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"..."
The Barkingburg, the once proud yet quiet kingdom where she has no choice but watch as it destroyed and surrounded by fire before her eyes. Diana was on her knees, hopelessly unable to do as it spread further. Circling her around until the point there's no escape from this hell.
"The princess of Barkingburg? Isn't she too naive to rule the Barkingburg?" A familiar yet unpleasant voice echoed in her mind, which cause her to immediately to close her ears.
"Yeah, it didn't help much that she's the youngest and the only legitimate child here who can take the throne." Another voice speak up, which she close her eyes as the voices become louder and louder.
"If only she wasn't chosen by that old hag... I would immediately get rid of her!"
"Honestly, she only good at using swords and that's it. Beside that, she's too childish and emotional compared to other children here..."
"Whatever, it doesn't matter if she or that useless Duke rule the Barkingburg in the end. Either way, we're be the one who control the kingdom. Those kids are nothing but puppets."
"Girls aren't suitable to be leaders, why is she taking control of the Barkingburg?!"
"Don't worry about that useless good for nothing child, all we need is to make a scene and put the blame on her. Then we can make her look unsuitable to be a ruler so we can give it to him, though he's also a puppet to us."
"Diana! I command you, if you won't let me rule Barkingburg. Then I'll make sure no one else can!"
"Stop... Stop these voices!" Diana yelled and clenched her fists, trying to block the voices though it didn't help much. They become more louder, more unpleasant that it make her want to rip off her ears so she won't hear these mean voices ever again.
"Earl... Sweetie... Help me!"
As if a miracle appeared when she yelp for help, a masked girl appeared before her. Which cause the princess slowly open her eyes as she witnessed this girl putting the fire out with her wind power, for a moment. She didn't say anything, too stunned to speak as she lower her hands.
"Wait, Opal...?" She muttered a name under her breath, soft enough that you could mistaken as a whisperer.
The masked girl paused and turn around, where she can see the girl's violet eyes. Though she knew that this is her alter ego; Opal. It didn't surprise how Katie look so different that she didn't noticed the girl kneeling down to face her.
"Diana? Are you alright?" Opal speak up, placing her gloved hand on the princess's cheek while the mask cover her expression. Though you can see the worry reflected in those gaze...
"I'm fine..." The princess muttered and wiped a tear escape from her eyes. "I didn't expect you to be here, though..." She adds and let out a fake chuckle, but it sounds forced.
The masked girl softened her expression and shook her head. "Diana," She said the girl's name so softly. "It's time for you to be awake, someone is waiting for you to open your eyes in reality," she paused and chose her words carefully, slowly moving her hand to hold the girl's hand gently. "Don't worry about me, we'll met again in another dream."
"A peaceful dream where you won't be haunted by your past anymore."
Katie thankfully able to return to the princess's bedroom in time and detransform from Opal to herself, she feel her heart racing in a hundred miles as she awaits for the princess to be awakened. Hopefully Diana doesn't noticed that she's sweating a lot.
Okay, I should be waiting for her to open her eyes and be awake from her nightmare. The others should be done dealing with the nightmares... She pondered inside of her mind, at first. She wanted to join the others to defeat the nightmares, but Danny persist that she should kept an eye on Diana (even though she's the leader of the group).
"You should keep the princess safe, leave these bad nightmares to us!"
Those words are the last thing Amber said to her before she was forced to leave the realm by another member named Aquamarine, she knew keeping the kingdom safe is her job. And so is the princess, including her poor sanity.
...
Few minutes pass by, and the princess isn't awake. At first, Katie thought for a moment. Maybe she should go back and check on the others, the night is still young. After all, just as she about to took one step forward when someone suddenly hold her wrist.
"Don't... Go." Diana, who despite isn't awaken fully. Held the blonde girl's wrist with her head hanged low. "Not now, please..."
Katie have to pause and look over her shoulder. "Diana?" She muttered and immediately get closer to the sleeping girl. "You're not awake properly..." She scolded. "Diana, can you hear me?"
"Mhm, loud and clear." Diana muttered and nodded. "And I just had a nightmare, again." She adds and slowly wiped a tear from her eyes.
Katie look surprised and decided to sit on the bed beside the princess, making sure to not make a noise under this peaceful night. "A nightmare?" She repeat after her. "What is it about?" She ask gently, the moonlight shined down on her face.
Diana slowly rubbed her eyes to clear her vision and open them, where she saw the blonde girl sitting there. Waiting for her to speak up, which cause her pause. "Oh, right.. I need to explain you about my nightmare."
"So you had another nightmare about that?" Katie decided to ask and look thoughtful for a moment, the princess look a bit shy and her cheeks flushed. Neither of them speak up at first before Diana decided to break the silence.
"Katie, do you think... I'm a bad ruler?" Diana muttered and look down on her fists, which clenched the blanket and lower her head. "The nobles doesn't seem to agree that I should rule the Barkingburg, and my cousin is no exception to that." She continued. "I tried my best, Katie. I did, but nothing seem to satisfied them." She close her eyes.
"Katie, do you think I'm doing it wrong after all of these years? Even if I have the Earl on my side, they still see me as unsuitable to lead?" Diana continue further, tears roll down her cheeks. "The nobles here are cruel, it feels like I'm alone here with no one on my side." She choked and slowly open her eyes.
Katie have to pause and thought about it for a moment. "But, you have Sweetie and the Earl.. Right?" She speak up, though she not sure if those words should be said at the time like this.
"Yeah... I know, but." Diana stopped and close her eyes. "It feels lonely, so lonely..." She hugged herself to comfort herself. "But I don't want to wake them up because I have a nightmare."
"Katie..." Diana whisper and raise her head, her teary eyes met with the girl's. "Can you stay here? Just for the night?" The princess look up at the blonde girl with those eyes, almost similar to a abandoned puppy.
"Diana, you can't just—" Katie paused, at first she wanted to say that she's still busy. But the way Diana stare at her, not to mention the other members wanted her to company the princess instead. It didn't help much that Diana look like an abandoned puppy.
"Alright," Katie replied with a sigh and look at the window. "It's not like I can ignore a princess's order, especially when that princess need a company after a nightmare." She said and shook her head. "But it's comfort that you need, then I'll be more than happy to oblige." She stated and look at the ptincess with a small smile on her lips.
"Thank you, Katie." Diana responded with a wide smile on her lips, she gestured the blonde girl to sit beside her on the bed. "Come here."
Katie shook her head and stood up from the bed, where she slowly walk up to the front bed. "Excuse me, princess." She said before she get under the comfort. "Better?"
"Mhm, better." Diana nodded and leaned her head against the blonde girl's shoulder, no matter what nightmares that haunt her. Katie's presence is enough to push those bad dreams away from her mind, something she's grateful for. "Katie, have anyone told you that you like an angel?" She said so suddenly, which make the girl paused.
"H-huh?" Katie almost choked on the air she was breathing and shook her head. "Well, some of them did..." She tapped her cheek. "I'm not exactly popular as Ryder, but some people around my age have a crush on me." She said and look at the princess.
"Oh? I see." Diana muttered, though she sounds a bit jealous at first. But she shook it off, Katie has a lot responsibilities to bear and kind hearted. Just like Ryder, though compared to him. She feel more natural and comfortable with her, on her side. "But do they know you're taken?"
"Nope, not even the other kids knew about this." Katie replied and shook her head. "I'm afraid it will cause a scandal at the Barkingburg, and then the nobles will paint you in the bad light again..."
"I know," Diana muttered and close her eyes, her shoulders slumped for a moment as she slowly intertwined their fingers together. "But stay with me for now."
"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere." Katie reassured her and tightened her grip on the princess's hand, she leaned her head against Diana's head and close her eyes.
For a moment, neither of them didn't say a word and let themselves engulfed under this silent yet moonless night. But then Diana decided to break the silence.
"Katie," Diana start before she open her eyes. "Do you think... I'm taking advantage of you?" The question may look out of blue, buof she look solemn and continue. "I'm happy that the Paw patrol is willing to continue to save the Barkingburg, but others think, I'm taking advantage of the pups and you." She paused. "I don't know if I should say it, but other butlers and the maids has been talking behind my back. Saying how naive and childish I am." She lower her gaze and close her eyes. "But I don't act like that, do I?"
Katie paused and ponder for a moment, she tapped her cheek before she look at the princess. "I don't think you're childish, though you can be... A little naive sometimes." Which cause the princess to glare at her. "But you're not taking advantage of the Paw patrol or me," She stated with a smile on her lips. "The Paw patrol is happy to help everyone, that include you. Even if some missions can be hard for us, we'll always overcome it no matter what. No jobs too big, no pups too small."
Diana let out a hum and look forward. "No jobs too big, no pups too small..." She muttered and open her eyes. "I heard that coming from his mouth everytime we need his help," She let out a chuckle and look up at her. "I think I overshare... Again."
Katie shook her head. "That's fine, Diana." She paused and tapped her cheek. "What you usually do when you wake up from a nightmare?"
Diana's smile slowly wavered and lower her gaze. "I don't go back to sleep after that," She replied and close her eyes. "And since Sweetie is asleep, I don't want to burden her and hug myself in order to comfort myself."
"But if my mother is still alive, she would hug me and sing me a lullaby until I fall asleep." She adds, which make Katie surprised for a moment. "Your mother would sing you a lullaby?" She ask.
"Yeah." Diana nodded and open her eyes. "But it's awhile and I only a little bits of the lullaby." She paused. "I'm not sure what did she sing, but I'm pretty sure it start with fly me to the moon..."
"Fly me to the moon?" Katie immediately recognized the lyrics and her eyes widened. "I recognized the song, I can sing it for you if you want to!"
Diana look surprised for a moment. "Wait, you know that song?" She muttered, in which the blonde girl nodded. "You can sing it for me? That's... Thank you, Katie." She immediately embrace the girl with ocean eyes.
Katie is a bit aback by the sudden embrace, but she return the favor. "Your welcome, Diana." She replied and pull away from the hug. "Should I start singing now?" She ask for permission.
Diana slowly nodded, giving her the permission. "You may," She stated and slowly get herself comfortable, which she end up laying her head on the blonde girl's lap.
Katie nodded and slowly take deep breath, then she began to sing a lullaby. A lullaby that once bring her comfort when Diana is still innocent, once again lure her into another slumber. Where she hope her dreams will be peaceful this time as the princess slowly close her eyes.
"Fly me to the moon...
Let me play among the stars...
And let me see what spring is like...
On a Jupiter and Mars...
In other words, hold my hand...
In other words, baby, kiss me...
Fill my heart with song...
And let me sing forevermore...
You are all I long for...
All I worship and adore...
In other words, please be true...
In other words, I love you..."
It took few minutes for Diana to fallen asleep, her chest rise and fall as a tear escape from her eye. Katie let out a sigh and leaned down to gently press a kiss against the princess's forehead.
"Sleep well, ma chérie. Hope your dreams are forever peaceful." She muttered and decided to stay at the princess's side for tonight, though she held the girl's hand tightly. As if she was telling Diana she isn't going everywhere.
Morning came by, the sunlight shine through the window where it hits her face. Diana slowly awaken from her sleep and sit up on the bed, rubbing her eyes. "It's morning already...?" She muttered and look over her shoulder. "Katie, are you there?"
But Katie wasn't here, which make her a little disappointed before she noticed something on the nightstand. A note, along with a pink Iris flower and a plushie that seemed to resemble Katie, in an adorable way. The princess grabbed the note and start to read.
"Diana, if you're reading this. I'm sorry I can't stay by your side but I have an urgent emergency and the pups need my help. So I won't be there to company you, if you see a iris flower along with a plushie beside it. Those two are gifts from me.
- Katherine Cordelia Beaufort"
"So she left for an emergency..." Diana muttered and pick up the flower, she took a minute to smell the flower. It smells just exactly like Katie, which ease her worries before she noticed the plushie placed on it.
A plushie of her? Maybe she give me to me since she knew she can't exactly be around to company me here... She thought inside of her mind, she placed the iris flower in a vase and the note on the nightstand before she pick up the adorable replica of Katie.
Cute... She hummed and pat it's head, she has to admit. It's adorable, the way the plushie have that cheerful expression, the blush on the cheeks and the eyes. It didn't exactly look like Katie, which is obvious. Though it enough to make her forget about her loneliness and a smile appeared on her lips. It remind me of her, that's why she give me this...
While the princess is too busy gushing over the adorable plushie of her girlfriend, she didn't noticed that Sweetie. Who standing behind her look amused that her owner look happy over a plushie. But then she remember she also have one, so she can't exactly judge her poor owner.
I should get ready. Diana hummed to herself and place the plushie on the nightstand, she look at the window. Where the birds are chirping and the flowers blooming at the garden, she can see Katie and the Earl discussing about something. Though she can't hear it (which is obviously since she's farther away from their sight).
"See you later." Katie waves at the Earl and pull out her pup-pad, when she noticed someone staring at her and look over her shoulder. Which she saw Diana, and waved at her with a smile on her lips. "Hey, Diana!"
Diana slowly peek over the window and wave back, which Katie has to admit it's kind of adorable before she yelled out. "I'll be going, see you next time!"
The princess and yell out. "Stay safe!" As soon Katie disappeared from her sight, she let out a sigh and rest on the window. She remind me of an angel... She thought inside of her mind with a dreamy smile on her lips.
Sweetie noticed this and decided to tease her owner a little bit. "So... Who is this lucky girl that got you wrapped around her finger?" Which immediately snapped the princess out of her daydreaming.
"What a-are you talking about?" Diana retorted and look away. "She's like... A friend, a close friend of mine. Yeah, a friend." She tried to come up with a lie, though the pup can quickly see through it.
"Oh? Then why did she call you ma chérie last night?" Sweetie replied and raised an eyebrow.
Diana's expression become flushed as she tried to come up with a lie. "It's a things between friends, you know Katie like to tease me by calling me nicknames!"
"Achoo!" Katie immediately let out a sneeze when she's in the middle of the conversation with Carlos, which she cover it up with her arm
"Kats, you good?" Carlos ask, who look concern for his friend's state.
"I'm fine..." Katie muttered. "Yeah, I'm fine— Achoo!"