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Title: News From Home

Inspired by: Chapter 8 of the Manga Akagami no Shirayukihime

Characters: Izana Wistalia

Wordcount: 933

Rating: General

Watching the tides crash against the jagged stone below, I breathed deeply into the fresh, sea-salt air around me. Spending two hours practicing my swordsmanship every morning has been a habit of mine, before I partake of the breakfast prepared for my consumption. Once the sun has appeared behind the clouds of pink and pale yellow, my body is fully awake and alert, my mind ready to tackle the issues that come with governing a Kingdom. I particularly enjoy my stay here in this castle, especially during the spring and summer months. I credit the fresh air here that helps me keep my mind sharp.

The castle I am referring to sits between Sui and Rid. Four years ago, this structure was finally completed, a beautiful grey fortress that crowned the top of a formidable piece of rock, standing like a sentinel overlooking the sea. Her majesty, Haruto Wistalia, only visited this place once, to admire its completion.

It is very much like you, Izana. She mentioned, gazing into the sea from the large balcony built from the ballroom. Quiet, brooding, but stormy and destructive.

Grisaille Castle.

I knew very well that my mother was describing my personality, rather than the charms of my new home. While Wistal Castle remains as the official residence of the royal family, this castle will serve its purpose well during my reign. It will be my personal escape when the burden of leading the people of Clarines becomes a little stifling.

"Your highness." One of my retainers, Maruko bowed, carefully balancing a tray of drinks, a stack of cotton towels and a folded parchment letter bearing the seal of Marquis Haruka.

I took the towel on top of the stack and began to wipe my sweaty face with it, ignoring the letter for a few moments. The Marquis has deviated from his weekly regular correspondence. His news normally comes on Thursday, along with the barrels of grape wine fermenting in the wine cellar of Wistal Castle. I am particularly fond of this wine and normally drank several bottles a week before I go to sleep.

Draping the towel over my bare shoulders (my shirt had been discarded on the ground while I was practicing), I finally reached for the folded parchment, breaking the sealing wax with my thumb.

Your Highness, Izana, the letter began.

I made no movement as I read the letter, nor even let any expression grace my face. Should I be alarmed over the Marquis' news of what my brother is up to next? The Lord has always been watching Zen like a hawk, and while I do appreciate his insistence on fulfilling his duty as one of the advisers of Clarines, Lord Haruka's ways of keeping my brother in check is an equivalent of putting a noose over his neck. The Marquis has been a strict stickler for rules and tradition, and no doubt, Zen's latest escapade did not escape notice.

Red hair. Green eyes. Pale skin.

My eye caught these particular descriptions. I have never heard of a tribe or a race of people with red hair color. Although, I may have heard some mention of it from my nanny's bedtime stories when I was growing up in Wistal.

Hair red as apples, skin, white as snow; eyes the color of wet leaves.

I felt a sense of déjà vu. From somewhere at the back of my mind, I could almost hear Nana crooning her words to my ear, as she tucked the bedcovers under my chin.

"Are they monsters, Nana? Those people with red hair and green eyes?"

Nana shook her head affectionately, planting a kiss on my forehead. "No dear. They are people, just like you and me. Their appearances only enhance their beauty. Although most people declare they bring bad luck or ruin to a Kingdom. But I personally think that because they are rare, they bring the opposite of bad luck."

"Good fortune." He smiled toothily, chubby fist waved in the air. "I will catch them like birds and keep them in the castle." His childish promise earned a chuckle from Nana, as she stood up and smoothed his blankets down.

"They are not birds, Izana. You have no right to keep them in cages. However, if you managed to get to know them and earn their friendship, you will not only gain an ally, you have gained an irreplaceable treasure."

I have not planned to go back to Wistal Castle yet; not until my mother, her Majesty Haruto, has summoned me. I can very well fulfill my duties here at Grisaille Castle, however, it seemed like the winds of fate are moving in a completely different direction.

Lord Haruka mentioned a name. Shirayuki.

And to think, it was my brother, Zen Wistalia, who caught one of them during one of his never-ending escapades in the surrounding forests of Clarines. No, not caught.

Rescued and befriended. What kind of power does this woman have to suddenly ensnare my brother with her charms?

How intriguing.

"Maruko." I folded the letter and placed it back to the tray, before taking the cup of refreshment. The fresh citrus and creamy sweetness of the ripe fruits burst into my mouth, energizing me for the tasks ahead.

"Your highness." Maruko stood rigid and attentive, awaiting my orders.

"Make preparations to depart for Wistal Castle. We shall leave in a fortnight. Do not inform anyone of our impending arrival unless I express you to do so." I placed the empty goblet back to the tray and gave a dismissive wave.

"As you wish, your highness."

Notes:

As much as I wanted to stick into the story as closely as possible, I decided to exert some creative license on some of the scenarios and flashbacks to suit the mood, themes and character developments I am aiming for.

Many of the speech are taken from the English-translated chapters of the manga. Though some of them, including thoughts, are mine and/or possible modified to put emphasis on the mood and situation.

Grisaille means a style of monochromatic painting in shades of gray, used especially for the representation of relief sculpture. I choose this name for the castle that Izana built during the dispute between Rid and Sui because I totally picture Izana as a gray person, ie, someone who is definitely not a villain, but neither was he a good person at the start of the first chapters of the manga. A person can be bad (black) or good (white), but when I first read Akagami no Shirayukihime, I was unsure what major role Izana would be in influencing Zen and Shirayuki's future. Thus, I thought the gray color suits him well. My take and opinions on him may change in the course of posting new chapters and updates, depending on how the mangaka develops the story.

Personally, I feel like Izana is underutilized. Searching through the net for any fanfiction stories created for him are very few or nonexistent *shrugs*. He's my favorite character from the manga, and so I decided to make this a special pet project of mine and write all possible works I can imagine for him.

There are some plot holes that I noted as I continue to read and re-read the manga while re-writing my own take on the chapters. I will try and attempt to cover some of them in the future *crosses fingers*. Wish me luck!