Ashleah quickly walked to the nearest tree and hid behind it. With a bright smile on her face, she waited for the bear to come closer to them, her eyes wandered around and saw that Nash was on a branch of tree a little far from her.
He nodded his head, giving her signals that she should start the attack now. When she nodded back, the two smiled when they finally felt the same nervousness and excitement that they felt years ago.
She quickly fixed her posture and held her bow tightly, waiting for the bear to move closer to her. Ashleah smirked and glanced at the bear, finally releasing the arrow, the bear quickly roared loudly as it felt the pain when the arrow landed on it's stomach.
Nash quickly jumped off the branch and smiled as he swooped out his sword and quickly stabbed the bear's neck. The bear had it's last screams and roars before loosing it's balance and die.
And with that, Ashleah ran to it and slowly caressed it's fur and kissed it's head and whispered. "I'm sorry, rest in piece." she then stood up and looked at Nash. "Well, you did the last part. Put the color of your cloth on the bear's feet."
"Nah, you were the first one who attacked it." He answered back without even looking at her because he was putting his sword back to where it belongs.
"But still, you helped me."
Nash sighed and looked directly at Ashleah's eyes and smiled. Ashleah felt her heart skipped it's beat, as she tried avoiding his gaze. Looking at the bear, Nash suddenly spoke.
"Well then, let's wrap both of our cloths. That seems fair right?" He tilted his head, trying to get a glance of the blushing Ashleah.
"O-Okay!" She answered, Ashleah cursed inside her mind. She was trying her best not to stutter! But what now? Look at her stuttering because of Nash!
"Give me the cloth." Nash said, as he wrapped his cloth, Ashleah gave her the cloth. After that he stood up proudly, with glittering eyes and a smile that you would just end up smiling too, Ashleah ended up giggling.
"By the way, have you seen Axis?" Her eyes wandered around the forest, trying to see and feel if there was someone watching over them. You can never tell what nobles in this kind of era can do.
"Yep, he's having a lot of fun." He chuckled, as he leaned and sat down on a tree beside him. "By the way, any news about your investigation about... them?"
Nash was closing his eyes with relaxed lips, feeling the sweet and soft breeze of the air, Ashleah was left there standing inches away from him. Looking at his relaxed and peaceful face, a small yet cute smile appeared on her face.
"Nothing yet, but I heard some knights talking about something earlier." And with that, Nash quickly opened his eyes and met her eyes. He waited for Ashleah to continue what she was going to say. "It was something that I guess we don't know about."
He furrowed his eyebrows and with a confused, puzzling look in his eyes Nash stood up and started patting his clothes to remove the dirt on it. "Well then, let's find out what that something is."
"Oh, we ain't hunting anymore?" She pouted her lips making Nash laugh. "I'm kidding! Shut it stop laughing!" She was about to hit him, but he quickly stopped her, holding her wrist with the same strength she was using Ashleah smiled.
Nash was always like this, he didn't want overpower her because that may hurt her, but he doesn't look down on her too. And with that, they both started talking about other things.
"HAHAHAHA!" Nash laughed out loud. Ashleah scoffed and threw a falling leaf to him. "Stop throwing leaves at me!"
"Shut up and stop teasing me! Let's go!" She was pulling him, but the lazy and childish Nash didn't even bother to move! "Are you a stubborn kid or what?"
He continued to laugh, and with that Ashleah was about to walk away from him. Pissed of course, her pursed lips and glaring eyes avoided his teasing gaze. She quickly turned around and was ready to walk away but suddenly.. she felt someone holding her wrist, and that someone was still laughing his ass off!
"Hey hey, wait HAHAHA I'm just kidding!" He said as he quickly started walking. Ashleah shook her head and just continued walking behind him.
The sun was now setting down, they both failed to look for clues. But in the end, they saw Axis. Both wanted to keep Axis on their side just to make sure that nothing bad happens to him again.
"Axis, did ya have fun?" Nash said while eating some berries that he found out of nowhere. Axis smiled and nodded in response.
"Guys! Look up." Excitedly pointing up the sky like he was a little baby, Ashleah and Nash looked up and saw the beauty of the sky. The colors of the sunset was amazing.
"Wish I have a phone with me." Ashleah accidentally blurted out, making Nash who was eating berries, widen his eyes and choke. He started coughing, Axis quickly gave him some water and with that Nash looked at her with widened and teasing eyes.
"Ashleah, what's a p-pho?? phone!" Axis looked back at her, making Nash laugh again while drinking water.
"It's nothing!" Ashleah quickly walked beside Nash and pinched his arm, making him groan. Axis gave them a weird look, his right eyebrow was raised with a grinning smile plastered on his angelic face.
Nash quickly glared at Axis for he knew what the guy was thinking. "Axis, don't you dare!" He said, making Ashleah look at the both of them confused and worried that they might start fighting or what!
"Hey, if you guys are going to fight or what. Shut up and let's just go. You guys ruined the mood." Her feet was about to move away from them, but Axis started laughing making Nash pout like a small kid.
"HAHAHAHA!" he was laughing so hard that his hands were placed on top of his stomach, small tears were escaping his eyes due to laughter. "Ashleah, don't think about it! It's a guys thing right?"
Ashleah gave Nash a look if Axis was being serious, with a pouty lips and puppy dog eyes and a messy pitch black hair, Nash nodded in response. A sigh of relief escaped the princess' mouth. "Well then, let's start moving, I bet the competition is now soon ending."
Meanwhile, while the trio was heading back to the start of the hunting competition. Everyone was still uneasy about the princess joining the competition. It was obvious that they don't think that the princess has the guts to kill!
A marquess that was currently talking to the Emperor blurted out something. "My, my. His Majesty thinks highly of his daughter to let her join the competition." The other Duke's and Marquess' who heard what he said giggled beside him.
Making the Emperor, Gab, Kian ticked. The emperor gave them the fakest smile ever that he can do. Kian held Gab's shoulder as for he was ready to smack their faces off.
"My, I do think that you are thinking very lowly of her highness." Everyone stopped, it was like the time stopped! Aziel with a bright and cute smile plastered on his face made the men that were talking about stuffs behind their own princess' back shut their mouths.
"Oh dear, I didn't know that the Imperial Palace was now an orphanage for kids like you, young man." A duke in his 60's answered, with a proud smile on his face, he never thought that the young man he was trying to offend will backfire him.
"And I didn't know that you were talking about the Imperial Palace like it was some kind of orphanage in front of his Majesty." A proud smile appeared on his Majesty's face as he saw that his daughter did teach this young boy right. The Duke was about to answer the young man, but suddenly a giggle from a far was heard.
"My, are we the first ones who finished the hunt?" The princess, with blood on her clothes, with a messy hair, and not so oily face appeared right in front of them. "Oh my! I look so un-elegant." She laughed while getting a wet towel from her nanny.
'Today is really something fun' Ashleah thought.