Con Man and Princess [ IkariShipping/Paul x Dawn ]

dreams & realisations

It was an enormous room, glimmering with riches galore. Children and grown men and women alike were all dancing to the same haunting melody. They all wore jewels of every kind, shining bright in Dawn's eye as they twirled around and around. The same giggling young boy she had seen just last night eyed her. She called out, taking a step back. "Who are you? Every night you come!"

The boy grew into a familiar, bearded man. He called, "And we will until you remember us!"

The ballroom transfigured itself into a dark bedroom. Dawn found herself sitting on the bed until a woman entered, her heels clicking against the beautiful tile. "Have you said your prayers, darling? Remember that God is everything." The odd woman bent down and kissed Dawn's forehead, "Sweet dreams."

That same young boy returned to her, jumping on the same bed. He questioned the teen excitedly, "Can I tell you a secret? I'm going to die soon!" He paused and looked expectantly to the girl's oceanic orbs, "Do you have a secret?"

"I don't know who I am," Dawn found herself murmuring.

"That's silly! Everyone knows who they are!"

Suddenly the room turned red, as everyone before her scattered at the sound of a bomb. All Dawn knew was that she couldn't move, only to hear a harsh whisper, "You should be dead too."

+++

"AHHH! Oh god!" She was sobbing, shaking at the nightmare.

"Dawn?" Paul yelled.

Through the tears, Dawn managed, "The voices keep coming back!"

"And that's all they are--voices." Paul was trying to reason with the girl, "You were having a nightmare."

"Stay with me Paul? I'm so frightened."

Paul hesitantly sat down next to the girl. There was barely enough room for just her, but he obeyed her request, slowly putting his arm on her shoulder. "Is that... better?"

The girl put her head into her knees, trying to calm her restless heart. "Who do you think I am, Paul?"

The boy chose his words carefully. "If I were the Dowager Empress, I would want you to be Platinum."

The blunette looked up to the boy who'd made such an effort to get her here. "You would?"

"I would want her to be a beautiful, strong, intelligent, young woman."

"Is that what you think I am?"

"It's what you've become."

Dawn could only smile, blushing. Luckily for the both of them, the room was dark, and they could barely make out each other's figures. "Well, thank you."

"...You're welcome."

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever pay me a compliment." They both met each other's eyes, only able to see them through the reflection of the moonlight in Paul's illustrious orbs. "Do you really think I could be her?"

"I want to believe you were that little girl who I saw many years ago."

"I don't understand."

And there was a pause until Paul decided to speak up. "It was June. I was about nine. I saw Platinum in a parade, with the rest of the Berlitz family. Even back then she seemed like a queen, sitting straight and waving to that crowd. There must have been thousands of us."

"I--"

"--I called out her name, and started to run towards them. I pushed passed all of the guards and looked up, to see her smiling at me." He chuckled slightly, "The parade went on and she was gone within minutes, but if I was still nine, I would have found her again."

Dawn merely smiled up at the boy, "You're making me feel I was there too."

"Maybe you were! Make it a part of your story."

"Okay..." Dawn strung some thoughts together, speaking to Paul. "It was a hot day, and there were so many people. I was so nervous, but my father told me not to be. I was shaking as I waved. We had already seen thousands of people when a boy caught my eye." Paul laughed at her words. "He was thin and not too clean. He ran in between the guards and reached out with his hand--to me. I tried so hard not to smile, but I did anyway. And then--" The girl gasped.

Paul urged her to continue, "And then..."

"He bowed!"

Paul sat up quickly and with defense. "I didn't tell you that!"

Dawn looked into his eyes and murmured, "You didn't have to! I remember!" She immediately clutched onto the boy before her, saying, louder this time, "I remember!"

The boy tried to hide his shock from the girl, jokingly bowing before the blunette. "Your Highness."