Chapter Text
Ashlynn's POV
Walking into the Enchanted Forest, Ashlynn felt herself truly relax for the first time since coming to Ever After High. Her first day living at the legendary boarding school had been.. alright to say the least. She got her class schedule (mostly princess/damsel classes), she got a part-time after school job at the Glass Slipper (her mother probably pulled some strings), and she had just finished unpacking and decorating her dorm room, which she shared with Briar Beauty, one of her Best Friends Forever After!
But still, nothing could quite beat the peaceful, and natural beauty of the great outdoors.
Ashlynn leaned down to smell a patch of charm blossoms. The smell brought her back to her childhood home, a big mansion in the forest that even her parents, a king and queen, preferred to stay in rather than their ginormous, too big castle. Ashlynn had spent her happiest days walking through the forest, meeting all the woodland creatures who would one day help her in her story.
All that was before the war got bad, though, really bad. When that happened, the Ellas were forced back into the secured, cold stone walled castle in the middle of a fortified city. Safe, but completely devoid of any animal or plant life. Ashlynn hated that period in her life.
She shook those memories away. Those days are over. The war is over. And she is determined to enjoy her new life at Ever After High.
"Especially since this is the year I will be signing the Storybook of Legends," the princess thought.
She took another deep breath, this time breathing in the scent of roses and fairyberries. While she was happy she had the destiny she did, with a happy ending to glass shoe, she wasn't 100% sure how she felt about the whole 'being swept off her feet by a prince charming'. If Daring Charming and his extended family were anything to go by, most Prince Charmings were vain, a little stuck up, and had no interest in nature. Ashlynn sometimes found herself half-hoping that her destined prince would be more like Dexter than Daring.
"At least Dexter wasn't constantly using 5 cans of hairspray a day to get a 'perfect' tousled look." Ashlynn rolled her eyes at the thought.
Suddenly, Ashlynn hears a little squirrel laugh cut through the otherwise quiet air. She laughed to herself, squirrels were always little mischief makers, pulling pranks and causing trouble. She followed the sound, hoping the little animal didn't poke a larger creature into a rage that she would have to calm down.
As she rounded the clearing, however, she found quite a scene. On a branch, up high, a little squirrel wearing a tiny satchel, was throwing acorns down at a boy in dark green. The boy's hands and arms were thrown over his face to keep from an acorn giving him a black eye. He looked vaguely familiar.
"Pesky, stop that!" the boy laughed.
Laughed?
Most people don't laugh when a squirrel throws nuts at them, usually they either try to capture the squirrel or shoot them. But this boy was doing neither. In fact, he seemed to be having fun.
He laughed again, "Alright, alright, you win you little trickster! I give up!" He risked pulling his arm away from his face a held his hands up in the sign of surrender, "You got me!"
The squirrel laughed again, scurrying down from the tree he was in and then up the boy's pants and shirt until he was nuzzling their cheeks together. The boy happily nuzzled the squirrel back.
Ashlynn felt her heart warm at the sight, "They are so cute!"
Suddenly the little squirrel peered over the boys shoulder and saw her, squeaking quickly to alert the other human of her presence.
Before Ashlynn could leave, the boy turned and... Oh fairy godmother he was cute.
Warm hazel eyes, dark brown hair, beautiful lips.. He looked like he could be a prince!
The boy looked at her, surprise plain on his face. He titled his head and asked, "Aren't you a Royal?"
It was Ashlynn's turn to be surprised, "Uh - yeah. How did you know that?"
"I recognized you from the school tour," He replied, before narrowing his eyes a bit, "You're friends with Apple White, right?"
Ashlynn blinked, "Yes, I am." "What does that have to do with anything?", she wondered, before if finally clicked.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, "You're Dexter's Rebel room mate!"
A raised eyebrow played the boy's features - what was his name again? Before he shifted the little squirrel from his neck to his right shoulder, "Yup, that's me," he sighed. Ashlynn felt her cheeks go red at the memory of King Charming throwing a royal fit at Dexter rooming with a Rebel. Why did she blurt that out like that!?
The Rebel took a step towards her and reached out his hand, "Hunter, Hunter Huntsman" he introduced himself.
Ashlynn took his hand, feeling her heart flutter at how warm and strong it felt, "Ashlynn, Ashlynn Ella."
Hunter shook her hand, before asking, "So, what is a Royal princess like yourself doing all alone in the forest?"
Ashlynn placed her hands on her hips, just because she was a princess doesn't mean she was always in danger.
"Try telling your parents that." a small voice in her head said.
Ashlynn shoved the thought down, "But I'm not alone. The animals are here, if I'm in any danger, they'll help me." she paused for a minute, sneaking a glance at Hunter's arms, "Oh, and you are here too."
Hunter blinked in surprise, then smiled, "You are not what I hexpected," he laughed.
Ashlynn laughed too. As did the squirrel still on Hunter's shoulder.
"I'm Pesky, by the way," the little squirrel squeaked.
Ashlynn smiled, reaching out a finger for the squirrel to shake, "It's very nice to meet you too, Pesky"
Little Pesky chipped happily, while Hunter flashed her a amused look.
"I can understand and talk to animals," she explained, "Plus plants, pixies and fairies. It's a family talent, meant to help us in our story."
Hunter's eyes grew wide, "Really! That is so cool! I wish I could do that!"
Ashlynn smiled, feeling her cheeks go warm, "I'm sure you have your own talents."
A coy smile formed on Hunter's lips, "As a matter of fact.." He looked around the meadow the were in, before lifting Pesky off his shoulder, "Close your eyes, hold Pesky for a moment, and give me about 10 seconds."
Ashlynn took Pesky into her hands, who was giggling mischievously, and closed her eyes, wondering what Hunter could be doing. She mentally began counting down from 10.
When she reached zero, Ashlynn opened her eyes and found herself looking at a gorgeously made bench built with fallen branches, moss and vines.
Hunter gestured for her to sit down on it, "Don't worry," he reassured her, "it will hold."
Ashlynn sat down, and low and behold, it held.
Hunter sat down next to her, "For generations, my family used our talent for building things to make traps for animals," he looked at Pesky, who still comfortably sat in Ashlynn's hands, smiling fondly at the woodland critter, "I've been using it to create and build, instead."
Ashlynn felt her heart flutter again. What a gentleman!
She was about to say as much, when her Mirrorphone suddenly chimed. She pulled it out and looked at the time. It was almost 3:00!
She handed Pesky back to Hunter before hurriedly standing up, "I'm sorry, but I need to go. I promised a friend I'd help her with something."
A weird look crossed Hunter's face before vanishing just as quickly, "In that case," he stood up as well, "Me and Pesky will escort you out." He extended his hand towards her.
Ashlynn took his hand and let him lead her through the forest and back to the school. She hoped their paths would cross again.