Ash brimming with confidence... didn't spark me with a lot of confidence.

Out of simple pure curiosity, obviously, I asked her just how great the average Elf was when it came to swimming.

"As well as anybody else, I'd imagine," She mused, stretching both arms high into the air, causing my eyes to wander low ever so slightly. "We tend to stay mostly inland, in environments that only a sparse few would habitat, burrows, deserts even, as to avoid contact with foreign races, to reside anywhere near lakes or ponds would only defeat the purpose, and as such, we ... are you still heeding my words, Master?"

"Hmm, hah?" She stopped stretching and coincidentally, that's when I also stopped staring. "Ah, as best I can, yes."

Ash, however, rose a dubious brow. "You were staring."

"Respectfully," I said to my defense. "As I always do."

"Always?" Her brow rose even higher. "Implying what, exactly, Master?"

"Nothing at all," I said, smiling blankly. "Anyway, right, uh, how about the average Knight, they any better?"

"Any better," She softly repeated. "You so innocently, unknowingly inquired.. mmhmm.."

Half-drunk smugness was a dangerous smugness, meaning to say, seeing Ash silently smile at that question.. I should probably proceed with caution.

One end of the lake to the other. That's a big, vast gap of open water separating the two, but it was possible, I've done it at least three-four times before.. only I always ended up nearly collapsing at the bank in sheer exhaustion.

"Well then, Master," Ash said, eyeing me so haughtily. "Shall we?"

I felt my feet touch the soft sand of shallow waters, and after aligning myself even with her position, met her haughtiness with a bravado of my own.

"You must have a pretty nice reward in mind," I remarked. "You care to share?"

"Oh, Master, Master ~ " She cooed, smiling her most expressive, her most mischievous yet. "There is no point in divulging my intent if it's still yet to be decided, right?"

"To me, it sounds like you've already decided anyway."

She directed her focus pointing forward, towards the faint distant shoreline in the horizon, and giggled. "We shall see."

There was no sound of the whistle to kick things into gear, nor even a starting pistol going off. One second, Ash was here and the next, I felt a cold, wet shockwave splashing, rippling, sending me staggering and spitting out the taste of salt from my tongue.

"Cheater!" I shouted, smiling, and still spitting, before immediately giving chase to the distinct tuft of snowy-white cutting through the lake like a motorboat, leaving a trail of foam and bubbles in her wake.

By the time I left the starting line, she was more than halfway through the race already. Know how I know? Because when I came up for some air, I could see her there floating stagnant in the tide, her wide green eyes staring as if taunting.

"For your consideration, my dear Master," I heard her shout. "You may also order me to concede defeat shall you ever feel the need! It is a readily available option to you."

I heaved, I chuckled. "Okay, now you're just being mean."

"Mean? Me, mean? Mmm?" I saw her wryly cock her head from afar. "Your happiness is worth immeasurably more than my own. How is that cruel? Shall you wish it, victory is assuredly yours guaranteed. I will see to it! So, Master, what exactly is it that you desire? What would bring you your happiness? Ask, and I shall act as so."

Heaving heavier, swimming faster, I breathlessly spoke, "Finish the race, Ash."

All I saw last was a brief parting smile below her bright, sparkling eyes, before I was blasted back by another wave of waves, sending me swaying back and forth like a stray plank of wood that broke off of a sinking ship thanks to a thunderstorm.

In hindsight, maybe I should have mentioned some stipulations like no mythical Elf-Knight mobility to start. What a tryhard. Still, the fact that she was even trying this hard.. she must really wanna win this bad, real bad.

If somebody was keeping time with a stopwatch, I'd wager to guess that whatever the fastest time was prior, Ash had already beaten it partway through the race.. meanwhile, unsurprisingly enough, I was even coming up bronze.

Why did I even want this race, again?

By the time I managed to reach landfall, I was practically crawling through the shore, swearing fervently I'll never swim again, and it was there, face smushed in damp sand, that I saw the outline of a shadow looming over me.

It shuffled, it shifted, and I felt a small warmness lift me, move me, and the next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes to glimmering emerald lights from above, a damp cascade of pure white swaying in locks, and a tender, loving expression staring right back at me.

I felt something lightly stroke my hair, swiping away the loose strands falling over my eyes, before promptly continuing as before. Speaking of, I could feel myself resting on something soft, very, very soft, and also, very, very supple. When I tried to turn my head to adjust, I heard a light, surprised gasp, and I felt my makeshift pillow squirm from under me.

"Master," Ash muttered, a streak of red burning across a face suppressing a meek smile. "That tickles.."

Never once in my short few years living life could I ever imagine being in a situation such as this. I look at Ash, I see her in her entirety, her body, her face, her most vulnerable, her most purest, and it just felt like a dream.. the best dream.. and if that's what this really was all along, then please.. never wake me up again.

"Mmm," I could feel the fatigue rapidly ebbing away from my sore muscles. "A source of comfort and peace, you said before? To stroke me, to tend to me.." I smiled back at her. "Soon, later, sometime, and next time, as I recall?"

"Indeed, Master."

"Looks like you got your wish."

"And that I did," She continued to glide her fingers across my hair. "And this experience is even better than I could possibly imagine."

Neither of us wanted to move, the sun could have set and could have risen in an endless, eternal cycle, and we'd still be perfectly content as we were.. for a long while I just rested, letting her gently caress me into a bliss like no other. After all, with a view like the one looming before me now, who in their right would ever stray their eyes again?

"Master," I heard her coyly whisper after a while. "Am I perhaps distracting you in any way, perchance?" Ash hunched closer when she said, hovering, wobbling, dangerously at that.

"No," I said, innocently. "In fact, I think you're just fine where you are."

Ash giggled again, "So, I see I found your favorite aspect about me, Master," and I noticed she wasn't slurring her words anymore. "That is good to know."

"Your amazing, wonderful personality?" I suggested.

"Indeed," She said, nodding along. "And perhaps, along with some others, yes?"

"Your smile?"

Then, as if in cue, she smiled even wider. "Yes, of course."

It was an indefinite process of seeing who could smile the widest, every word we spoke to each other, I could feel my heart pressing hard, and no doubt, knowing her, she was feeling it tenfold.

"Have I told you before how beautiful you are, Ash?"

"Indeed, you have," She said, blushing again. "I remember every instance."

"Well, you're gonna have countless more to remember," I said, reaching out to stroke the red in her cheeks. "Because I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying it."

"You flatter me, Master..."

"No," I shook my head. "I just really love you."

Really, I seriously wish we could have lingered like this forever.. but alas, there's still work to be done, a lot of work.. and until I have that settled, I'll never be able to completely invest myself into anything else.

"So, anyway, it was a very close match there, but it appears you won, congrats," I said, giving her a quick congratulatory applause. "As promised, for a change, your wish is my command, my lovely, loyal, Master."

"Ash," She corrected. "That's my name, and I refuse to be called by anything else."

"Alright, done," I nodded in full understanding. "So, what's your real wish, my lovely, loyal, Ash?"

Her ears gave a twitch, and slowly her gaze drifted to the peaceful scenery that surrounded us. historical

"This place," She began, speaking fondly. "It reminds me of Asteria, the province of Astra, when I am sent out for my duties, the forest becomes my home. The night sky my roof, the soft grass my bed. I never acknowledged it before, but those moments, those quiet, peaceful nights.. I cherished them, deeply I do."

Ash stopped, lowering her eyes back towards me once more. "Which is why, just for a time, just for a night.. I wish to relive those moments once more, and to share them.... with you."

I blinked. "You want to.. spend the night here?"

"Tonight," She affirmed.. "I wish to spend tonight with you."