Chapter Text
The scent of wet soil and overgrown wisterias drifted by Shirayuki’s nose as she gently patted the plants into place. Once she finished securing the bushel, she smiled at the sight of brilliant, vibrant colors that surrounded her. This greenhouse at Wilant Castle was once filled with dull and monotonous plants, but now, it was overflowing with flowers and herbs that she handpicked during her many travels.
Since she had been placed here as a court pharmacist, she wanted a place she could go to that would remind her of her long journey and what it took to get to where she is now. Each color acted like a vivid flashback of those memories. The red buds to the right reminded her of her time at Fort Laxdo, where her journey only started. The purple ones of her travels to Oriold, where she received approval from the heads of the north. The orange of her team back in Lilias. Her heart tugged at that particular memory.
Her eyes caught the white, four-petal flowers to the left and she smiled. She lifted her hand up to touch the soft petals, hoping that it would help her live in that memory again. These familiar flowers always brought back familiar feelings. They reminded her of-
“The King is requesting your presence.” A voice from the door entrance exclaimed with a sense of urgency, causing Shirayuki to stand up abruptly and rub the dirt and grime off her hands on the rag in front of her.
“Oh, okay. I’ll be there right away! Thank you,” she replied, arranging her paperwork into one pile before exiting the greenhouse with the guard.
Light taps from her shoes echoed on the cold tile floor through the hall as she followed behind the palace guard, each click faster than the next. Shirayuki glanced over at the icy windows she passed by. A light blanket of snow glistened in the winter sun, making Wilant Castle radiant all around. She saw clusters of people bristling about the castle grounds.
The time had finally come. The kingdom of Clarines was in preparations for an extravagant event that they have been waiting patiently for years: his Royal Majesty’s wedding.
Since Lady Haki, the bride-to-be, is from Lilias, the king requested to have their wedding and ceremony here. It only seemed natural to have such an event in this location so they can showcase their strong bond and connect their two intertwining worlds through matrimony.
Shirayuki stopped at the large dual doors and brought her hand up to knock.
“You may enter.” His voice echoed a tone of assertiveness, jolting her up a bit before slipping through the door crack.
As she walked down the aisle, her eyes laid upon King Izana Wistaria of Clarines, who was sitting in a large chair, golden and full of sparkling embellishments. It looked like it was fit for, well, himself.
“You summoned me, your Majesty?” She asked as she bowed her head ever so slightly. A curtsy seemed a little bit much in her work attire. Her hands remained still at her sides; unwavering to his rather overwhelming presence.
“Yes,” he replied with a smile. He ascended from his chair to look downward at her before he continued. “As you are aware, the kingdom is preparing for my wedding with Lady Haki and everyone in the royal castle is doing their part to ensure that it goes smoothly.”
“Oh, yes! I’ve seen that firsthand. It is so heartwarming to see the kingdom come together for this wonderful celebration.”
“Yes, it brings me great pride as their king,” he said slowly, nodding his head in agreement. “You see, Shirayuki, I summoned you here to humbly request your assistance in this matter.”
Knowing this belittling routine, she did only what she has been accustomed to do in these situations. Her heart beat a tad louder and she bowed to her head again just a little, her hands in small fists. “Please allow me to assist you in any way, your Majesty.”
King Izana let out a small chuckle at her formality. “There are two requests I would like for you to complete for this prestigious event. One of which is already underway; however, you are needed in this particular request in order for it to be truly successful.”
She looked up at him with a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”
A smirk landed on his face. “Well, the first request is nearly taken care of by the help of your loyal team back in Lilias. It has to do with your groundbreaking discovery on those- what were they called again?”
Shirayuki’s eyes lit up as bright as the glowing plant he mentioned. “Phostyrias?”
King Izana snapped his fingers at the name. “Yes, precisely. With your success in spreading accurate knowledge and your charming persuasion- with the help of Ryuu and my brother’s immediate knight- these plants are in the process of becoming a big success in the north in the near future.” He slowly started pacing around his chair as he spoke of his plans. “We are planning on debuting their beauty at the wedding and banquet. The word will quickly spread on how innovative and beautiful these flowers can be. The kingdom, as well as neighboring nations, will bear witness to not only the most anticipated engagement, but also to the birth of this new creation.”
Shirayuki slowly nodded, a soft smile forming on her face. Her eyes followed the king’s movements as he continued to circle the chair. “If my team is handling the preparation of the Phostyrias well on their own, what role will I be playing in this, your Majesty?”
He stopped in front of his chair and his face fell flat, but only for a moment. “I need you, as well as your partners from that assignment, to be vigilant and open to conversations about the Phostyrias with the guests. You three are the only ones from that group who are formally invited to this ceremony, and I think that it is crucial to be prepared for these questions when they arrive. This creation will catch the eyes of many important individuals.”
Her fingertips crumpled the sides of her coat and she swallowed a small lump in her throat. It seemed like that would be a legitimate concern, but something lingered in the back of her mind. “I humbly accept your request, your Majesty. I, as well as my partners, will do our best to ensure success.”
“Excellent.”
A pause.
“And the second request?”
King Izana’s eyes were wide for a split moment before he opened his mouth. “Ah, yes! The other request should come rather easily for you; you’ve had prior experience before.”
She instantly knew what the request entailed, her fingers now lightly playing with the sides of her coat. “It would be my honor.”
“Wonderful. You shall leave in two days time for Tanburun. Prince Raji will be awaiting your arrival to escort him here as ‘the Friend of the Crown.’ You may escort him back after the ceremony has concluded, but I will let you decide for that.”
“I understand.” She waited for the king to speak, but nothing was said. “Anything else you need from me, your Majesty?” She asked, folding her hands in front of her to tame her fidgeting.
King Izana sat back down in his chair and propped one arm up to rest his chin in his hand. “I have been meaning to ask you: how do you like Wilant Castle so far? Is everyone here treating you well?”
“Yes. I’ve become quite comfortable with where I am at now.” She smiled softly before it drifted away again.
It has been over a month since her last placement at the Jiran House. Once again, after six months there, she had proven that she was more than capable to be a great court herbalist and an even greater court pharmacist to King Izana and the rest of the royal family. With the approval of Lord Shinsu, she was placed here as she requested so she can remain by Zen’s side. However, there was still a small problem with that.
“Is Prince Zen here helping with the final touches or is he still away from Wilant Castle?” Her piercing question sent a slight sting to the receiver.
A sly grin found its way to the king’s face. “I am happy to announce that he is here in the castle as we speak. He is currently helping with decisions on the banquet seating. Making sure that attendees are seated where it’s most appropriate for them.” He stopped for a second, his lips thinned out. “My apologies. With me becoming the king of Clarines and the wedding quickly approaching, Zen’s free time and availability has become very limited.”
An uncomfortable pause settled in the air around the two. Shirayuki tightened the grip around her hands together. After years of his unnecessary tests and constant attempts to make sure she showed her worth, she was starting to wonder what her role was in all this. She wanted nothing more than to stay in Clarines as Zen’s ally one way or another; she just didn’t know what else she could do to prove it to King Izana. How many more times were they going to play this game?
The unwavering silence was abruptly interrupted by a defining chuckle. Shirayuki looked up to see the king covering his mouth to silence his small laughter. “Let’s see to it that these requests are your last ‘tests,’ Shirayuki.”
Her heart sank at his piercing words. “I-I don’t understand, your Majes-.”
“What I am saying is that after you finish these requests, and if they are completed to the best of your abilities, then I see no other reason to withhold you any longer from your undying loyalty to my brother. I must admit, you have proven yourself time and time again that you are more than worthy to be at his side. After the ceremony concludes and my requests are met, I am more than happy to give you two my sincere blessing.” He sighed at the last sentence, unknown true intentions lying just beneath the surface. His grin turned into something more cynical. “That is… If you accept this proposal, of course.”
Shirayuki froze. Her hands stopped massaging one another in comfort and her mouth opened a bit in disbelief. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that this would be the end of these troubling times and tribulations from him, but the recurring thought forced its way through the walls of hopefulness. Is he testing me?
She played his plan over and over in her head, running through every detail with a fine tooth comb. When she looked back up at the king, she noticed his eyebrows were scrunched and his gaze moved past her, resting on the door she entered from. She turned her head around to look at what caught his attention.
“If this trip is about a twenty-day trip long, why am I leaving in two days? The ceremony is still about a month away.” She said and turned back to face him again. His eyes were closed and he wore a sly smirk on his face again as if he knew something she didn’t.
His gaze rested on her again and he raised his eyebrows a bit. “I am glad you noticed. I want you to make a stop at Lilias just to see how the preparations of the plants were going before you made your journey to Tanbarun. Once at the country’s capital, feel free to take an extra day or two there if you’d like to visit the town and such. With all the determination and dedication you have given this kingdom, I believe you deserve a small break.”
She nodded slowly, still trying to figure out what the catch was. “Will I be traveling by myself?”
“Sir Obi will accompany you on this trip. I believe his skills will be needed for both of these requests. Since he was with you during the creation of the Phostyrias, his knowledge will be very valuable there. He also joined you on your first trip back to Tanbarun years ago.” A stern pause as he looked down at her. “It was that time you were kidnapped under his watch, I believe.”
She felt his twisted words like a dagger to her chest for a second, but they only ignited a fire. Shirayuki’s emerald eyes flared back up at King Izana’s sapphire ones. “What’s past is past, your Majesty. Obi has been by my side since the very beginning. He has proven time and time again that he is more than capable of not just protecting me, but Prince Zen and the rest of the kingdom. I am not at all concerned about my safety when he is by my side, so, with all due respect, please drop it.” The words spilled from her mouth before her mind could comprehend what she was saying. To the King.
Her flood of words seemed to cause the King’s sly smirk to wash away, his eyes a little wider than before and his mouth more open in disbelief. He quickly shook his head to regain his mask of mischief before he replied. “Very well, if you don’t have any other questions or concerns, you are free to leave and go about your business.”
She took a long exhale before bowing her head. “Thank you, your Majesty. We will not let you down.”
Her next steps to the door felt heavy, like she was wading through thick mud.
One step.
Two step.
Three.
“Oh, and Shirayuki?”
She stopped at the door and turned her head slowly to face the man.
His discerning smile never seemed to leave. “I hope you truly enjoy this trip to your homeland; it might be the last time you have that kind of freedom before becoming a princess.”
The walk back to the greenhouse felt like a longer trek than it was getting there. Shirayuki walked a little slower, her mind replaying the prior interaction with the king. She looked for any missteps that might have taken place to his advantage. It felt like a never ending chess match that she was always destined to lose, no matter how hard she tried different tactics.
Whether she liked it or not, King Izana’s words were planted. The seeds of doubt started to sprout in that very last statement. She only hopes to weed them out before they over grow and consume. Maybe her comment about her bodyguard caused the king to say such a conniving statement.
“Hey, Miss.”
The voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she turned around to see a familiar face. Her shoulders dropped and her gaze softened. “Obi!”
He smiled at his name. “I was just looking for you. You weren’t at the greenhouse, so I thought I would try to find you.”
Her eyebrows furrowed a bit. “You were looking for me?”
Obi brought his hand to the back of his head. “Well, actually Master was looking for you. He sent me to get you. Something about you having a-“
“Meeting with King Izana.” She finished his sentence. She averted her gaze from his and looked down at her hands.
“Something happened?”
“No, no!” She waved her hands out in front of her in defense. “I was just lost in my own thoughts is all.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing I found you, Miss.”
Her eyes met his again, a gentle smile finding its way back to her lips. “Where are we off to?”
Obi stepped to the side and bowed to her, gesturing his arm to the direction he came from. “This way. After you, Milady.”
After she glided past him, he found his way to his usual spot; a few steps behind her. Whenever the two of them are together, he would become her shadow, following her every step.
“I heard of your tasks given to you by the king,” he spoke quieter than normal.
“Oh, so you know about your tasks, then?” She responded in the same volume.
Obi chuckled. “Yes. It’s my job, of course.”
Shirayuki’s laugh followed suit. “I’m glad you are accompanying me again. It really puts my mind at ease. Maybe we can check out the town this time.”
“Oh, really? You want to check out the bars and such?”
“Yes. You did promise last time, remember?”
He nodded his head. “As you wish, Milady. Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”
A comfortable silence casted around them; only the clicks of their shoes on the tile floor were heard. It was only when Obi would give directions on where to go the silence would break.
They eventually found their way to dual doors that lead into a ballroom. Small chatter can be heard from the other side.
“He is right in there, Miss.”
A pause. Their eye contact not faltering.
“Thank you, Obi.”
He unlatched the handle and with a slight push of the door, she slipped through.
The ballroom was full of round tables with a dozen chairs around each of them. Since the event was still a while away, there were no tablecloths, place settings, or decorations yet. Like a blank canvas awaiting a masterpiece. An elegant chandelier draped from the center of the high ceiling, perfect for such an exquisite ceremony.
Across the room looking at a large bulletin was Zen, Mitsuhide, and Kiki.
“No, they can’t be seated next to each other either! Did we forget what happened at the last soirée?” Zen exclaimed, running anxious hands through his white hair.
“Hello, everyone!” Shirayuki’s voice echoed through the empty room.
The three looked up at her, faces showing signs of ease.
Kiki was the first to speak. “There you are. Did Obi find you okay?”
Shirayuki waved. “Yes, he did! We walked here together.” She turned to look at him and frowned. He was nowhere to be found. “Where did he go?”
“I was supposed to give him another task,” Zen huffed out, bringing his palm to his forehead. “Mitsuhide, Kiki. Can you two please find and bring him here, please?”
They smiled at each other. “On it.”
“He’s usually up on the balcony near the main entrance. Or he’s sitting on the ledge of the windowsill on the west side of the castle,” Shirayuki chimed in.
“The one near the greenhouse?” Kiki questioned, a grin tugging on her face.
Once the two left, a somewhat awkward silence weaved its way around the two left. It’s been over six months since the last time they saw each other at Zen’s uncle’s estate, and even then, they didn’t really speak to each other. She had her job and he had his.
Shirayuki was the first to break the silence. “Obi said you wanted to see me?”
Zen exhaled like he was holding his breath. “Yes, actually. I wanted to know if you talked to my brother yet. About his… requests.”
She gripped her hands together and gave a light squeeze. “Yes. They seem easy enough. They’re nothing I’m not used to if that’s what you’re asking.”
He laughed lightly at what she said. “No, not at all! That is reassuring to hear.” He put down the list he was working on and gestured his head over to the teapot. "How do you like your tea again?"
"Oh, usually with Julia flowers and Ruko seeds. But, I don't need any right now but thank you."
He nodded absently and started walking toward her, stopping just a few feet away. “Did he mention anything else?”
Her breath hitched before she inhaled to speak. “Yes, actually. He did say that if these tasks went well, then I shouldn’t have any more of his ‘tests’ to take.” She spoke quietly, like saying it out loud would jinx it or something.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning… he said that we would have his blessing.”
Zen lunged forward and embraced the girl in front of him. The action caused Shirayuki’s heart to jump. However, the lump from earlier before found its way back to her throat.
“That’s amazing, Shirayuki! I am so happy for you! You finally were able to show you are worthy enough.”
That is… If you accept this proposal, of course.
Shirayuki’s heart, that was just high in the sky, now plummeted to the pits below. She tried to shake the king’s antagonizing voice out of her thoughts. This is what she wanted.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she slowly patted his back in their embrace. “Yes. Yes, I guess I did.”
Zen released her from their hug and placed a small kiss on her forehead. He smiled and looked down at her. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear this. Now I can finally commit to you.”
Something about the way Zen’s words lingered made her stomach a little uneasy. She couldn’t pinpoint as to why it did.
It might be the last time you have that kind of freedom before becoming a princess.
She masked her worries with a smile. “Me too.”
“So, I hear you are leaving in two days? Maybe we can take time to get together and catch up?”
Shirayuki took a step back from his hold. “Actually…”
Zen raised an eyebrow, voice full of concern. “What is it?”
She looked down at her shoes, feeling his gaze burning on her. “I heard through talks from the guards that there is a snow storm approaching rather quickly. I think it’ll be best if Obi and I leave tomorrow morning.”
He slowly nodded at her news. “I see.”
She looked back up to him, reassuring him with a smile. “But you’ll be able to still see us off, right? It’ll just be a few minutes.”
His blue eyes dimmed. “I won’t be able to. I have prior plans already assigned to me.”
Shirayuki’s heart sank. “Oh.”
“It’ll be okay. I’m sure we’ll see each other at the wedding.” When he let go of her, he turned back to the bulletin. “This can wait now. Let’s go look for the others. I’m sure they found Obi by now, so we can tell him the news then.”
As Zen walked to the doors, Shirayuki stayed frozen in place. She was hopelessly lost in her own thoughts again, and she didn’t know who was going to find her this time.
“Found you!” Mitsuhide exclaimed. “Obi, can you please get down from there? Prince Zen was not done speaking with you!”
With one smooth jump, Obi landed gracefully on the ground. “I knew nothing of the sort, Sir.” His chuckle gave him away.
“Right, sure. Whatever you say.”
Kiki examined Obi’s behavior and grinned. “So, Obi. You’re Shirayuki’s attendant again?”
His face twitched at her name. “Yep! Miss and I will be together again. We are even heading back to Tanbarun. How did you know, Miss Kiki?”
Her smile never faded. “Zen mentioned it.” A pause caused Obi to give her a questionable look. “He also mentioned a moment that you and Shirayuki shared at his uncle’s estate.”
His catlike eyes widened for a second. “I have no idea what you are talking about.” His heart rate said different.
Kiki’s eyebrow raised a bit, seeing if it would call out his bluff. Eventually, he caved.
“Okay, okay. You got me! Man, you are a stubborn woman.” He laughed nervously as he brought his hand to the opposite shoulder. “How did Master find out?”
She folded her arms in front of her. “Oh, he didn’t.”
Obi’s arm dropped from his shoulder to his side, along with the mask he desperately tried to keep on. “What?”
Mitsuhide let out a loud thundering laugh. “Oh my! Ha! Kiki played you! That’s hilarious!”
She smirked proudly at her own actions. “I could read it on your face. You try to hide it, but there are some feelings you can’t bottle up forever. Something obviously happened with you two.”
Obi brought a hand up to his chest in defense. His last chance to put his mask back on. “Why, Lady Kiki! I trusted you with my secret and you betrayed me!” It was no use. No point in trying to put it on again when they could clearly see through him. He sighed. “Is it that obvious?”
Mitsuhide tried his best to reassure him. “Not to everyone.”
He let it out a nervous exhale and chuckled. “You two almost had me crack the last time we spoke about this. I couldn’t shake that last conversation the three of us had about Miss.”
Kiki and Mitsuhide gave each other a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”
Obi didn’t know why he was still speaking about it. Maybe it was better to just get it off his chest instead of bottling it in. “I don’t know. All I really know is that I just couldn’t get my heart to settle whenever she was around. Miss even noticed something was off. She asked to check my pulse and everything.”
Mitsuhide’s eyes went wide. “She checked… your pulse?”
“Yes.” He paused, a smile found his lips as he recalled the memory. “And later, I almost confessed my feelings to her.”
Now, Kiki’s eyes went wide. “How did that happen?”
Obi closed his eyes, as if he was trying to recall every detail from that night. “Well, it started when-“
“Found you guys!” A voice shouted in the distance, causing Obi to tense up at the spot.
Shirayuki and Zen walked up to the three. Zen’s face scrunched up. “There you are, Obi! We were looking all over for you. We need to talk.”
Shirayuki cocked her head to the side. “What were the three of you talking about?”
Without missing a beat, Kiki began to speak. “We were just talking about a masquerade ball I had to attend with Hisame. I simply don't know how some people do it. Keeping a mask on all day and all night must be exhausting.”
That last sentence felt like a jab to Obi.
Shirayuki chuckled. “I agree. It is much easier to truly understand someone when you see their true face.”
“What did you need me for, Master?” Obi changed the subject.
Zen’s smile quickly faded. “Actually, Shirayuki and I talked about it and she thinks it’s best that you both leave in the morning. Supposedly, there is a big snowstorm coming and if you leave then, you’ll just miss it. Are you up for it?”
Obi's gaze moved from Zen to Shirayuki. Her smile also disappeared, and her eyes remained fixated on her boots. He narrowed his eyes on her before he spoke. “If that’s what the Miss,” he waited until her eyes met his. “And my Master wishes, then I’ll do it with no hesitation.”
As the winter sun rose above the snow-covered pines, Obi and Shirayuki prepared for their journey ahead. With several layers of clothes on and their luggage packed up, they met at the front gate. Obi was first to arrive, towing the horses they will be taking on their short detour in hand. Shirayuki was not long after, dragging her luggage along the cobblestone road.
“Is it just us this morning, Miss? Are Master and the others not seeing us off?” Obi asked, sounding a bit more surprised than he would have liked to.
“Zen, Kiki, and Mitsuhide are already taking care of their new tasks, so they won’t be able to bid us farewell,” Shirayuki replied. Her small smile showed pride and respect toward their friends, but there was a lingering sense of sadness behind it.
Obi cleared his throat. “If we don’t take any detours, we should be able to make it to Lilias by early afternoon,” he coughed out as he safely secured the last of his belongings.
Shirayuki brought her hand under her chin, tripled checked the list in her head of all the items they were bringing. “Hopefully we can make it there before that snowstorm.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Miss. It’s nothing we can’t handle,” he replied, giving her a big smile for reassurance.
“I’m just glad I don’t have to ride in a carriage just yet. They always make me feel uneasy when traveling in the snow.” Shirayuki said as she attached her water canister to the side of the saddle. She turned to Obi and saw that he was already facing her, knees bent and fingers interlocked.
“Here to help you up, Milady.”
She giggled and gave him a small curtsy. “Why thank you, Sir Obi,” she said as she put her foot on top of his folded hands. She placed one hand on each of his shoulders to steady herself before he boosted her up.
His shoulders tensed up a bit at her touch. He carefully lifted her up so she could straddle her horse. Once she was settled, he mounted onto his own.
She smiled at him, sadness no longer behind that smile he admired. “Ready to go?”
Obi let out a long exhale. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”