COURTSHIP

It was a very soft yet fast peck. Ashleah pulled away with a blushing face, clearing her throat with eyes that wandered around trying her best to avoid the cheeky smile and surprised look on Nash's face.

"Never knew that you wanted to-" Nash could not even finish what he was saying just because Ashleah's palm quickly found it's way to his mouth and covered it fully. "Hmph!" Nash tried to speak up, trying his best to remove Ashleah's palm from his mouth without hurting the woman.

"Le-Let's just go back to Father, I-it's not like you were my first uhh whatever!' Ashleah could not even produce the words she wanted to say. Her mind was currently in chaos, so what the Princess did was she held the paper tightly, awkwardly walked away from Nash.

But before she can even open the huge door from her Father's office, she felt how Nash's hands wrapped around her wrist. "Calm down, Ashleah." He smiled before opening the door for her. The blushing Princess quickly walked out of the office.

"When did taking a single paper took that long?" Axis whispered beside Nash who had this triumphant smile plastered on his lips, while Ashleah was obviously avoiding Nash's gaze with a blushing face and reddish ears.

"Nothing much." Nash whispered back, still smiling while looking at the Princess. Axis furrowed his eyebrows and looked at both of his friends, still confused with what's happening to them; suddenly an idea popped out of his wild imaginary mind.

"Something happened? Or am I wrong?" Axis tilted his head making Nash chuckle but the Duke quickly cleared his throat and tried to act like he did not chuckle earlier, as Axis' eyes slowly widened.

"Your Majesty, I have something to tell you." Nash tried his best to whisper it, not letting the other nobles near them hear what he was about to say to the Emperor, still of course he failed for he saw how those eyes looked at them.

"What is it, Duke Deoncan?" The Emperor who had a bit of confusion on his face turned around and left his daughter who had this slight widened eyes while looking at Nash. Now that the two are talking and slowly getting the attention of the crowd, Nash took a deep breath before speaking up.

"I do want to tell his Majesty that.." He stopped for a few seconds, now that he got everyone's attention, the Duke smirked. "I also want to tell you that I also have made the decision to formally court her highness, but I do not wish to get married to her immediately." And with that, Ashleah choked on her own saliva, the whole ballroom almost turned upside down.

Prince Enver who just went inside with Count Nicolai form the terrace had their mouths left hanging open. "Looks like he really thought that I would snatch her highness away from him." Prince Enver laughed to himself.

"My, the famous Duke Deoncan has feelings for the also famous Imperial Princess who has goals to be the first Empress on her own." Count Nicolai blurted out with a very surprised look on his face. "I do hope that things will go their way."

"But, I also think that there will be a lot of nobles who are wishing they can take the thrown away from the current Imperial Family would definitely say no about this." Prince Raven suddenly popped out of nowhere making Prince Enver almost jump from where he was standing.

"What? When the heck did you come over here, Raven?" Prince Enver whispered to his bestfriend making Count Nicolai and Prince Raven laugh.

Meanwhile, noble ladies who wanted to talk to Duke Deoncan felt miserable and like they lost some kind of game. Prince Enver chuckled to himself when he saw how the ladies rolled their eyes.

"Are you really sure about that, Duke Deoncan?" The Emperor raised both of his eyebrows, Ashleah could not even utter a single word for she was so surprised with what Nash was saying.

'When did he even have this confidence and try to court me? The last time he was like this was like a 150 years after this–' Ashleah's mind was a mess, she could not even think straight.

Her heartbeat was also beating loudly and in a fast pace. Cheeks were flushed with a bright red color on it. She bit her lower lip and tried to roll her eyes at Nash, yet she failed to do so.

"I am indeed sure of it, plus I already have the plus points against the 5 Princes." He looked back and nodded his head once with a friendly smile yet his eyes were telling something else making Prince Blake quiver in fear.

"Now that's scary as hel–" Prince Blake could not even finish what he was saying.

"Prince Blake, may I remind you that you should not use those words especially there are a lot of nobles around you that can basically ruin your whole–" Prince Akriel moved closer to the other Prince's ear and whispered "–goddamn life or even position as the Prince."

Prince Blake's eyes widened, the glass of wine he was holding almost fell good thing he tightened his grip and took a deeo breath. The Prince was quite surprised on how Prince Akriel's language was.

"Well then, I do give you the best of goodluck with courting my daughter. You do know how hard this Princess' heart is." Emperor Adler smiled and looked back at his daughter and already expected what reaction he was going to see.

Chuckling because he did expect to see his daughter blushing, yet this was beyond his expectations, Nanny Riley was beside his daughter meanwhile Ashleah drinks water with a blushing face.

He shook his head with a smile and cleared his throat. "Let the party continue!" The nobles awkwardly laughed and nodded their heads, as the orchestra started playing again.

Ashleah quickly sat back at the throne beside her Father's and pouted her lips. Emperor Adler did the same and chuckled as he turned his head to Ashleah.

After that, Nash did start courting Ashleah. Everytime he came to the palace to report what's happening to the Empire, he would go to Ashleah and give her flowers or even foods.

He knew for a fact that Ashleah would definitely like food over flowers, still he sometimes give her both. Ashleah tried her best to build up this line between the two of them.

She wanted to finish their mission first before she can calm herself down and maybe consider her feelings. Nash was thinking the same thing but– his mind changed because he knew for a fact what the other kingdoms can do if they really wanted Ashleah to be their bride.

And the fact that he waited for years for this to happen again, he cannot let this chance escape from him again. Everything is right in front of him.

Nash just got to grip on it tightly while their plan is still going to plan just like what the Emperor said to them. They have to get those Magicians before it's too late.

Too late to save Axis, loose their friend. Too late to change their fate that was supposed to be changed, and miss their chance to finally live their lives that they wanted before it was turned upside down.