd mirrored.
"though it is a bit of a shame that the empress and the crown prince are not able to attend this year. And I know many of you young single ladies out there are a bit more disappointed that our dashing young prince isn't here." This got a round of catcalls and excited yells from the various women in the crowd, all directed at Ash's portrait.
Dawn gave him a playful nudge. "Sounds like someone has a fan club."
"Really? I hadn't noticed."
Crasher turned back to the crowd with that bright smile of his. "Now, with that out of the way, it's time for the traditional couples dance. For anyone new to this, as a source of good luck, we invite all you new and young couples to dance in the square. Now, don't be shy, young ones. Come on up and cut a rug!"
most of the crowd began to disperse but many stayed behind to both participate in the event and to watch those who decided to join in. one by one, couples paired off and approached the the area around the stage as Crasher watched on in approval.
"So what do you say?" Ash said, looking at his date for the evening.
"To what?"
"To dance. You and me."
"Us? Out there?" she gestured to the impromptu dance floor.
"Why not? It's tradition."
"But what if someone recognizes you?"
"They haven't already. Besides…... I wanna dance with you. In public this time."
"Well," she started, "Since you put it that way….."
Ash smiled at her answer as he pulled her through the crowd and onto the stage area. All told, about 14 other couples had taken the challenge. While it was a tradition for couples to dance on the first night of the festival, not many took up the offer for it. Mostly, out of the potential for embarrassment. Every year, a couple would always seem to become a source of ridicule, due to their terrible dancing. Of course, Dawn knew nothing of this and only was hesitant because of the possibility of someone recognizing Ash. But despite his portrait being visible to everyone, no one seemed to realize that he was there.
"So we have all of your lovely pair for the dance?" called out Crasher. "Such brave souls in love! Let's give the crowd a show, ladies and gentlemen! And not one involving tripping and falling!" that comment got a few scattered laughs from the crowd. "Now, being a proper man of the sea, I've picked out a nice song for our brave young people in love to cut a rug to. If you know the words, sing along! Boys?" he gestured towards the band. Taking his cue, the band members took up their instruments and began to play a rather upset but very romantic song, with emphasis on the horns. Before long, everyone was dancing and swaying to the tune.
Dawn felt a bit self-conscious at the moment. They had danced before. Many times in fact but only in the privacy of the palace and never in front of anyone else. But her worries soon began to wash away as she started deeply into his chocolate eyes and allowed Ash to guide her through the dance, as he always did. As she listened to the tune, a sense of familiarity began to rise in her mind. While she had certainly never heard the song before, she was certain that she recognized it. It took a few moments before she made the realization.
"You were humming this song."
"Hmmm?"
"This song," she said, "You've been humming this song since we left."
"I have? hadn't noticed," he answered charmingly.
"Liar."
He chuckled. "Ok. I may have had this song on my mind for a while. But it's a coincidence that they picked that song for the dance." Dawn gave him a disbelieving look. "I swear."
"Ok, Satoshi," she said as he twirled her around. "I'll believe you for now. So…..…..what's the song?"
"It's an old sailor's song. Drake sings it a lot. Got it from his days in the Navy. It's about a sailor who is away at sea and dreams of going home to his lover. I never really gave it much thought but..…...lately, I've had it on my mind. I wonder why?"
Dawn smiled at the story and pressed her head to his chest. "Another coincidence?" she joked.
"Seems to be a theme lately."
"Can..….. Can you sing some of it for me?"
"Hmmm, I think I can hum a few bars." Ash waited a few moments before the band played enough of the song so he could match the tune.
Somewhere beyond the sea
Somewhere waiting for me
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailing
Somewhere beyond the sea
She's there watching for me
If I could fly like birds on high
Then straight to her arms, I'd go sailing
It's far beyond a star
It's near beyond the moon
I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon
We'll meet beyond the shore
We'll kiss just as before
Happy we'll be beyond the sea
And never again, I'll go sailing
The band changed up the tune, leading into what could be considered the horn solo of the song. Ash picked up the pace and began to dance to match the beat. Dawn easily kept up, due to lots of practice. The other couples were, to their credit, dancing rather well but none could seem to match the style and energy of Ash and Dawn. Not that either of them cared about what everyone else thought. They were too absorbed in the song and each other.
I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon
We'll meet, I know we'll meet beyond the shore
We'll kiss just as before
Happy we'll be beyond the sea
And never again, I'll go sailing
No more sailing
So long, sailing
Bye-bye, sailing
Goodbye, Captain
As the song slowly petered to a stop, the haze of the dance drifted away and the world once again moved for the two of them. Soon, cheers and applause rose around them as the crowd voiced their approval. Thankfully, no one made a fool of themselves but it was apparent that Ash and Dawn were the best dancers of all the couples. It took a few moments for them to realize that they had become sort of the center of attention. All they could do was smile and bow a bit in gratitude before scampering back into the crowd, certain that no one matched his face to his portrait.
They found a quiet bench not far from the square, both having worked up a bit of a sweat. "WOOO!" exhaled Dawn as she fanned herself a bit. "Never danced like that in my life."
"You kept up well," added Ash as he took off his hat and wiped his brow but was quiet to replace it to not give someone a chance to see his face.
"Glad you think so. I was so nervous. I was scared they would start laughing at me for stepping on your toes or something."
"Nonsense." he gave her hand a gentle kiss. "I knew you could handle it and wow everyone."
She gave a tired smile. "Flatterer."
"Well, can this hopeless flatterer get you anything?"
She pondered for a moment. "A drink would be nice right about now."
"Then a drink you shall have have. Stay right here." he got up from the bench and waded into the crowd to find some refreshments. Once again, Dawn sighed to herself but this time, out of sheer contentment. It felt good to get out of the palace and just enjoy herself for once. She didn't hate her job by any stretch but even someone like her needed some proper relaxation. And it helps that she could spend some quality time with Ash, at the festival of all places. It felt good to not be sneaking around all the time, worrying about someone catching them in the act. Sure, they were in disguise with fake names but they were still out in public. She could hold him, touch him, kiss him as much as she wanted and no one would bat an eye. They were just Satoshi and Hikari, a young couple in love.
"Love,"
It was something she hadn't thought about. Did she love him? She adored him for all he had done for and to her. Ash was the ultimate Prince Charming. The dream of nearly any woman in the empire. But did she love him? She shook her head a bit. It was wrong for her to think such things. Despite all the sex and intimate moments, she was still just a maid. She dare not think herself worthy of the love of the heir. He could never marry her or even formally court her. Such a thing was just not done in higher society. She wanted to love him. And most of all, she wanted him to love her. But she had to humble herself. Whatever this was between them, it probably wouldn't last. He might get bored of her or his lust would cool after a while. So she had to accept that eventually future and just enjoy the present that they had together.
"Hello, there."
Dawn broke out of her thoughts to find a man standing next to the bench. He was reasonably tall, with blonde hair, gray eyes, and a somewhat charming smile on his face. He was dressed in very fine attire, which covered his well-toned form. To someone else, he would've been called a major catch but Dawn wasn't that person. "Hello, sir."
"I saw your dancing at the square," he started. "I was very much moved by your form."
"Thank you for your kind words….."
"Jean. I'm Jean. And you are?"
"Hikari."
Jean slyly took her hand and gave it a shake. She wanted to pull back from him but she didn't want to be rude. "Hikari. Like the play."
"Play?" she questioned, not understanding what he meant.
"Nevermind. Just a silly reference. I'd love to tell you about it over a snack."
"I'm flattered but I'm going to be busy with my date."
"Hmmm," Jean pondered for a moment. "You mean your dance partner? He doesn't look great to me. What does he do?"
Thinking on her feet, she answered, "Horseman. He raises horse."
Jean gave a slight disgusted grimace on his face but he quickly hid it behind his charming smile. "That's certainly interesting. But I feel you deserve a bit more than just someone who raises horses."
"Like who?"
"Like me," he answered, puffing out his chest. "My father owns 3 grocery stores in town and he's opening another in Celedon. And I'm learning the business and I plan to expand upon it. It's certainly better than whatever your date has going for him."
Dawn's mouth nearly exploded as she tried to hold in a laugh. She wanted to tell him the truth about Ash, just to see his expression. What does a grocery store owner have over the heir to the throne itself? She composed herself and replied with a slight snicker. "I'm sure that's impressive, Mr. Jean. But my date is more than enough for me."
Trio bless him, Jean tried to hide his surprise at her rejection of him but he was doing it very poorly. When he mentioned his job to every other woman he approached, they instantly swooned over him. It was his bread and butter when it came to seducing the fairer sex. But this woman? It did nothing for her. He was flabbergasted. But most of all, he was angry.
"Look, I'm saying give me a chance. A small meal and some time to show you a better world."
"I appreciate the effort but I'm not interested. Like I said, I have a date and he's more than enough for me." in a flash, Jean's hand latched itself around her thin wrist. The unwanted contact brought back a flood of memories from her time with the Bathorys and the various advances of the young lord of the house. She didn't want to relive those memories, especially during a time when she was supposed to be relaxing. "Let go of me!" she said, trying to extricate herself from his grip.
"Hey! I'm trying to be a gentleman here! And here you are, acting like a stuck-up bitch!"
"Get your hand off me!"
"Why are you making this so damn hard?! I should-"
Before he could finish his sentence, another hand grasped his own, in a much tighter grip than he had on Dawn. "THE LADY…...SAID….LET….GO", growled a voice.
"OH YEAH?! AND WHO ARE YOU…..." his threat died in his throat as they both turned to see Ash glaring straight at Jean. Now Dawn had seen him train with the knights of the palace and knew how serious he could get. But the look on his face was something alien to her. The glare in his eyes was stern, steely, and deadly. He looked calm on the surface but in his eye, there was a fury she never saw. And all of it was directed to the ladies' man that was Jean.
"She is my date and you dare touch her?" his voice was quiet but menacing. It was clear he wasn't trying to make a scene but he sorely wanted to throttle Jean at that moment. "If you just hit on her and fell back after she told you no, I would've let it go. But…..touching her…." the more he spoke, the more rage leaked out. "I should kill you where you stand."
Dawn knew the truth of his threat. He really would kill him. And as much as the guy deserves some punishment, she didn't want to ruin the date over a jerk like him. "Satoshi….." she uttered. This drew his attention away from Jean and his visage softened. He didn't want to show that side of him to her, least of all during a date. He could see in her eyes that she didn't want him to go too far over this guy and his rage cooled somewhat. He twisted Jean's hand upwards and returned his eyes to him.
"I'm gonna let you go. Once I do, you decide what happens next. You can either walk away or get carried away. I don't care which." with that, Ash released him from his grip. For a few moments, he thought about trying to fight this guy but his sore wrist told him that this guy was way stronger than he looked. And that was enough to tell him not to try him any further.
Ash extended his hand to Dawn, which she took and pulled herself up. She wrapped her arm around his, a bit tighter than normal. She shot Jean a foul look before the couple began to walk away. Thankfully, the altercation didn't draw too much attention from anyone else, which allowed them to vanish into the crowd.
Jean considered getting his friends together, finding them again, and teaching the horseman a lesson. But those thoughts vanished when he remembered Ash's eyes. Now, Jean's uncle had served in the Honen campaign years ago and saw some major combat. And it had changed him. Changed him in ways that used to scare Jean. And that man had the same look in his eyes. He wasn't sure who this "Satoshi" really was but he was sure that he had seen a lot of combat.
It was the look of a man who had killed before. A lot.
Dawn took a long drag of the drink that Ash had brought her. The sweet liquid was helpfully in quenching her thirst from dancing and settling her nerves from the earlier encounter with Jean.
"You feeling ok? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Ash asked, still very worried.
Dawn finished off her drink and exhaled. "Yeah. I'm ok. Just glad you got there when you did."
"Sorry, it took so long. There was a line. How was it?"
Dawn threw the now empty drink cup into a nearby trashcan as they walked. "It was great. I can see why there was a line."
"Best drink in the festival. Or so I'm told."
"Whoever told you that needs a medal."
Ash laughed, the mood finally lightening up. "So what do you wanna do next?"
Dawn's answer came in the form of a loud voice calling out from one of the booths. "STEP RIGHT UP HERE! WIN A PRIZE! IF YOU GOT A STRONG ARM? THEN WIN A PRIZE!" the caller was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and a large pot belly. His booth was set up with sets of wooden balls in front of him and a large red target behind him. Hanging around the booth were stuffed dolls in the form of various Pokemon, which made Dawn's eyes light up at how cute they all looked. The man caught sight of the pair and called out to them with a bright smile. "You there, young man! You look like a strong arm! What do you say? Win a prize for your pretty girlfriend!"
Ash looked at Dawn, who was still looking over at the cute Pokemon dolls with stars in her eyes. That was enough for him to convince him. "I think I will," he answered as he reached into his pocket and produced a coin.
The owner took it with a nod. "Thank you very much! The rules are simple: you get 5 tries to hit the bullseye! You land it and you get any of the dolls around here!"
Ash stood forward and grabbed one of the balls. He lightly tossed it in the air, getting a feel for the weight. After a few moments, he was sure how much strength he needed to throw it.
"You ready there, son?"
Ash nodded confidently as the owner stood back and gave him some space to throw. He gave Dawn a wink before taking a stance. He began to gauge the distance to the target, rolling the ball around his fingers for a few moments. Once he was sure he was ready, he threw it and to the shock of the owner, he hit the target square on. "A HIT! FIRST TRY!" he announced as he ran a large bell he had on hand. A few onlookers gave him a small round of applause at his feat. Ash did take archery lessons when he was younger. While he wasn't an expert by any stretch, throwing a ball at a target was much easier to do than using a bow and arrow. "That was pretty impressive, son! Never seen someone get it on the first try! You got quite an arm there!"
"Thanks. I try to stay in shape."
"So, pick your prize."
He looked over to Dawn. "You pick."
"Really?" he gave her a nod. "Thank you!" she exclaimed, giving him a tight hug before turning her attention back to the menagerie of stuffed dolls. Her blue eyes scanned over the selection. She could recognize most of them from her copy of the national poke-dex but there were a few she was unfamiliar with. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of a little mass of azure to her left. It was a little squatty bird Pokemon, almost nondescript among the others but upon seeing it, she immediately felt drawn to it. Almost in a trance, she pointed to the one she wanted. "That one."
The owner looked at her choice. "OOOOH! A piplup! Nice choice, miss. They seem very popular tonight and this is the last one." he reached up and plucked the penguin pokemon from the hanger. He handed the maid her prize and gave his a hard hug. And for some reason, she couldn't really explain, holding this piplup doll felt natural. Like it was made for her.
Regardless, she was happy to have it and even more happy that Ash won it for her.
The bike ride back to the palace was a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the festival. Dawn was happy to have gone to the festival but by now, she was somewhat drained from all the walking around they did. The night breeze was a welcome bit of relief to drive away her tiredness. Between her and Ash was the Piplup doll, squished but safely held between them as he biked his way back. The ride was quiet but not awkward, both of them enjoying the peace of solitude that they earned.
It was nearly midnight when they made it back to the secret entrance outside of the palace. Ash stowed away the bike in the nearby bushes. When he was finished, he returned to Dawn, who was joyfully still embracing her doll. "You've been hugging that thing all night. At this rate, the stuffing is gonna come out."
"I can't help it," she said, smiling down at her prize. "He's perfect."
"You wanna adopt him?"
"Maybe. Would that make you the father?"
"Sure. I'm certain Dad will be happy that the new heir to the empire is a stuffed Pokemon."
The couple shared a nice laugh at the thought of the stuffed pokemon sitting on the throne with a large crown on its head. Once the laughter ceased, Dawn looked back at Ash with warmth on her countence. "Ash, I dont know how to thank you for tonight."
Ash scratched the back of his head at her compliment. "Just felt like you needed a break. You have been working hard. And…..I couldn't stand seeing you so down. Had to do something, you know?"
"Ever the gentleman."
"We can do this again next year. If you want."
"I do want," she answered. "Very much."
"Then it's a date."
"So…..this was a date?" she said.
The prince looked at her oddly. "Of course it was. Did you not want it to be?"
"No! I….just hoped it was a date. Didn't want to assume anything."
He closed the distance between them and gave her a hug and a kiss. "Assume all you want. It was a date. The first of many. So you best get used to it, Miss Hikari."
The bluette smiled at his usage of her pseudonym again. "I will, Mr. Satoshi." Their lips met again, smashing against each other with simmering passion, crushing the poor doll between their bodies. Ash's hands found their way around her waist and onto her amble butt, giving it an appreciative squeeze. "MMMM," Dawn gave a small moan at his groping. "And just what do you think you are doing, Satoshi?"
"Well, I was thinking, since I treated you to a nice night on the town, I figured I could get a bit of a nightcap."
Dawn gave an overdramatic gasp. "How dare you! Did you think you could just get into my skirts just from a date?"
"Yes," he said bluntly.
"But….what would our dear son think of his parents doing such a thing?"
Ash looked down at the stuffed Pokemon. He quickly picked it from her arms and placed it on the ground near them, its face turned away from the couple.
"Cover your ears, son. Mommy and Daddy are gonna do grown-up stuff."
MA: so what did you all think? Hope it was worth the wait. Sorry for keeping you all waiting for so long. Medical issues have been popping up. I'm not dying or anything. Just been in a lot of pain. So I hope you understand why it took a while to finish. But if you wanna help me get started on the next chapter, make sure to leave a review. Nothing makes me happier than to hear how much you all enjoy my work. So the more reviews I get, the more eager I am to continue the story. So with that out of the way…
LATER FICCERS!