"Fresh bread for a single piece!"

Katie walked around the joyous market with a smile on her lips.

"Come get your herbs!"

She couldn't be any happier to hear the noise she grew up with even though she as a person had gone through some stuff since then. As she walked through, she could even see small galra children running around and playing with the village children. It'd been a long process for the villagers to fully renovate and accept the galra into their homes, but everything went well after time spent together. Katie was proud to say the least of the work she'd done with Keith to help the galra relocate.

Ever since she cut her long hair, she couldn't lie that she missed the appearance she once had, but her clothes no longer fit her either because of the muscles she grew during that time. If anything, she still looked like a woman when she kept her short hair down and that was all she held onto as she made her way towards the castle in a new simple dress.

Today was finally the day that the royal family promised to acknowledge all of them who fought in the battle. If she was any other knight, she wouldn't be this concerned, but she had deliberately lied and snuck into the knighthood; not to mention that she was also now seeing Keith in private without them knowing.

In conclusion, Katie was very nervous to enter the gates. Her palms could sweat rivers as she slowly gave the guards her identification tag. She swallowed carefully as the man inspected her ID, wondering if they would really accept her true identity as a woman and let her into the castle where the other knights were waiting.

"Welcome, lady Holt." The guard only greeted her, opening the gates when she was expecting the worst.

She blinked, mind not processing properly as she walked inside the grand castle. Did they just let her in and on top of that call her a lady?

"Whoa. This is amazing." A voice from behind startled her from her thoughts and she turned around to find Hunk behind her.

"You too?" She asked, in awe of the castle she'd always seen from afar, "They called you a title?"

"Not that, but they called you a lady." He said, eyes wide before Katie smacked his arm playfully and they laughed amongst themselves as they walked in.

Katie had been in this castle before as a knight, but this was her first time as a respected visitor. Banners of celebratory remarks and confetti rained down on them as they joined the line of several other citizens that came on the trip as knights or helpers.

"You're late." Alina teased when Katie found her in the crowd, also wearing a simple dress like her and standing beside the twins, "You look nice, Katie."

"Thank you." She smiled, feeling shy before turning to the twins who stared at her with equally wide eyes.

"Katie...you're.." Theo began but quickly flushed red and walked off, immediately followed by Mark who sheepishly smiled at the two women. The reaction wasn't strange for her since she knew how different she looked. In fact, many of the men she worked with gave her a stare or two when she walked past them.

"Miss Pidge, you're wearing a dress?" Carlos voiced the question everyone else was thinking, looking at her as if she was an exotic vase, "Right..right...you're a woman."

Katie tried to hide her smile, feeling much too amused by her friends and companions who'd only seen her before in heavy metal armor and trousers. She and Alina shared a look before bursting into giggles while walking away from the gaping men.

After a couple more minutes of conversing with friends and people they met along the way, the doors opened with the sound of trumpets and the royal family walked in, initiating every guest to bow.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the grand banquet for your return." The King spoke first, taking a glass of champagne in his hands and raising it up, "Toast to every knight, every medic, cook, and anyone who aided in the journey. You will all be given a prize of gold and silver."

The crowd cheered as they joined in on the toast, but Katie only watched, smiling as she made eye contact with Keith who stood beside his father. She was technically still underage so she could only drink the water offered as she walked through the crowd to find her place in the large ballroom. Alina was occupied with her medic friends, Hunk was devouring the buffet, and the other knights were busy drinking so she was left alone.

As conversations returned to normal, Katie was suddenly pulled back by a certain person in the shadow of the ballroom. If it were any other person, her reflexes would've kicked in, resulting in a very bad injury for the other person, but she knew exactly who had taken her attention.

"You look beautiful, Katie." Keith took her hand, kissing her knuckles gracefully, "How have you been? I missed you."

"You just saw me 2 days ago." She laughed with a shake of her head, "I'm more concerned with how you've been. You've worked hard to make this happen."

He looked exceptionally tired today than he ever did after returning, so Katie knew he was overworking himself again.

"Everything's alright when I see you again." Keith flirted and she laughed in disbelief, turning away with flushed cheeks.

"Did Lance teach you that?" She asked, smiling just as widely as him, "You don't have to flatter me."

"How did you know?" He chuckled before leaning forward and resting his head against her shoulder, "..I wish we could just stay like this forever."

She sighed, patting his back gently before they were both abruptly pulled apart by a sudden appearance.

"Keith!" Lance jumped into the shadows with them, oblivious of what was happening before he arrived, "I was wondering where you went—"

"You little.." Keith scowled, shoving him aside as a brother would do and earning a whiny response in return.

"Hey!"

Katie watched them bicker, a smile on her lips. It felt like deja vu from when they met for the first time as children.

"His Highness is asking for you." Lance cleared his throat, trying to sound more serious, "It's time for individual rewards."

Keith's eyes lit up and he nodded before turning to Katie, "I'll see you later at the usual place."

She nodded with a smile, watching the two men leave before she was also gathered with the rest of the crowd to listen for names to be called.

"Alina of the Kamil family."

"Theodore and Marcus of the Etan family."

Katie clapped, cheering for her friends whose names were called. She was especially proud when she heard of the new titles bestowed upon them rather than being simple knights or medics.

When she thought all was over, Keith made eye contact with her from where he sat beside his father and stood up, walking to the front.

"And last of all, our only lady knight, Katie of the Holt family." Keith said and all eyes fell on her. Katie walked up to the front nervously, not used to having this much attention on her as she walked her way towards where Keith stood.

She smiled to keep a good public appearance but questioned him with her eyes before kneeling down before him.

"Yes, your highness." She said, chin down as the rest of the royal family came to stand beside Keith.

"You have lied, broken a law, endangered yourself and others." The King began, his low tone suddenly scary as Katie awaited the punishment she would receive.

"But you have also protected, served, and defended the kingdom." The queen smiled when Katie slightly lifted her head in surprise.

"For your service, you have been bestowed the title of Dame."

Katie couldn't believe her ears. Dame was a highly respected title for a simple knight such as herself. She had first came into this banquet, believing she would be reprimanded for all she'd done.

"Y-your highness, it is simply too much of an honor." Katie spoke, lowering her head once again, "I don't believe I deserve such a title."

"Nonsense." The queen stepped down from the higher ground, "The title is rightfully yours. There is no other woman brave enough to step into danger and war as you have."

Katie wanted to argue, but she remembered it was the royal family she was talking to.

"..Yes, your highness." She finally gave in, "I gladly accept the title of Dame."

The crowd cheered from behind her and she found herself suddenly being slightly lifted up into the air by her fellow knights.

"Hooray for Dame Holt!" They cheered before setting her back down and she stumbled forwards into the arms of Keith who caught her easily.

"Apologies—" She was beginning to say to save her face but Keith gently let go of her, helping her find her balance.

"Congratulations." He whispered with a smile before Katie was pulled back into the crowd by her celebrating friends.

After the banquet was officially over, the entire kingdom sent flying lanterns into the sky for the knights lost in the war and their families were properly compensated by the royal family.

Katie sighed, watching the glowing lanterns fly above her head in the night sky as she walked towards the garden on the hill where Keith was awaiting her.

"Katie." He greeted her with a smile when he saw her, "How did your family react?"

"Matt and my father were ecstatic, but my mother will need a bit more convincing." She said, sitting down beside him.

"It's understandable." Keith put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him, "I don't want you to be constantly in danger either, but what can I do? You would just find a different way because you're so headstrong."

Katie laughed, not even in the least offended by what he said because it was true.

"As long as we're here together, I think everything will be alright." She said, resting her head against his shoulder, "..I'm glad you chose me to go on the journey with you."

"I'm glad to have met you." Keith muttered in return, resting his head against hers as he intertwined their fingers together. They had been through so much together that their bond was now unbreakable.

Keith and Katie laid under the stars in the night sky for a long time, staying in each other's comfort.

He would never leave her side again and neither would she. It was a coincidence that their first meeting took place, but in the end, it was fate that they found each other again. 

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A/N

It's finished! We made it to the end!

I have no words to express my gratitude towards everyone who has stayed with me in these past few years it took me to write this. Thank you everyone for continuing to support me and leave little comments that make my day a lot better. I greatly appreciate your patience with me during the times I couldn't update on time either. 

I might be coming back in a few weeks with a couple of side stories if I have the time to make them.

In conclusion, thank you all for staying with me until the end and I hope you all were satisfied and enjoyed my writing <3

-Sil