92 LAST DANCE WITH YOU

Taking a deep yet long breath, Nash closed his eyes tightly as he felt his heart beat going faster and faster as time went passing by quickly. He bit his lower lip, tapping his nails on his table full of papers and invitations.

Theo, Nash's butler sighed and took the signed papers away from his Lord's desk, stacking them up properly. The Duke has been out of it ever since Her Highness, Crown Princess Ashleah replied back to his invitation for a dinner. The dinner was today.

Fingers going smoothly across his silky yet black healthy hair, Nash groaned loudly before standing up. Strolling his way to the mirror inside his office, looking at himself, fixing his crumpled clothing. "Do.. you think she would like it?" His voice held uneasiness, which was very knew to Theo. The Duke always held his head high, of course he would. He is a Duke but when it comes to the Crown Princess it really--he glanced at his Lord and saw him talking to himself in front of the large mirror.

Shaking his head, a pit of laughter escaped his mouth. But when it comes to the Crown Princess, his Lord forgets that he himself has a high rank and can marry the Crown Princess if he wanted to. This just proves how head over heels the Duke was for the Crown Princess. "My Lord, I am sure that Her Highness, Crown Princess Ashleah would love it and appreciate what you've prepared for her." He blurted out, trying to calm Nash down. It worked, for he sat back down and finished his work.

Hours went by, Theo's eyes widened while holding books from the Duke's office, bringing it back to the library, he froze on the spot the moment his eyes landed on that known carriage around the Empire right now. "Holy shit." Those were the last words that left his mouth before running his way to the Duke's office.

His hand twisting the door knob, Nash looked up, was about to call off Theo for what he did was very disrespectful of him. "Her Highness is here, My Lord!" Six, those six words made Nash forget what he was doing, walking quickly out of his office, he saw how everyone outside his own mansion went into trepidation. Going quickly to where the garden was, some of the maids were fixing his clothes and hair while walking.

Everything was ready. He patiently waited for Ashleah, as he heard the door opening, he also heard Ashleah's voice. "My, thank you Theo for escorting me." She thanked his butler before walking inside the huge yet magnificent looking garden.

All of it from the inside of the garden reminded her of each and every lives that she lived, making her tear up. Stopping her tracks when she saw Nash in the middle of the garden with a fixed dining table like their last lives before coming back to the past. She giggled. "Nash! You jerk. This is too much you know?" Ashleah blurted out while walking to Nash hugging him. "I missed you!"

What she did not know was from those simple words that she said to him, his heart was beating fast, his face was glowing red, gulping slowly he hugged Ashleah back. "Y-Yeah, me too." Another giggle escaped her mouth before casually sitting at the chair in front of Nash's chair.

"Anyways, this was a sudden invitation from you. Is there something wrong?" She asked right away while her eyes were scanning the food around them. Clearing his throat, he sat down and gave Ashleah cookies she had always loved eating, the Crown Princess glanced up with her eyes shining brightly, smiling widely from ear to ear. "OH. I love this, thank you."

Smiling back, Nash prepared an answer to her question. "It's nothing really. We've been so busy that we can't even hang out that much." Ashleah nodded in agreement while quietly eating the cookies. "You might choke, calm down." He said before pouring Ashleah a glass of orange juice.

She wiped her mouth with a napkin. "So how are you and the land Father gave you? Is it hard?" tilting her head lightly, she asked Nash who she felt like was acting weirdly ever since she came. But--it was cute. OH MY! What am I even thinking?!

"It's fine, I've been helping them out with all of their needs. How about you? You of course are a Princess, hmm?" A pit of giggle escaped their mouths in sync making both of their hearts skip a beat without knowing that they were both feeling the same way for each other.

She softly shook her head, sitting comfortably she replied. "I'm doing alright to be completely honest with you right now. Though it really is kind of hard with everything that I need to do. Also, Aziel misses playing with you and Axis."

Nodding his head in response, they ate with continued laughter and stories that happened while they were away from each other. A few minutes passed and they were finally done eating, the maids cleaned the table up, blushing for they knew what will happen next.

Badump, Badump. His heart raced inside of his chest as he took a deep breath and locked eyes with Ashleah who was confused yet still was smiling sweetly at him. "Is there something wrong, Nash?" He shook his head before opening his mouth. Fuck, I should have had written down notes. He thought.

"You know that we've known each other for a long time right?"

"For hundred of years-" A giggle escaped her lips. "-Yes."

"But do you know a secret that I have been hiding for all of those years, Ashleah?" Her forehead creased, furrowing her eyebrows, slowly shaking her head. She did not dare to speak, Nash cleared his throat. Here goes nothing. He thought to himself. "In all of those lives, even though it was hard looking for you and trying to save you every single life, my feelings did not change for you Ashleah." Taking a deep breath, his face flushed bright red while saying-- "I love you, Ashleah, even if it was from the past or our future lives."

Her eyes widened, heart skipped a beat. It felt so magical. Holy shit. She saw how nervous Nash was. His face was red as a tomato, pinkish blushing ears, biting his lower lip he patiently waited for an answer. Ashleah chuckled, looking at her fingers, fidgeting them together. "You're so cute. You're so stupid." She finally looked up with tears forming inside of her delicate eyes. "Of course stupid, I love you too. I even went to the lengths of going back to the past to stop the pain you've been enduring. I love you too, Nash." She exclaimed as tears went down to her cheeks.

He stood up and held her hand tightly, kneeling down, Ashleah hugged him tightly sniffling. "Fucking stupid." She blurted out, making Nash chuckle. "So st-stupid."

He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of Ashleah. "Yes, yes, I'm stupid." She pulls away, the tension between them was making their hearts beat faster, Nash slowly went in for a kiss. For a few seconds Ashleah was left stunned but did kiss him back.

This is it, this was the happiness they've both were wishing for the longest time now.

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The next day, the news finally broke out that yes, the Crown Princess and the one and only Duke Deoncan are lovers! His Majesty congratulated the two, swarming letters came, but the letters Ashleah quickly read was from the five Princes. She giggled, reading them beside Nash.

"They are so cute."

"Miss them, love?"

She raised both of her eyebrows. "Love?"

He hummed in happiness. "Yeah? You okay with that right?" Ashleah giggled, nodding her head, giving Nash a peck on the lips.

"It's okay love, I like it."

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A week has passed and another news broke out that in the next month, His Majesty is going down from his throne to let the Crown Princess rule the Empire. The nobles went into chaos, the women who has their coming-of-age-ceremony wanted to be close with the Crown Princess.

"Father, are you sure about this? I mean, you've been reigning the throne--"

"My daughter, it's okay. Come on, everyone is waiting for you inside the ballroom."

She giggled, wrapping her arms with his, the Knights smiled and opened the large door, this party was important for this was the last party held by her Father as an Emperor. Everyone looked at them. The music started to play again as they walked down from the stairs, the nobles bowed down.

Her Father went to the middle, and nodded at the orchestra, the song that was well known to be danced between a Father and daughter started to play. "Father you never told me you wanted to dance."

"Surprise, my Princess." They both giggled, dancing elegantly. Everyone's eyes were captured, it was magnificent.

The dance finished, her Father went to his throne, sitting down with a smile. Nash quickly went to Ashleah, asking her for a dance. "Oh come on now." She giggled, accepting his hand. "You're a bit cheeky, huh?"

"Blah blah, you look pretty as always love." A soft blush went across her face, giggling. They continued to dance for a few more minutes. About to sit down on her throne beside her Father's but suddenly..

"Your Highness, may I also have this dance?" Axis asked her, she quickly said yes and started to dance with him.

"Hey, Axis. I've missed you so much! How are you--"

He whispered something that Ashleah could not even hear.

"This is my LAST DANCE WITH YOU."

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