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The princess inhaled a deep breath of the cool, night air. The sky was clear and beautiful, showing the stars, twinkling like a million little fairy lights in the sky. Like silver glitter spilled over an inky black ocean.
She wondered if the stars were the same in every world. In every universe that existed alongside her own. She wondered if the stars she looked upon in her world were the same in his. If they shone as bright, or if they twinkled quite the same way. She wished she had paid more attention in the past.
"Your highness! We have recieved a letter addressed for you!" Came a timid voice, belonging to one of her many servants, who handed her a letter with trembling hands.
They all acted so afraid to offend her, even though she tried to the utmost of her ability to be a kind and patient sovereign. She hoped it was simply due to the nature of their job throughout the generations, and not something that she had personally done to frighten them so.
She dismissed the young servant, giving him a bow, and thanking him. He bowed his head in return, before shuffling his way awkwardly back down the hall. The princess let out a sigh. She should have been used to this behaviour by now, but she couldn't erase the sting it left somewhere deep within her every time it happened.
She looked down at the letter still in her hands. It was written on traditional, royal parchment, but the handwriting was far from regal. It was messy, as if it had been written within no more than a second. She smiled, knowing that such a crude display of penmanship could only belong to one person. Her suspicions were further proven when she opened the letter in question, filled with even more barely legible handwriting.
Princess Blaze,
How are you? I hope you're holding up okay.
If you have a free minute, how about we meet up? I'll be in the gardens waiting for you.
-Sonic
What a cunning fool. He had known that she would be unable to deny him from the start, considering that he never even waited for a response before he showed up, waiting to meet her.
Blaze let out a long, exasperated sigh, although she was unable to hide the smile on her face, and the rose tinge hiding behind white-furred cheeks.
She moved to change her clothes, She wasn't going to go out in her pyjamas! She put on comfortable trousers and a top, something, that while it still looked elegant atop her feminine frame, was definitely unbefitting of a princess. Her council would definitely not approve of her in this, but she knew Sonic would not mind. And it made slipping out of the window a much easier task.
She took out a row of tied-together bedsheets, throwing them out the window, and scaling down the wall. She already had them prepared, hidden where the servants could not find them. She was long-used to this routine of being outside of the palace when she really wasn't supposed to be, and very good at executing her daring escapes without being caught.
After hiding her makeshift climbing rope in some foliage, Blaze made her way around to the garden, making sure to avoid the watchful eyes of any of her dutiful guards. She was grateful for how hard they worked, and how thorough they were in their efforts to protect her, but she also couldn't help but feel irritated at them in moments like these, where getting past them undetected was made all the harder by their precision and dedication to their roles.
However, she by some miracle managed to make it past them, just like she always did. It made her wonder what would happen if she was one day caught. The thought was both morbidly exhilerating and understandably terrifying.
She wandered around the unguarded garden interior, filled with so many wonderous plants, the smells of them all dancing around in the air, intoxicating her senses with almost sickening sweetness. She wasn't quite sure where the illusive prince of another world had wanted her to meet him, so she wandered aimlessly, hoping that fate would will her to bump into him.
Or to be pulled unexpectedly through a bush, into a small corner of the garden. She let out a scream, before a gloved finger was put softly to her lips, a familiar voice shushing her gently.
"You...! If you're not more cautious then we're going to be caught!" She scolded him in a hushed voice.
The charming blue hedgehog before her let out a quiet chuckle.
"Good evening to you too, my fair Princess." He greeted with an overly exaggerated bow, which almost caused him to fall forwards, "And might i mention that you look stunning as ever?"
Blaze felt her chest tighten, and her face flush. She tried to remain composed, but she had to concede that her heart wasn't really in it. Composure was nothing in the presence of Sonic The Hedgehog, even though he was royalty, just as she was.
"Be serious." She said, barely holding back her laughter, "What brings you to my kingdom this evening, your majesty?"
Sonic snorted. "Please, the day i actually hold a title that formal is the day my life ends."
"Your mother is getting on in years."
"Don't remind me." He rolled his eyes, waving his hand dismissively. "That's a topic i'd rather not think about for as long as possible."
Sonic was like that. He tended to avoid things that made him uncomfortable, until they became problems that were so big that he could no longer ignore them, and they became mountains compared to the molehills that they started out as.
Unlike Blaze, he didn't actually rule his kingdom, that distant country on the other side of the cosmos. He had a healthy, albeit ageing mother who ruled as its queen, with him next in line for the throne.
She wasn't sure if she envied him or not. Blaze had ascended the throne at the young age of 15, after her family had passed on in a tragic incident. One that had endangered both hers and Sonic's world, and that had been the reason for their first meeting, so many moons ago. But while Blaze had been thrown into this role, and known it for years now, Sonic was in a state of limbo. Never knowing when his time to ascend the throne would be. Always having to wonder if today would be the day he would both grieve for his mother, and have to lead a whole kingdom, and two younger siblings to her burial.
"Y'know, i'm tempted to run away. To grab you by the hand and whisk us both away to a place where neither of us have to have the weight of the world on our shoulders.." Sonic said, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently, as if the energy to do just that was already buzzing in his muscles.
"But i can't just leave Manic and Sonia like that. And i don't think you'd want me to do that. Even if the whole Princess thing is heavy on you, as well." He said with a sigh, that held as much weight as his words.
Blaze shook her head. "No, i wouldn't. But i fully understand your reasoning."
Sonic hummed in agreement, before uncrossing his arms and throwing himself down on the grass.
"So, did you come here just to complain about your position, or is there another reason you came to see me?" Blaze asked, carefully sitting down onto the floor, the action so light that it could feasibly have been performed without even bending a single blade of the grass underneath her.
"What, i can't just come and see you unless i have a reason?" Sonic scoffed.
"Well, it is quite irresponsible, crossing dimensions simply out of impulse."
"Right. So you expect me to be responsible now." Sonic said, sarcasm dripping like honey from that ever sweet voice of his.
"Of course not." Blaze laughed. "So, how did you manage to get out without them noticing, let alone come all the way here? No offense, but i'm guessing you're not trusted by the castle workers at home as much as i am."
"I have my ways." Sonic said, throwing his head back with a cocky grin. "Manic's an easy bribe. And a great distraction."
"Sonia won't be happy. Neither will your mother." Blaze pointed out.
"That's only if they find out."
"And knowing you two, they definitely will."
"Hey! That's... probably true." Sonic relented, his smile going from cocky to nervous.
Blaze laughed again, having to cover her mouth when she realised just how loud she was being. Sonic thought it extremely endearing. He grinned from ear to ear at just the sound of her full, uncontained laughter. He wanted so badly to get her to make that sound more often. To break down her walls, and reveal the kind, yet adventure-hungry girl that he had met those years ago.
Years ago.. when Blaze and Sonic had quite literally saved the world together. Well, not just one world, but two. Their two dimensions had threatened to combine into one, caused by the evils of two wicked men, one of whom each resided from Sonic and Blaze's worlds respectively. The blackhearted warmongerers had come, trying to overthrow the royal families and rule both dimensions for themselves. But within the time of impending disaster, both Sonic and Blaze had discovered their own powers, given them by birthright, and defeated the two evils, cementing their places on their respective thrones.
"But, i've spoken enough about myself." Sonic said, and Blaze doubted those words slightly, coming from the vain, yet charming prince. "How about you, Blaze? How have things been over here?"
"Things have been well." She replied, and although this should have been good news, she looked disappointed.
"And things have also been very... quiet."
"In other words, boring." Sonic drawled out, making Blaze chuckle slightly.
"Yes, you're right. I'm happy that my kingdom is peaceful, but.."
"But you kinda wish you had something to save it from again, right?" Sonic finished her sentence, and Blaze nodded, hanging her head in shame.
"I get it. Adventure is addictive. Power is addictive. Having all this power, meant for protecting others, and not getting to use it? It's driving me crazy, and i still have some freedom. I can't imagine what it must be like for you."
"Indeed, it is maddening." Blaze agreed "Sometimes i feel like burning down this whole garden."
Sonic laughed, before saying in a faux dire tone, "Please don't. You might have your fire resistance, but me? I'm totally defenseless against heat."
Blaze lit a small fire in her hand, waving it towards Sonic, who dramatically cowered away from it
"Aw come on, you? Sonic The Hedgehog, hero of Mobius, afraid of a little fire?" She teased.
"Guards! Help! Your princess is trying to attack me after i trespassed on her property!" Sonic quietly screamed.
Blaze extinguished the flame in her hand, Beginning to pinch Sonic's chest, her hands still pleasantly warm to the touch as he tried desperately to stay quiet, and undetected by the still-prowling guards.
"Okay, okay! Cut it out, already, your highness! I give in!"
"You're sure? You don't want to keep on fighting just a little while longer?" Blaze goaded, continuing to pinch and poke him relentlessly.
"Positive! Now stop it!!"
"As you wish." Blaze relented, ceasing her attack as Sonic tried desperately to catch his breath.
After taking a moment to catch his breath, Sonic pushed himself up from the floor, standing up and stretching dramatically before extending a hand down to Blaze. She accepted his hand, allowing him to pull her up from the grass below.
"There's something i wanna show you." He said, earning him a curious look from the princess. "But we're gonna have to be quiet."
"What could you possibly have to show me in my own garden?" Blaze asked him, an incredulous look on her face.
"Just come with me, and i'll show you." Sonic replied with a confident smirk. "I promise it'll be worth your time."
Blaze kept a hold of Sonic's hand, as he lead her out towards the center of the garden. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she glanced around the area in terror that they might be caught. Sonic, however, didn't even seem to be breaking a sweat. She wondered if he really was that confident that they could stealth their way through, or if he was just too dull to realise how much of a risk he, and by extension, Blaze, was taking. Regrettably, she could see either option being the correct one.
Finally, they stopped in a large clearing in the middle of the garden, decorated by a giant fountain, that even this late at night, flowed with water which was as clear as crystal. Both Blaze and Sonic shuddered slightly, as the water, chilled to an almost freezing temperature by the night air, misted over them gently, the cold made worse by the slight breeze of the evening.
"Now, just wait here." Sonic directed Blaze, releasing her hand from his. Walking a few steps away from her before adding, "And close your eyes!"
Blaze did as she was told, going the extra mile by not only closing her eyes, but covering them with her hands as well. Sonic giggled slightly to himself, a combination of seeing the over-the-top display given by the princess, and the giddiness he felt at showing her the surprise he had in store.
Putting aside, but not forgetting about his undying admiration for the woman standing in front of the fountain, still covering her eyes, he stepped towards the shrubbery surrounding them on all sides, whispering an almost inaudible,
"I'm sorry for this.."
Before he ran his hands recklessly through the foliage, running around in a full circle, making sure he left no bush untouched. Once he was finished, and satisfied with his work, he ran back over to the princess, gently lifting her hands away from her eyes, the sudden touch causing her to jump slightly, before she allowed him to bring her hands back down to her sides and opened her eyes slowly.
She had to blink a few times to adjust to what must have been thousands of flickering lights, dancing across the night sky like stars that had somehow floated down to the Earth from the heavens. The misty droplets from the fountain, which once caused discomfort to the two, now added to the splendor of the display, the light of the countless fireflies reflecting beautifully off of the water, like starlight against the sea.
"It's beautiful..." Blaze whispered, almost choking for the sudden feeling of breathlessness that overcame her. She turned to Sonic, enchantment in her eyes, and leaking into her voice. "How did you even know they were here?"
Sonic laughed, sounding anxious all of a sudden.
"I might've.. fallen into one of those bushes earlier while trying to escape from one of your guards."
Blaze had to resist the urge to snort.
"It exploded into a bunch of fireflies, and then that got me wondering what would happen if i riled them all up at once. I'm kinda glad i tested that theory now."
It was a crude method of discovery, especially for something so romantic in nature. But it was also so unmistakeably, undeniably Sonic. And that somehow made the event even more joyful.
She took his hand in her own, leaning her head gently against his shoulder. An embrace, even though she hadn't technically wrapped her arms around him. He smelled so wonderfully of sunflower. Such a bright, cheerful flower that perfectly captured him.
"Thank you." She breathed, "You were right, this was worth the time. And the risk."
"Glad to hear it." Sonic responded, grateful that Blaze couldn't see him blushing all the way to his ears.
"Princess Blaze! Princess Blaze, where are you?!"
As the last of the fireflies dispersed into the air, their moment was interrupted by the distressed shouting of the guards, coming from the palace.
"Damn, i guess they finally noticed my absence." Blaze grumbled, clicking her tongue in annoyance.
"Wow, how regal of you, your highness." Sonic teased, commenting on her crude choice of words.
"Oh, hush." Blaze scolded him, but both of them knew it wasn't serious. "You should get going, before the guards find you and i'm left to talk you out of a prison-cell."
"Right, right, of course." Sonic agreed. "But i will be back someday, to claim your hand in marriage, my love."
"You know that can't happen." Blaze said with a downtrodden look. "Your world needs you, as mine needs me. We cannot abandon our duty to our kingdoms as their sole protectors-"
"Hey," Sonic began, putting a hand under Blaze's chin, lifting it up so that her eyes met his own. "I'll make it work, somehow. I always do."
"You're delusional." Blaze shot back at him, but the smile on her lips and the blood pooling behind her cheeks betrayed her.
"Maybe. But that doesn't mean i'm giving up." Sonic responded, planting a chaste kiss onto Blaze's lips before running off into the forest.
And as much as Blaze knew that their love was forbidden, impossible, and extremely selfish in its nature, part of her still wanted to believe him when he said that he would come back and marry her someday.