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A Princess and Her Knight
"You will be stepping like this, Ashe."
"Like... this?" Ashe timidly placed a foot forward, feeling as if he was overextending.
"Do not feel fear to step, Ashe. Take a strong step forward with all of your weight!" Petra urged him. She demonstrated her point by performing the step herself.
"With my weight, huh? Like this?" Ashe did well to mimic her movement, appearing less stiff as he did so.
"You are looking well! Only one small change is needed." Petra smiled as she walked over, hands reaching under Ashe's arms. The former commoner's face turned a shade of red as Petra's calloused and warm hands gently repositioned the placement of his arms. "Now we are doing the business! Keep your arms tightened when making the step!"
"R-Right." Ashe coughed, fighting the blush that had risen.
"Are you feeling well, Ashe? You are looking red as a tomato," she asked in concern, Ashe only feeling further fluster at having been noticed.
"Y-Yes, I'm just fine Petra! Just feeling a little-hot today! No need to worry," Ashe tried to disguise his fluster, taking a single step back. Unfortunately, Petra stepped forward with him, placing her forehead against his. Ashe felt like his mind would boil with how hot his face became to see Petra so close to his face. Of course, the Brigid princess was none the wiser.
"Hm… you do seem to be feeling quite hot. Perhaps you should be resting instead of dancing." Petra suggested, taking a step back from Ashe and giving him a thoughtful smile.
"Yes… I think I should do that…" Ashe agreed, wiping his forehead as he tried to calm himself down. "But still, thank you for teaching me a bit of Brigid's dancing techniques, Petra. It's intriguing how different it is compared to what Fodlan nobles are used to doing."
"You are having my thanks too, Ashe. I am feeling quite excited to be sharing what I know with you!" Petra's smile was luminous. Ashe thought he might go blind from its brilliance. "Even though we are friends now, it is nice to be sharing what I know since you were doing the sharing before with the commoner techniques."
"Well, it felt only natural. I should have asked more about your culture in Brigid before, but it was honestly a lot of fun showing you what I could on my side of things." Ashe admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes, and I was very pleased to have been shown those things!" Petra gave a light giggle. "But now that you will be my guardian knight, it is only natural that I should be teaching you now! You will be spending much time in Brigid, after all."
"Your guardian knight… of course," Ashe gave her a kind smile, the reminder of her proposal bringing him some mirth. "I suppose you're right about that. With that in mind, I look forward to learning more."
"And I look forward to being the teacher. Now try to be resting, Ashe," Petra smiled, turning around to leave.
Ashe bit his bottom lip. I-Is now the right time? "H-Hey, Petra?"
Petra turned back so quickly that it nearly gave Ashe a startle. "Yes, Ashe?"
"I um… I just wanted to say…" Ashe felt his throat dry out as he stared into her beautiful light brown eyes, sensing of expectation and excitement in them. That look… it's disabling…
"W-We should definitely finish the dance lesson when we can!" Ashe hated his cowardice, but remained unsure as to whether it was the right time to be asking.
A mixture of emotions crossed Petra's face. Ashe could almost swear he saw disappointment for the briefest moment, but it was quickly brushed away with a dazzling smile. "Of course! I will be looking forward to teaching you more!"
Ashe gave a small nod, awkwardly waving as Petra took her leave. Once she was out of earshot, Ashe slumped forward, groaning. "I'm so pathetic…"
"Thank you all for coming here today… I ask for your help in my most desperate time of need…" Ashe breathed out as he mustered up his courage. "As I'm sure some of you know, Petra and I have become… close lately. And the truth is that I… I believe I'm in love with her. But coming out and saying it has been the most difficult thing! I just don't know what to do! So please, will you all help me figure out what I can do?"
"... I have one question."
"Yes?"
"Of all the people you could have asked for advice on this. Why did you choose us?" The person who posed the question was Felix. Sitting in front of Ashe was the Frauldarius heir, with Caspar sitting on one side and Cyril sitting on the other. The four were seated in the dining hall, taking up one of the tables..
"Because, you're my friends! If I go to anyone for advice, I thought it would be you three!" Ashe suggested with an innocent smile.
"And you think that among the friends you have, we're the ones to go to on this matter?" Felix deadpanned in response.
"Yeah, I'm always for helping a friend out, but this isn't really something I can give much advice on, Ashe," Caspar rubbed the back of his head.
"Same. You know I'll always help you out whenever you need me, Ashe. But I don't think this is something I've got any kind of knowledge on…" Cyril sighed apologetically.
"Exactly. You should have asked the Professor or Sylvain if you wanted advice when it came to asking a woman out." Felix crossed his arms over his chest.
"I was thinking of asking the Professor next, but I wanted all of your advice first! And I don't know if I could get a serious response out of Sylvain that would be anymore than just his teasing." Ashe sighed, looking at the kitchen. "I wanted Dedue to be here too, but he's busy teaching Flayn how to cook."
"You certainly have a preposterous selection of help…" Felix shook his head.
"I don't think there's anything preposterous about it! After all, you recently confessed to Dorothea, didn't you?" Felix immediately stiffened as his face turned red.
"Wh-What?! Where did you-"
"You and Dorothea? Now that's not a couple I expected," said Cyril in minor awe.
"Oh~, so that's why Dorothea's been all chipper lately, huh?" Caspar laughed, nudging Felix in the side with his elbow. "Glad to know she finally found that guy she was lookin' for!"
"Sh-Shut up! All of you!" Felix clicked his tongue, standing from the table and leaning forward on it. "I demand to know who spread such ideas!"
"Um… well…" Ashe scratched his cheek, looking to the side. "Petra might have recently mentioned something…"
"Of course she told her…" Felix ground his teeth in frustration, knowing the two were close. "Look, whatever Petra said… well… you know… it's not…"
The three young men waited for Felix to deny it, his eye twitching as he found difficulty in doing so. To their surprise, Felix simply shifted his head away from them. "Shut up!"
They're definitely a couple. Ashe decided to spare Felix any teasing, giving him a knowing smile instead.
"Well, if it makes you feel better, Felix. I'm very proud of you!" Ashe was surprised to see Dorothea walk up to their table, the aforementioned swordsman turning beet red as his supposed lover put her hands on his shoulders. "I thought you were going to deny us as a couple and I'd give you a little tongue lashing. But you're just too sweet for that, aren't you?"
"Sh-Shut up! I didn't confirm or deny anything!" Felix grate his teeth, though he didn't fight as Dorothea squeezed in-between him and Caspar, the former songstress wrapping around his arm and leaning on his shoulder. "H-Hey!"
"Oh, hush. Everyone pretty much knows now, so what's it matter?" Dorothea stuck her tongue out before looking at Ashe. "So, I only came in at the end. What exactly led to this moment?"
"Ashe was asking for advice on how to confess to Petra." Caspar not so tactfully put it.
"Oh~, how spicey! I want in!" Dorothea smiled ear to ear.
"Well, I guess you would have the best opinion on the matter…" Ashe held his chin in thought.
"Don't give into her so easily!" Felix complained.
"That's not very nice, Felix. You may just hurt me enough to keep me from singing for a while…" Dorothea's thinly veiled threat immediately silenced Felix, dread coloring his face.
"You don't… have to do that…" He mumbled, looking away sourly.
"Dorothea's pretty impressive considering this is Felix we're looking at…" Cyril mumbled in awe.
"Well, now that that's settled, let's get back to Ashe." Caspar said, slamming his fists together. "Don't sweat the details anymore! Just go up to Petra and tell her straight that you like her! That's what I'd do at least!"
"I-I can't do that! That's far too blunt for something I could ever muster!" Ashe blanched, rubbing his arm shyly.
"Well… I kinda agree with Caspar on that point." Cyril shrugged, crossing his arms. "I mean, I haven't said it just yet, but I have told Lysithea how pretty she is…" Cyril suddenly blushed, looking down in embarrassment. "I'm… working up to it, of course."
"The plot thickens, hm?" Dorothea smiled slyly at Cyril. "But I have to disagree with both of their approaches. Being too blunt or too simple isn't romantic at all. Why, that was how-"
"Spare me…" Felix whispered hopefully, earning a giggle from Dorothea.
"Alright, I won't go airing out our little secrets. But back to you, I think you should approach this with class. Petra is a lovely lady who deserves the best, after all." Dorothea suggested. "You two have spent a lot of time together lately. You should use something from what you've learned and go from there!"
"Deserves the best… you're right about that…" Ashe nodded quietly, looking away in thought. "I'll have to give this a lot of thought, but… Dorothea, what do you think my chances are? I know I shouldn't be asking, but this is a big deal. She's more than just my comrade in arms or my friend. She's also the heir to Brigid! A true princess, in every sense of the word..."
"Well… I won't give anything away that I might know, but something you should know by now is that the distance between commoner and noble means nothing to Petra. You know that without having to be told, don't you?" Dorothea smiled knowingly. "After all, she's spent so much time with both of us, with no hopes of gaining any sort of political advantage in doing so. Don't trip yourself up over details that don't matter, Ashe. Sometimes it's better for you to just make the plunge."
"She's right. If you're a man, you'll admit your feelings for her without delay." Felix added, slightly puffing out his chest.
"Just try to be romantic about it." Dorothea's emphasis on 'romantic' made Felix whither.
"Alright… I'll do my best. Thank you, everyone." Ashe smiled earnestly, bowing in appreciation before leaving the group.
"Seems like you gave the best advice out of us," Cyril gave a short laugh.
"I aim to please!" Dorothea smiled.
"You know, I guess I get why he asked you two for help. But why me?" Caspar tilted his head in thought.
"Haven't you and Hilda been spending a lot of time together?" the former songstress pointed out.
"Me and Hilda? I mean, sure, but it's nothing like that! We're just buds!"
"Oh, Caspar, you sweet summer child…"
"Let go of me now, please…"
"No~."
I should have asked Dorothea about how to be romantic…
Ashe had run off in a hurry to figure out his plan of attack. Unfortunately, he had swiftly lost momentum once he came up with little to nothing as far as how to confess. After becoming stumped, Ashe fell back on his oldest source of wisdom: story books. So he picked up a book from the library and took to reading under a tree outside the monastery. After all, he had read several books about princesses who fell in love with commoners. It couldn't be that far from the truth, right?
I imagine that some of this is romanticized of course, but still… there must be something I can work with! Ashe thought with determination, scanning the pages of one of his favorite old stories.
"What are you reading, Ashe?"
Ashe almost jumped out of his clothes when he heard Petra's voice next to him, spinning up to his feet and looking at the foreign princess. "GAH-Petra! What are you doing out here?"
"I had been looking for you at Garreg Mach, but was told you had been seen going outside." Petra explained, walking up with a smile.
"Y-You were looking for me?"
"Of course! You were not looking very well the last time we spoke. Are you feeling good now?" Petra asked in concern.
"Yes, yes, I am… in a manner of speaking…" Ashe looked away sheepishly.
"I am happy to be hearing that. If that is being the case, would you like to learn some more dancing steps?" Petra asked hopefully. Ashe looked back at Petra, her eyes brimming with mirth.
She's so beautiful… I don't know if I deserve her. Ashe thought with some doubt. But in spite of his declining confidence, a well of courage rose up. But that's why I can't give up now. "No, not today. I actually had something else in mind to do… if you wouldn't mind."
"Something else? What would you like to be doing?"
Wait, why did I say that?! I still don't know what to do! Ashe thought in panic, swallowing a lump in his throat. Okay, I can do this…. Dorothea said to use something she enjoys, but what…
A light of revelation shined in his mind. "If you're up for it… would you like to go swimming?"
"Swimming? Where would we be doing that?" Petra asked in surprise.
"Come on, I'll show you!" Ashe grabbed Petra's wrist and pulled her along. It wasn't a long way from the monastery when the two came upon the flowing river that flowed through the forest. "Here's the spot!"
"Oh, that is right! You said you have been swimming in rivers before, correct?" Petra said in minute wonder. "I have been curious about the idea for some time. I have only been swimming in the ocean, after all."
"Well, I figured that you should give it a try, even if just once. I doubt it'll be as amazing by comparison, but it seems like the best way I can give you a little taste of home." Ashe offered hopefully.
"That is very thoughtful of you, Ashe. I am most appreciative of your kindness. It fills my heart full." Petra said with a serene smile that made Ashe melt.
"I'm really happy to hear that. Well, no time like the present. Let's…" Ashe looked at the river before realizing his error. "Oh… perhaps we should have stopped by the monastery for the proper swimming attire…"
"There will be no need for that." Ashe looked over to see Petra kicking off her shoes along with her jewelry. "We can be swimming in what we have!"
"Oh-um… if that's alright with you, then," Ashe coughed out a laugh, becoming nervous as to how much she would be taking off. He shook his head of any dirty thoughts as he pulled off some of the leather armor and the main tunic he wore.
*SPLASH*
Ashe turned around to see Petra diving into the water. She quickly surfaced, hugging her arms and shivering. "I-It's quite cold when comparing it to the sea! I was not expecting that!"
"Oh, sorry! I meant to warn you that the water is pretty chilly." Ashe gave a sheepish laugh before pulling off the last of his armaments. "Alright, I'm coming in!" With a running jump, Ashe cannon balled into the river, his skin immediately tingling as he felt the almost ice cold water wash around him. He quickly surfaced next to Petra, shivering as well. "O-Okay! Th-That's a lot colder than I was expecting! Sorry about that!"
"I-It's alright! We must be warming up by swimming. Come on!" Petra urged, inhaling a breath before dunking her head back in and beginning to do fast arm strokes forward. Ashe quickly followed suit, the two swimming up river. The workout was certainly warming him up, with Ashe stopping just a few feet behind Petra. She soon stopped as well, smiling back at Ashe. "That is much better. I am feeling much warmer now."
"Same. Nothing like swimming to warm us up." Ashe nodded, giving a brisk smile. "So, how was your first swim in a river? I know it's nothing like swimming in the ocean."
"The ocean by Brigid is always warm, but not too hot. We can be diving in and enjoying ourselves without feeling cold." Petra explained. "But I am liking this, too! The water feels different. No sand or salt is bothering me here."
"So the water is warm and salty… it does sound very different. Still, I'm glad you're enjoying it."
"Of course! It is much to my enjoyment," Petra said before she started hovering closer to Ashe. "Still… I am feeling the chill still…"
"I see. Would you like to-" Ashe inhaled all of the air his lungs could take when Petra closed the distance between them, pressing against his chest and leaning her head in the crook of his neck.
"Ah, that is much better. You are quite warm, Ashe." Petra's voice was relaxed and quiet, but it pierced Ashe's heart like a needle through thread. His heart pumped a mile a minute as he tried to muster up a response.
"Th-That's good…"
Ashe couldn't help but mentally slap his head in disappointment. He had brought Petra here to confess, yet here he was, tongue tied at the perfect opportunity.
No… No I have to speak up. I can't hold back now…
"... Petra…" Ashe swallowed the lump in his throat as Petra's head slowly shifted to look him in the eyes. He could feel his heart swelling with fear, but dared to push on. "I… when we started to spend time together, I began to look forward to seeing you more than anything. Even as I trained in preparation for knighthood, I just wanted to see you. And when you said that you would establish an order of knights in Brigid, just for me… it meant the world to me. And I… I realized that I… love you. I love your radiant smile and your bright personality. Your strength of character and your gentle kindness toward others. And I… I hope that someone like me, some lowly commoner, could make you happy… If you would have me."
Ashe felt his throat dry as he stared into Petra's beautiful brown eyes, her jaw slacking as he spoke. She was silent for a long moment and Ashe expected her to drift away and shatter his heart to pieces. But after that eternity of a moment, Petra simply leaned deeper into his chest.
"I… I have learned a great deal about knights since we spoke of going to Brigid together. One thing I learned had made me feel joy to the fullest." Petra's arms snaked around his waist tightly, her soft voice easing Ashe of all worries. "And that was, once established as a knight and noble, even those who were once commoners could be wed to even a princess. That is a tradition I will be sure to continue once making you my guardian knight."
Ashe felt his heart beating in his ear as a spring of joy sprouted in his stomach. A slow smile rose across his lips as Petra looked back up to meet his eyes. The two didn't say another word, both releasing nervous but loving giggles before Ashe leaned forward, and the two embraced in a loving kiss.
The End
Yeah, so I decided to have some fun and post some shippy Ashe/Petra stuff since I got excited talking about it over on Twitter with some mutuals haha honestly, I love Fire Emblem for the fact that it allows you to set up all of your friends, and some of them with some pretty unexpected people! Ashe and Petra were one of those couples who were both surprising as well as cute as hell when paired together and I thank FE for giving us such awesome interactions XD I do hope you all enjoyed that fluff!
Also, to top it all off, here's a little bonus entry just for fun :P
Bonus
"Oh, goodness! That's such a sweet story!" Dorothea brimmed with glee, her and Felix sitting across from Petra and Ashe at the mess hall.
"I was surprised to be confessing such things to each other while swimming. But it was feeling very nice…" Petra smiled, leaning on Ashe's shoulder.
"You certainly made it hard to resist. It felt like a 'now or never' moment," Ashe chuckled, leaning his cheek on top of her head.
"Oh, I can just imagine the scene! I wish I had been there to see it!" Dorothea continued to fawn, earning an eye roll from Felix.
"Well, at least you were able to muster up the courage for it." Felix gave a small smile.
"Thank you both again for your support. Dorothea was especially a good help." Ashe chuckled before bowing in thanks.
"You have my gratitude as always, Dorothea." Petra said this time.
"Oh, there's no need to thank me. But thinking about how your relationship began… hm…" Felix looked at Dorothea, his not so discreet lover eyeing him.
"What?"
"I want a redo."
"Excuse me?"
"I want you to confess again. But actually be romantic about it!"
Felix scoffed, turning his head away to not so subtly hide a blush. "I'll pass."
"Come on, I'm not asking for much! Just something a little more… thought out." Dorothea nudged him with her head."
"Shut up… you know that's not easy for me…" Felix groaned, swallowing a lump in his throat as he avoided her eyes.
"You were right. Dorothea does control the conversation," Ashe whispered to Petra with a laugh.
"I would expect nothing less! I am pleased to see her so happy, though." Petra giggled.
"What're you two whispering about?!" Felix demanded with accusing eyes.
"Nothing!" They quickly answered with not so convincing smiles.
Their attention was drawn away to Caspar as he plopped down next to Dorothea, his expression distant like his mind was in a far away place. "Hey, guys…"
"Hey, Caspar. Is everything alright?" Ashe asked, raising a brow.
"Yeah, everything's fine… Great, actually," Caspar said, his face turning a slight shade of pink. Everyone looked at the other in concern before turning back to Caspar.
"Did… something happen?" Dorothea asked this time.
"Yeah… I was hangin' out with Hilda as usual, and she asked me to help move something in her room again." Caspar put a hand up to his mouth, meekly attempting to cover his blush. "Then, when we got there, she… started taking off her clothes. And we… did things."
Ashe, Felix and Petra blushed at the implication while Dorothea looked absolutely entertained, barely containing herself as she pushed further, "I'm guessing they were good things?"
"Yeah… really good things. Great things. Things I've never done before…" Caspar admitted, still sounding distant. "We did things for a while, too… I think I want to do those things again…"
"I bet you do." Dorothea giggled like a child, patting him on the shoulder. "Why don't you go and grab something to eat, then see if Hilda's up for more things."
"Yeah… that's a good idea. Gotta get my energy up. Fill the tank. I'll see you guys later." Caspar stood from the table again and took his leave, the four watching as he dragged his feet to the cooks.
While the rest of the table remained awkwardly quiet, Dorothea just smiled like a child at a cake shop.
"So… about things-"
"Please, don't."
"Oh, you're all no fun!"
The End