Akagami No Shirayuki-hime: So close yet So far
Chapter 1: Trouble in Tanbarun
Author's note: Hi! Been a little while, but considering I'm still a student and still studying, I still have homework. And projects. :( And exams. ;-; So yeah I'm really sorry. I just watched my first Anime series (I know I'm behind the times) and it's really good to me, mostly character development. Had some inspiration, no OCs. I've already finished the whole story, isn't too long. But I'm only posting Chap 1 first.
Also, I write for passion.If I run out of passion or lose interest in a story, I won't continue writing it, even if it receives very well (probably, who knows, I might change my mind). Just want to let ya'll readers know my sort of policy thing, that I write for passion, and to share stories, not too much.
Alright, won't hold ya'll up from the story.
Reminder: in case u skipped Author's note, which I know some ppl do, words in italics are characters' thoughts/memories(flashbacks). :D
He dodged, and threw his fist out, only to be blocked. He began to sweat as he fought to match the swift barrage of blows sent at him. Suddenly, the door opens and light pours in.
"Shirayuki...(gasp)" Rona and Eugena stood at the door, stunned at the sight. A boy holding Shirayuki, Obi fighting with a strange man, the twins were frightened, confused and shocked. Obi turned to them, momentarily distracted, and the man took his chance. Obi's sharp eyes caught the movement, but it was too late. The man's hand connects with Obi's neck.
"Erk..." A sharp pain shot up his neck, and he struggled stay on his feet. As his vision blurred, and the sharp pain worsened, he fell towards the floor.
"You..." Obi collapsed on the ground.
Shirayuki stared in horror and fear.
"Obi? Obi? Obi!" She shouted desperately as the boy began to drag her.
"Obi, Obi, Obi!" She cried out as he forced her to the balcony. "Obi..." She sniffed in the sweet smell, and fell asleep immediately, Zen's pocket watch falling to the ground and cracking. With that, the boy and man jumped off the balcony, leaving the terrified twins alone. They hurried over to the unconscious Obi.
"Oh, what do we do? What do we do, Eugena? They took Shirayuki! Oh, what do we do?!" Rona asked, her voice a pitch higher, panicked. Eugena stared at Obi, before shouting.
"Guards...guards! Guards, guards!"
Zen's heart was racing. He had been informed what happened, and was now in Tanbarun. Shirayuki had been taken. alright, think logically.
"Where's Obi? He accompanied Shirayuki here, I'd like to see him." He inquired.
"He's...still out, sir. Princess Rona and Prince Eugena said he got hurt by the people who took Shirayuki, and lost consciousness. But...I can show you to him if you want, Your Highness." A servant spoke up. As the servant showed him the way, Zen hurried behind her, closely followed by Mitsuhide, Kiki and Mihaya. "Obi lose in hand-to-hand combat? And get hurt? That's not normal. Something must have happened, or distracted him." Kiki stated as they arrived at the room. "Yeah, that is strange. I guess we'll have to ask him about that." Mitsuhide agrees, as a young girl and boy exited the room anxiously. When they caught sight of them, they stiffened, closed the door, and blocked it.
"You must be Prince Zen, Your Highness. Please...sir...it wasn't his fault. Don't punish him...we were the ones that distracted him when he was fighting...and...and allowed them to get away with Shirayuki. We're sorry...we...we should have called for help...instead of just standing there...but we were so shocked and scared and...just don't punish him...please..." Rona cried out, close to tears. Eugena looked at a lost for words. Zen stared at them, stunned and surprised.
"Hey, it's okay, I won't do anything to him, don't worry. Now why don't you two go have a good rest? It must have been scary, what you saw." Zen said, smiling slightly. The twins nodded quietly, bowing. Before running off, Eugena added,
"We're going to check on our brother, but we'll come back immediately after that. We want to talk to Obi."
"Well, ehem, here is the room, your highness...if you'll excuse me..." The servant said awkwardly, before hurrying off, flustered. Zen nodded to his attendants before opening the door. The room was lavishly decorated, although everything looked barely touched besides a bare chair and the bed. On the bed lay Obi, still unconscious, but tensed. Mitsuhide approached the bed cautiously.
"Even when unconscious or asleep, this guy's still alert." He stated, slightly surprised, as they sat around the bed.
"How do you know?" Zen asked.
"Oh...errr...heh..just from the way he's so tense right now..." Mitsuhide replied awkwardly.
"He walked into Obi's room one night when he was sleeping and got kicked in the face." Kiki dead-panned.
"Kiki! I thought we agreed this was secret..." Mitsuhide exclaimed, embarrassed and flustered, when suddenly Obi began to stir. Zen held up his hand for silence.
Obi's POV
The first thing he felt was a throbbing pain on the back of his neck, that spread to his head.
"Obi? Obi? Obi...Obi!" He heard familiar voices calling him and he slowly opened his eyes. Hi blinked at the blurry figures, trying to focus his eyes. His eyes widened as memory slowly returned. Shirayuki!
"(Gasp) Shirayuki!" Obi jerks up, immediately in Defence mode, although the world was spinning, his vision was still blurry and his neck and head throbbed. Swiftly, Obi swiped at a hand that was reaching out to him.
"Ow! See? I told you. Jeez, Obi, it's us calm down." Mitsuhide's voice rang out, and Obi relaxed, confused. He squinted, and the in recognizable blurred figures became Mitsuhide, Kiki, Zen, and at the back of the room, Mihaya. Obi's heart raced. He winced as the pain in his neck grew from the sudden movements.
"Obi? Are you okay? Wh..." Zen began but Obi cut through.
"Where's Shirayuki? Where is she?" He demanded, an unfamiliar stern tone in his voice. There was silence, and Zen's eyes widened in surprise. he took a few moments, but he collected himself and said,
"She's gone. Raj's soldiers followed them but lost them in the forest." At that, Obi frowned, and in his eyes glinted something they'd never seen before. Obi half sighed half hissed in pain, before leaning back on his pillows, pinching his nose and closing his eyes.
"How long?" He asked the dreaded question.
"Only about an hour, the servants said. Obi, I..." The door burst open, and in ran the two royal twins.
"Obi, sir! You're awake! We're so sorry it's our fault we shouldn't have distracted you. It's all our fault that you got hurt and Shirayuki is gone." Rona said, eyes brimming with tears. Obi's body relaxed at that and when his eyes opened, they had softened.
"Hey, it's okay. Don't blame yourselves, you were just trying to help. Now, it's late for you two, go get some rest." He said in his usual light tone, smiling slightly. The twins nodded, relieved, before leaving. Obi turned to Mihaya.
"Mihaya. That pretty boy, Kazuki? He was here. With a man, Itoya. Have the guards scanned the whole area for them? Tell them to do so again, now. Thanks." Obi said lightly.
"Errr...of course. I'll be off now, then." Mihaya said, surprised, heading to the door.
"I'll follow him, Your Highness, make sure he doesn't do anything else." Mitsuhide said to Zen, running to Mihaya. Before they left, he shot Obi a look, before leaving. Obi closed his eyes, hand still pinching his nose.
"Kiki, could you give Zen and I a moment. Please?" Obi asked politely but slightly urgently. Kiki and Zen exchanged glances, before Kiki left, saying,
"I'll guard the door." As the door snapped shut, Zen stared at Obi.
"What happened? Why...Obi?!" Zen had started sternly, before Obi suddenly got out of bed and knelt before Zen, looking at the ground.
"Forgive me, Master. I have failed you, I have failed Shirayuki, I have failed everyone. I was sent to protect her, but I didn't. I'm sorry, Master." His voice was hard, his body slightly rigid, and unknown to Zen, the eyes that stared at the ground were cold and hard. Zen stared at him, surprised, shocked and confused.
"Get up, Obi. Just...be more careful next time. And cut it with the voice, it's creepy." Zen said. Obi smiled slightly and forced himself back into his light demeanor, before getting up.
"Haha, as you say, Master. If you don't mind, I'd like to rest for a while." He said, with a slight smile.
"I understand. Get some sleep." Zen said, before leaving.
Zen's POV
Zen and his attendants called to Obi. Zen reached his hand out to him, but Mitsuhide pulled it back and reached his out instead. Obi stirred, slowly opened his eyes and blinked many times. Suddenly, he jerked up, and in a blur, had swiped sharply at Mitsuhide's hand.
"Ow! See? I told you! Jeez, Obi, it's us calm down." Mitsuhide has flinched, pulled his hand back and said amusedly, hiding his worry. Zen noticed how quick Obi had reacted, how his breathing had quickened, and his eyes widened; how he'd hissed quietly in pain but jerked up anyway; how his body had tensed up even more; how in natural reflex had attacked the first thing he saw, immediately in Defence; and how he'd said Shirayuki's name the moment he woke. Kiki, Mitsuhide and Zen exchanged glances.
Kiki-Well something happened.
Mitsuhide-Look how he reacted, I don't think he recognizes us yet.
Zen-I think I know what you two are thinking, and I agree. But let's observe a little more.
His attendants nodded. Turning back to Obi, they noticed the realization in his eyes, but yet he didn't relax, but looked panicked. Obi winced in pain, and his hand subconsciously reached up to his neck.
"Obi? Are you okay? Wh..." Zen began, but Obi cut through.
"Where's Shirayuki? Where is she?" It was a voice Zen had never heard before; it was cold as ice, hard as rock, more bitter than the strongest medicine; it was menacing, terrifying, and it showed off a side of Obi he'd never heard or seen before. Obi was staring down, hands clenched tightly. Zen shuddered, feeling as though he'd dipped into ice water. His tone was dangerous, menacing, terrifyingly threatening; it was as dark as moonless nights, ominous as the most vicious thunderstorms, sinister and eerie beyond imagination. The room was tense and cold, but Zen pulled himself from his thoughts and collected himself.
"She's gone. Raj's soldiers followed them but lost them in the forest." At that, Obi's whole body hardened, and when he looked up, his yellow eyes had glinted with something he'd never seen before...something that seemed like it'd been hiding away for a long time...his usually cat-like eyes were void of all the mischief and amusement it usually had, and looked frighteningly close to that of a serpent ready to strike; they were piercing, as sharp as his sword; they were glowering at nothing in particular; they looked like the eyes of the fiercest animals, wildest creatures, untamed beasts in the world; Zen couldn't help but look away for the eyes that seemed to look right into his soul, his heart, his thoughts; the eyes that were dark beyond his imagination, savage beyond his dreams, that looked menacingly hungry for something. Obi half sighed half hissed in pain, before leaning back on his pillows, pinching his nose and closing his eyes.
"How long?" And after that one outburst, his voice returned to normal, only slightly betraying some worry, fear and guilt.
"Only about an hour, the servants said. Obi, I..." The door burst open, and in ran the two royal twins.
"Obi, sir! You're awake! We're so sorry it's our fault we shouldn't have distracted you. It's all our fault that you got hurt and Shirayuki is gone." Rona said, eyes brimming with tears. Zen was surprised when Obi's body relaxed and his eyes opened. They had softened, the momentary sinister look had vanished. When he spoke, the anguish had disappeared and amusement and kindness replaced it.
"Hey, it's okay. Don't blame yourselves, you were just trying to help. If it's anyone's fault it's them, they took Shirayuki away. Now please, go get some rest you two." He said in his usual light tone, smiling slightly. The twins nodded, relieved, before leaving. Obi then turned to Mihaya, rather silently.
"Mihaya. That pretty boy, Kazuki? He was here. With a man, Itoya I think." His voice hardened slightly.
"Have the guards scanned the whole area for them? Tell them to do so again, now. Thanks." His voice had darkened, but with only a sliver of the dangerous tone they'd heard just now, nothing compared to it.
"Errr...of course. I'll be off now, then." Mihaya said, surprised, heading to the door.
"I'll follow him, Your Highness, make sure he doesn't do anything else." Mitsuhide said to Zen, running to Mihaya. Zen nodded, but before the two left, he saw Mitsuhide shoot Obi a look, then shot one at him before leaving. Zen knew what it meant. /We'll talk about that later./ Obi closed his eyes, hand still pinching his nose.
"Kiki, could you give Zen and I a moment. Please?" Obi asked, slightly urgently. Kiki and Zen exchanged glances.
Kiki-He wants a moment with you? What could he want?
Zen-It's okay, Kiki. Let's see what he has to say.
Kiki nodded and left, saying,
"I'll guard the door." As the door snapped shut, Zen stared at Obi.
"What happened? Why...Obi?!" Zen had started sternly, wanting to question Obi, before Obi suddenly got out of bed and knelt before Zen, looking at the ground.
"Forgive me, Master. I have failed you, I have failed Shirayuki, I have failed everyone. I was sent to protect her, but I didn't. I'm sorry, Master." His voice was hard, a shade closer to the menacing tone he took for just a moment, his body slightly rigid. Zen stared at him, surprised, shocked and confused by all his past actions, words and reactions.
"Get up, Obi. Just...be more careful next time. And cut it with the voice, it's creepy." Zen said, shuddering slightly. Obi got up, smiling slightly.
"Haha, as you say, Master. If you don't mind, I'd like to rest for a while." He said, his voice returning to its light demeanor, although the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. The yellow eyes looked amused, but Zen could see that there was something hiding behind it.
"I understand. Get some sleep." Zen said, before leaving. He exited and closed the door, before turning to Kiki. Mitsuhide and Mihaya had returned.
"So, what did he say?" Kiki asked as they walked away from the room, heading to find Raj.
"It was...weird. He wasn't his normal self. He got all serious and creepy. He suddenly got out of bed and knelt down and apologized. He told me he'd failed everyone, and asked me to forgive him. But his tone wasn't as...dark, as just now. Did you hear it? It's...indescribable. It was so...bitter, and dark. And his eyes, they were...wild, hungry for something, piercing, almost crazy." Zen ran his hand through his hair, trying to grasp the sudden change in Obi's behavior.
"Yeah, this really is weird, it certainly isn't normal. I wonder what really happened." Mitsuhide pondered aloud.
"Jeez, that stray-cat face monkey ninja even gave me the creeps." Mihaya added, shuddering.
"When I told him to get up, he returned to his light manner. But I could tell, not all of it was natural. Something's up. He's not his normal self. Although this suddenly makes me wonder if that is his usual self. There's a lot we don't know about Obi. His past, where he came from, why he even stayed. He's a mystery. Have any of you ever seen him use that...tone? Or in any such similar manner?" Zen asked.
"No, but Zen. I...never mind. I think we should focus more on the task at hand?" Mitsuhide asked. Zen's heart jumped. Shirayuki.
"Yes, you're right. Let's go find Prince Raj, I need to talk to him." With that, they walked down the corridors in silence, towards his throne room.
Back in Obi's room, Obi had gotten up and sat at the edge of his bed. His heart was heavy, and his mind was racing with thoughts. Suddenly, his cat-eyes caught sight of something.
"Oh. It's the gift Zen wanted Shirayuki to have. I wonder..." Obi thought aloud as he unwrapped the gift. I his hand was a turquoise bell, specially made for Shirayuki. It tinkled melodiously, the sound that the special bird could detect. Obi's hand tightened.
"Alright, let's go to...her room, see if we can find any clues." Zen said after discussing some matters with Raj.
"Of course, right this way." Raj muttered anxiously.
Obi stood in Shirayuki's room. He recalled the day they'd arrived.
"(Knocks) Connecting rooms, hmmm...this is convenient. If you need anything I'm right there, miss."
"And I'm here." Shirayuki said, smiling.
"URGH!" Obi punches the wall, his eyes were as menacing and wild as that one moment the others had witnessed. Except this time, it didn't vanish. The eyes didn't have amusement dancing in them, it didn't return to its mischievous demeanor. It stayed in its threatening, dark, piercing manner, as Obi seethed angrily. He closed his eyes and paused for a few seconds. Suddenly, the yellow-green cat-like eyes snapped open, and he walked towards the balcony. Catching sight of Zen's pocket watch, he picked it up and kept it, before returning to his room, writing something down and tossing it on his bed. Swiftly, he changed out of his formal attire to the casual, light clothes that allowed more movement. Eyes glinting with newfound determination and anger, he returned to Shirayuki's room, scanning the room for clues as he moved towards the balcony door...
"This is the room she was assigned to. I..." Raj was explaining as they entered the room, when Zen spotted something at the corner of his eye, moving in the room.
"Stop! Who's there? Show yourself!" Mitsuhide shouted, drawing his sword. Kiki and Zen did the same, as Mihaya instantly became alert while Raj backed behind them. Through the dark, Zen spotted a pair of yellow eyes seemingly glowing in the dark...they were piercing, wild, hard...
"Obi?!" Zen called out in surprise.
Oohhh, what's gonna happen next? Please fav, follow and review! Thanks! Stay tuned for the next chapter! :D
-Crystal Fwooper