Ash

I had finally finished up training for 3 months. Today I would be living in the knights grounds in the royal castle!

All this excitement but then I started remembering last night.

The girl.

Who was she? Could it really be a mermaid.

"Ashy boy come on now time to start the morning routine!" Gold called out sucking me out from my day dream.

"Yeah yeah I'm coming" as we walked towards the training grounds right next to the farming land.

There I caught a glimpse of the princess. She wasn't like any other princess no instead she was wild.

She rode on a horse as maids chased after her.

"Come on I wanna ride him out to the mountains overlooking the sea!" She yelled sticking her tongue out.

"Not now me lady! Your mother and father will be furious and we'll be the one to pay!" An older grouche one yelled.

Misty just spit in her face making me laugh.

They all stopped what they were doing and turned to face me.

"And you young man as a knight you must show no weakness!" The old grouch yelled at me.

I scratched my cheek bone and awkwardly laughed it off.

Then when I opened my eyes they were caught with the princesses.

She was gorgeous and oddly familiar.

Gold pushed me off and apologized for my actions and took me to the training grounds.

After 2 hours of training mine was interrupted.

"Ash Ketchum the king demands your presence" a messenger called out.

I gave him a confused look but listened and followed him inside the castle.

The castle was grand and huge. As tall as the sky.

Finally we got to the royal hall. There sat the queen and the king along with the princess.

"Welcome I know this is very bad timing but I've been trying to find someone to keep my daughter busy while also safe she is very well active to say the least" I nodded still confused.

"So I would like to hire you if you'd like to use your extra time to take out the princess but keep her out of harms way" he finished.

"Oh!" I said. Looking over at the princess I got that sense of familiarity from her. I needed to find out why.

"It would be an honor" I bowed.

...

"WOOHOO!" Misty screamed on the top of her lungs raising her hands even higher.

I just held on tighter to my horse.

"This is the best day of my life!" Misty roared. I still don't know how she can just put her hands like that.

"I feel like I'm gonna barf!" I yelled back Misty just laughing.

Finally we took a break at the edge of a waterfall. I forget how beautiful the kingdom can be.

I looked over at Misty sitting on a rock closing her eyes to the breeze and humming.

"That's the kingdom anthem right?" I asked smiling.

She nodded.

"I like to call it the song of the sea" she said staring off into the ocean.

"I've never lived this close to the coast" I said.

"I could never imagine the ocean has always been my second home" Misty explained.

"All I remember is hearing the tales of the mermaids" I said. Her eyes grew wide.

"Yes the legends past down for many generations" she said looking away.

I debated whether I should tell her about the night before. That would be crazy wouldn't it?

"Um do you believe in the mermaids?" I asked and for the first time I saw her become more serious.

"With all my heart" she said with a warm look.

"I think I saw one last night" I said with doubt. She looked at me with a face I couldn't quite read.

Never been good at reading people.

"What did you think of her?" She asked looking right into my eyes.

I began to stare off at the sea listening to the gulls searching for words to describe her.

"She was the most magnificent thing I've ever seen, beautiful, mysterious, and captivating it didn't last long though the moment she noticed me she ran away and I could see which way she darted off to" I finished.

I looked over at Misty to see her reaction but then I noticed her face became dusted with a light shade of pink. Even her eyes had a sparkle to them. She must have been enchanted by the image I made of the mermaid.

"You think of her as that even if it was a glimpse?" She asked.

I just nodded. "I hope I'll see her again" I said in awe.

"You should go tonight!" She blurted out.

"I mean you never know unless you try" she quickly looked away scratching her head.

It made me laugh.

"Maybe if you come she won't be so scared" I tried. She shook her head.

"I can't be out so late just tell me all about it tomorrow!" She said clapping her hands together.

I nodded in understanding.

"And while we're on that topic the sun is starting to set we should probably head back" she added.

We got on the horses and began our trip back to the castle.

Though we weren't too far as princesses shouldn't be too far from their castles. Unsafe.

Finally we reached the stables in the farming grounds and said our goodbyes.

"Thanks again ash I can't wait to hear what happens tomorrow" she said with a warm smile.

"Sure thing mist!" I waved a hand and noticed her cheeks turning pink again.

She ran inside and I decided to rest in the knights cabins until I could go out to the beach to see her.

Later that night the moon turned gold.

On that beach there she was again.

The moon low looking like it was touching the ocean. And there she was. The mermaid sitting on the rock.

In the middle of the moon.

Garry

"Where did you find her Garry we must have a full investigation and find this kidnapper!" Detective Cynthia demanded.

"Oh what does it matter we have our little girl!" The queen said whipping away her tears.

"Yes my queen but she has committed crimes under the influence of this women someone must be charged for it we will have to investigate her as well" Cynthia continued.

Leaf was in the other room as we spoke in the library.

"She's been through enough" the queen argued.

"We will give her time to adjust for now we need to search for clues and Garry is the closest we have right now" Cynthia said more calmly.

"Come Garry to my investigation unit" I followed her though I would have rathered stay to help with this whole situation, or the fact that I didn't really trust her.

After two hours of interrogating me she had a lot more information to go off of.

"Thank you for all the information Garry it's really helpful every small piece of information gets us closer to our goal" I nodded and headed back to the castle.

I was a huge deal as one of the top 5 knights working very closely to the king and Queen. Still I wanted to take that number 1 spot as master knight.

"Ah Garry you've returned" a maid said as she stood straight from sweeping the floor.

"Your sister is still playing with princess yellow in the daycare room" I smiled at the thought.

That is why I took my job as a knight so seriously.

So my younger sister Daisy could have a good life. She gets her own room in the castle and her best friend is the princess. I'm the best big brother.

"Oh the king and Queen have also had no luck getting the lost princess to talk she's been how can I put it, very angry about all this" she said.

I sighed "where is she?"

"No idea they lost her but there's no way she left the guards would have spotted her although she could be lost herself with how huge this place is" at hearing that I rubbed my forehead.

Why is she doing all this? Shouldn't she be thrilled to be the lost princess. Pesky girl.

I looked around everywhere and yellow and Daisy ran into me.

"Garry is it true yellows big sister has been found!?" Daisy yelled.

They found out already.

Daisy and yellow are too young to be in this. They're just 7 while I'm 16 and so is blue.

When blue and I were 9 our sisters were born the difference is blue didn't even know.

"Yes she's here but right now she's lost you two go play in your rooms right now you'll meet her soon yellow" I smiled hiding all doubt.

Yellows big smile was all I needed before I began looking.

After searching for forever I was starting to give up.

I leaned my back on the old wooden kitchen table it shifting.

Everything else seemed to be nice in the castle except in here. Very dusty and dark.

Suddenly I heard a small sneeze in the pizza oven?

Narrowing my eyes I opened the panel and voila there she was!

"Go away" she sniffled hugging her legs and burying her face in between her knees.

I sighed "come on blue you need to talk to your parents" I tried.

"Those aren't my parents I have a mother and she's out there worried sick I need to find her and tell her I'm alright make sure she's alright!" She cried out.

"Blue that was your kidnapper that's crazy talk!" Reasoning didn't help either.

"Get away monster!" Again with the monster talk.

"Blue that's not how the world works your a princess your going to rule one day get up and it's time for your life to begin!" She stared at me for a while before spitting in my face.

"I won't believe anything you monsters say to me ever!" I had enough with this crazy talk.

"Monster the ones you stole from! Families needed that money and you took it if anything your the monster!" I yelled.

When I saw tears spill in her eyes I felt my chest have a pang. Why was that?

"I want my mother" she whispered putting her head down again.

"I'm alone here I've never been gone this long and now I'm facing the consequences I just want to go home to my mother! She's miles away though and if she comes back I won't be there what will she do she'll be all alone like me in this world of monsters we had each other!" She poured it out.

For a little bit I thought of every word she said. She's never been outside? Everyone else is monsters?

"Do you really believe I'm a monster?" I asked.

She kept her eyes covered but nodded.

"Blue I think you've been manipulated the world is nothing scary like how you think please let me show you that your loved here" I held out a hand and she uncovered an eye.

"How do I know your not manipulating me? Nothing is making sense today" she then covered her eye again with her hand.

"Well why haven't I've eaten you up yet?" I played along. She uncovered both of her eyes.

"Oh har har" she said whipping away her tears.

She made a huh sound when I held my hand out for her.

After starring at it for a good while she took it and I pulled her out of the pizza oven into my arms.

I wasn't expecting her to hang onto me in a hug like motion. Then she pulled her face a way a little and this time I got a good look at her.

The light from out of that little oven I saw her features more clearly. Her dark brown hair framing her face, those big brown eyes, pale pink lips.

My heart started beating so fast.

I could feel hers too.

It was a silent for a while before I finally set her down.

"Um uh come on time to take you to your parents" this wasn't good.

I was developing feelings for the princess!

Paul

"Erick no!" I screamed.

"Don't do it I'll help!" But I couldn't.

"It's our duty" Erick said.

He then ran into the burning building and that was the last time I saw him.

I woke up sweating and breathing rapidly.

It's been two years now since he passed on the training islands.

One of the buildings caught on fire and a student was still inside.

It was up to him to save him as a master knight. The student was saved but the price Erick paid for it with his life.

I shook off the feeling knowing I had to move on. Master Erick though was the closest thing I had to family.

Sighing I got up from my uncomfortable bed and opened up the window and a chicken made its way inside.

"Hey get out of here!" I yelled as if it understood.

"Excuse me sir that's my chick!" I looked through the window and saw a woman with strange black hair and a blue hood on.

"How'd it get in here!?" I yelled.

This is why I hate the arrangements of the living quarters around here. My window was directed right on the castle farm grounds.

"Sorry that one always gets loose and I was chasing it and uh I'm so sorry!" She spoke with a squeaky voice.

"It's too early for this" I muttered before handing her the chicken.

"Why thank you so sorry for being bothersome" she said while we exchanged it.

I looked into her eyes and felt my face heat up from her beauty.

Strange huh?

She looks familiar in a sense.

Reminds me of....

"You're Paul right?" Even her voice. Is it being forced?

"Yes" I said simply. How could I trust this random girl?"

"Oh where are my manners I'm Fawn I work here at the castle tending to the farm land" she said.

I nodded.

"Well I must be on my way maybe we'll see each other again?" I just shrugged and she giggled with a hand under her head.

"Stone cold just as I heard" she said before walking away.

Later that day during practice I saw her again. She was feeding the chickens rice out of buckets.

Her figure it just too familiar.

I was also surprised by the fact that the princess wasn't here.

5 years ago she would have been here cheering me on, really embarrassing me actually.

But now she wasn't. Not that I miss it. Really she probably just learned where her true priorities were.

Dawn is the princess she has a whole kingdom to rule over someday. And I would help make sure she was never stripped away from that chance.

Fawn looked over at me and waved. I quickly looked away and went back to my fight against another knight in training.

Hours later when all the other knights went to the dining hall I stayed in the training area.

I sat on the fence and looked at the sun set. I started to think of Erick and how much I learned from him during sun sets.

"Hey there stranger" I looked toward the voice to see Fawn.

This time her hood was down and I could see more of her face.

Her black hair was so weird.

"Oh um hello there Fawn" I said back.

She pulled herself up on the fence and sat next to me.

"You're a pretty awesome knight" her country accent didn't fit well with the word awesome.

Like Dawn saying totally when she should say fancy words as a princess.

"Thanks I guess" I replied looking back at the sky.

"Why don't you go eat at the dining hall with the others?" She asked.

"You ask a lot for a person that just met me" I said ignoring the question cause really I don't think I had a real answer.

She started shaking "u-uh well duh I just met you not that I totally have before or anything!" She laughed too loud and awkwardly.

She finally calmed down probably realizing how dumb she sounded.

"Sorry today's my first day here and I wanted to make friends" she finally said.

I nodded "well I'm not that one to be that person" I put it simply.

Just as I was about to walk away she pulled my shoulder.

"Wait um im from the kingdom of jhoto and I was too weak to save my family- I had to leave and now I'm here far from home please train me" she cried out.

Me train a girl?

For a moment I pictured myself as Erick.

Training me.

Only this time I'm the trainer.

"I'll train you" I said.

This will help me feel closer to Erick right.

I hope so.

Drew

After transforming back I looked back at May.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

She was just shocked with wide eyes before passing out again.

This time I took her back to her castle.

No way she'd want to have anything to do with me now.

Just as I laid her in her bed she woke up.

"Drew?" She stirred up looking at me.

I looked back at her and stepped away.

"I understand if you're scared of me now" I whispered.

She shook her head.

"No way I couldn't be drew you saved my life" I was taken aback by her words.

"But I'm a monster" I tried confused as to why she would want anything to do with me now.

She shook her head again this time getting up and holding my hands.

"Monsters are evil drew you saved my life twice now and this new form of yours can be of help to me" she said.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Drew I want to start a rebellion against my step mother in secret I need to overthrow her and become the new queen and save my people but I need others to join if they see what a good team we can be they'll sure join!" She explained.

"Huh what no way me? I don't want to make anything worse!" I shook my arms.

She giggled "kinda right who wants to join a grasshead!" She teased.

"Oh whatever June" I laughed.

She stuck her tongue out before she became serious.

"Drew since how long could you turn into a wolf?" She asked.

"Well ever since I could remember I know it has to do something with my parents in a book they left me they left fur in a page that resembles me I think they too could turn" I explained.

She nodded.

"I want to enforce an attack on one of the porting ships the ship that carries her precious gold that'll make a statement" she said.

I nodded.

"Well okay princess I'm in" she smiled at that and we shook on it.

I may have no idea what this has in store for us but you'll never know unless you try.