The Archer's Legacy

★彡02|31 - "Who would've thought?"彡★

Jay stopped the car and all of them climbed out immediately.

"I'll get my bow," Y/n promised.

"And some sleep," Asher added, looking at her seriously.

"Ash—"

"Y/n, I need you to listen to me this once, okay?" Asher spoke over her and took her by the shoulders. Jay and Carlos took the signal and left the scene, the latter keeping an eye on Y/n as long as he could.

"I know how you get when you're tired," the son of Alice continued. "And it's not good — your attention span gets all weird and your emotions take control easily. I also know how much being a part of this group means to you so, please, before we go back there to fight, I need you to get some sleep."

"But what if I miss our leave?" Y/n asked doubtfully. It wouldn't be unlike Asher to not wake her up just to keep her safe.

"I promise I'll wake you," Asher said, as if reading her thoughts. "Then we'll get Ben, we'll stay for the Cotillion and then I have to talk with your mother. If she agrees to it, we'll stay here in Auradon."

"We'll stay for the Cotillion?"

"I did promise Jane," Asher smiled a bit. "Besides, you guys leaving cut our last date short so I have to make it up to her somehow. Has Carlos asked you out yet?"

"Yes, he— Wait, how did you know that?" Y/n furrowed her brows, looking at her friend confusedly.

"It was clear as day that you liked each other, it was bound to happen," Asher shrugged before walking in another direction. "I have to see to some stuff for a moment so go get some sleep, princess. I'll come wake you when we have to leave."

Y/n nodded before carefully going to her and Lonnie's room. The latter hadn't, thankfully, yet woken up for her morning fencing time so Y/n could sneak in without being too suspicious. Having considered it for a moment, she decided to sleep in the same clothes she was wearing, just ditching the jacket and hiding it carefully so Lonnie wouldn't see it and figure out what was going on. After all, it would come as a threat to the country's moral safety if anyone learned that Ben was away before he was back.

Feeling a bit bad about possibly getting her bedsheets dirty from the soil on her clothes, Y/n tucked herself in, thinking about the whole ordeal. It did seem like Asher had taken an unexpected liking to Auradon, much like her, but she also knew first-hand how dutiful the boy could be when it came to serving his home country. Yes, technically, Asher was a Wonderlander by birth but having grown up alongside Y/n in the North, his heart belonged there as well. That, however, made him more bound to be responsible in front of the crown, the highest power of which was still in Queen Merida's hands, and despite how well Y/n and Asher did or didn't get along, the latter was still held responsible in front of the country. And that he couldn't fail.

But Y/n didn't want to fail either. She didn't want to fail in her wordless promise to stay in Auradon at least until she graduated. It was an unsaid understanding that at some point the group would have to part ways but it also seemed like nobody wanted it to be earlier than in two years' time.

With such thoughts swirling in her head, she fell asleep, safely covered in her blanket.

Meanwhile, Carlos and Jay had just chased Chad out of their room and sat down to wait.

"You finally did it, bro," Jay smiled. "You're lucky you have someone like her."

"Yeah, I know," Carlos smiled softly. "I can't believe she said yes, anyway! I mean she's a princess and I'm from the Isle," Carlos emphasised, feeling quite over the moon as his smile only widened. "Who would've thought?"

Jay raised a quizzical brow. "Ben's a king and Mal is also from the Isle."

That made Carlos frown and he leaned forward thoughtfully. "And she went back. Do you think that one day I'll want to go back, too? I hope not, it would break Y/n's heart..."

Jay snorted. "Knowing you, you'll never do anything to break her heart. Now let's stop with this talk before I get sick of it."

Carlos laughed at the sentiment. "Alright, but remember that you brought it up, not me. And besides, I'm sure you'll understand someday."

"I already told you, I'm going solo!"

It was Carlos' turn to raise an eyebrow. "Is that code for with Lonnie?"

"Oh, shut up!"