Waiting for Alimere
Just remembered I wrote this months ago. Now sharing here.
The sun was high above Southern Island as Blaze, Marine, and Lionel gathered at the island's dock for the arrival of an incoming ferry. In accordance with a message Blaze received from her mother some days ago the princess was to expect the arrival of a new selected advisor. If given the chance Blaze would object for the need of someone's aid but to her dismay the decision was made without her input and her mother was firm with her choice. The only thing for the princess to do was make the best of it. It would not be the first time she had to make due with such situations.
Upon sharing this news Marine was without doubt excited about the newcomer. Her optimistic and imaginative views towards the unknown made her start to ramble on about learning different languages, thinking what role the advisor could be on their ship, and a number of other things. If it weren't for Blaze's quick thinking telling her friend to wait and meet the newcomer first Marine would have continue to talk for hours. Unlike the young raccoon Lionel was neutral on the subject. Despite his past service for Blaze's ancestors the knight seemed to have little interest or knowledge in the subject of previous royal advisors. He could not remember their names, faces, or their contributions to the kingdom so asking for a comparison was fruitless. Blaze wanted to believe that he was lying figured it was best not to pry let the knight be without another word. Conspiring against Lionel's word was not going to aid in building trust with him and Blaze could not spare Lionel's capabilities.
On the fated day of the advisor's arrival Blaze gathered her friends before making their way to the dock to wait for the newcomer's arrival. Blaze sat atop a large barrel kicking her legs against the air. Marine looked through a pair of binoculars in search of the boat in question. At points she got distracted by the occasional seagull before refocusing her attention. Lionel kept himself occupied with sharpening the edge of his sword. The group was quiet, even Marine, as they sat.
Their silence was broken when they all heard an audible grumbling sound. They all looked to one another before hearing the sound once more and discovering it's origin. The sound was of Blaze's stomach growling in hunger. The realization of this made the fiery princess' cheeks burn bright red as Marine and even Lionel suppress their short fits of laughter. Taking a deep breath and accepting the issue at hand Blaze lifted herself from the barrel she once sat upon and offered to grab lunch for the group. "There's a shop at the head of the wharf. Would either of you want something from there?"
Marine was first answer. "Oh! I want burger. Please, Blaze?" Lionel was next but wasn't too specific with what he wanted. "Get me anything with rich meat." Blaze memorized their orders and walked down the boardwalk approaching the shop she pointed out.
When standing before the shop Blaze could not ignore the pleasant aromas coming from within. Such smells only served to make her stomach growl once more which caught the attention of the only staff member working inside. The owner and operator, a large bull with a well-built frame, noticed Blaze and greeted the princess with surprise and grace. "Your highness! It is an honor to meet you. My name is Ajillo. What brings you to my humble diner?" Blaze almost flinched at the mention of her title but kept her composure in front of the bull, not desiring to upset him. She instead answered Ajillo's question saying she and her friends were hoping to get some food from his shop. The bovine's eyes widened with excitement. "It would be an honor to provide you some of my cooking, your majesty. Please choose anything you want." The bull readied a pen and paper to write down whatever Blaze ordered.
Blaze described Marine's order before inquiring about any of his meat-bound produce. After explaining from Ajillo she selected a steak sandwich for Lionel hoping that would satisfy him. When it was time for Blaze to choose for herself she took a moment to examine the shop's menu. As she read through it there was one item that caught her attention. Written in larger letters was a special described as "Spicy Pepper Curry". With her curiosity peaked Blaze asked Ajillo if he could describe the dish. The bovine listed the basic information but warned the curry being too spicy for most customers. "I've seen customers jump into the sea just to get the spice out of their mouths. Dare-devils who try to eat without any drink only to lose their sense of taste for a week. It's not called 'spicy' for show."
Hearing Ajillo's tale only made Blaze skeptical but a little curious. A dish so hot that you could burn your tongue for a week? It seemed far-fetched to her but daring, as if it was a challenge. With that in mind Blaze placed an order for the curry leaving Ajillo stunned. He tried his best to convince the princess to choose another item but Blaze would not be swayed. She insisted on her choice which left the bull no choice but to take her order. "Very well, Princess." He sighed. "Just promise me you'll remember my warning." Blaze promised as she paid Ajillo for all three meals. The bovine set to work preparing each dish as Blaze caught their scent making her hunger grow by the minute. After a few minutes Ajillo had finished cooking and secured each meal in a bag for carrying. Blaze thanked the chef for his service before returning to Marine and Lionel.
When Blaze returned to the group all three of them began to devour their meals and found that the taste was beyond expectation. All except Blaze who was hesitant to tasting her curry. Ajillo's warning still echoed in her mind despite her confidence. Summoning her courage she sampled some of the stew and discovered the chef's warning was warranted. Blaze felt her mouth begin to react to the intense heat as she tried to ignore the burning sensation on her tongue. Without warning a familiar gloved hand appeared before the group delivering a glass of milk in front of the princess. Everyone turned to see it was Ajillo offering the beverage. He had been watching Blaze struggling and decided to act. He chuckled as he turned to the princess. "I warned you it was spicy, your highness. But I must admit you've lasted longer than most who tried it. Enjoy your drink, on the house." Blaze said nothing but nodded her head with a smile. Ajillo turned away as he walked back to his shop. When the bull was away Blaze spared no time guzzling the milk down. Marine and Lionel could not resist chuckling at their leader's antics but were quick to stop so to carry on with their meals. Blaze took her time and made sure to sip her milk after every sample of the curry until it was all gone. Ajillo returned to collect the dishes and congratulated Blaze on completing her dish. "Ha, ha. You surprise me, your highness. For a moment I thought I'd see you diving into the sea but you not only continued to eat your food but finish it. I can't recall the last time I ever saw such an act."
"If there's one thing I've learned about the princess is that she never backs down." Lionel smirked. This caught Blaze by surprise. The crimson hedgehog was not one to hand out compliments unless he was quite impressed. Marine joined in, cheering Blaze on as the "Conqueror of Curry" which made the feline blush. Before anyone could say more a loud horn blared from a distance. Everyone turned to see a boat approaching the dock and the trio knew that was the ferry they had been waiting for. Blaze and Marine scrambled from their seats, the princess stopping to thank Ajillo for the food, while Lionel casually arose and walked to the end of the wharf. He caught up to the two girls as the ferry docked and began letting passengers off.
The ship was not larger than most vessels so there weren't many passengers. Most were Southern Island residents returning home or tourists. The former group made sure to greet Blaze and Marine as they disembarked. The latter group just proceeded to take pictures which almost blinded the trio. Not even Lionel's face guard helped shield the hedgehog's eyes from the blinding flash. Despite the annoyance of the tourists the trio managed to pick out a golden colored fox with orange hair and red clothes. The fox carried a suitcase with her as she exited the ferry.
Unlike most of the arriving passengers the fox stopped before Blaze's company and bowed in respect. Blaze appreciated the gesture but wasn't comfortable with it all the same. After bowing the golden fox introduced herself. "Greetings, your highness. My name is Alimere. I'll be acting as your new royal advisor as requested by the queen. I will do everything in my power to-"
"You can stop with the platitudes, vixen." Lionel grumbled, interrupting Alimere mid-sentence. The fox was taken aback but Blaze reassured her new advisor. "Don't worry about Lionel. He's not the most tactful of knights but he means well despite his attitude." Blaze then turned to the knight with an annoyed expression across her face. Lionel sighed before apologizing to Alimere. The yellow fox accepted before continuing her speech. "As I was saying, I will do everything within my power to fulfill my duties as your private counsel."
"Thank you, Alimere. I'm sure you'll do well." Blaze smiled in assurance. She suggested to relocate to the castle and began leading the group back when something caught their attention. What looked like a meteorite was heading for Southern Island. Everyone stood in horror, unsure of what to do, until the meteor crashed along the northern shoreline. The four stared in the direction of the crash site when Alimere broke the silence. "What do you suppose that was?"
Blaze was the first to answer. "I don't know but I'm gonna find out." She turned to the armored hedgehog beside her. "Lionel, let's go." The knight nodded, lowered his mask and readied his sword, before running towards the crash site after Blaze. Alimere was left stunned at the princess's charge into uncertainty. She remained in awe until Marine spoke up. "Don't worry. She does that all the time. You'll get used to it after you join us on a couple adventures. Now let's get you settled in."
Alimere followed behind Marine, who took the task of pulling her luggage bag, but was still silent. The lack of formality, the pardoning of Lionel's attitude, and rushing headlong into danger; the queen never mentioned any of this about her daughter. As she continued to follow, glancing back in the direction Blaze and Lionel disappeared into, all Alimere understood now was that her highness was no ordinary princess.