Three weeks ago, Zen had proposed. After the most beautiful speech leading up to a culmination of all her hard work and dreams, Shirayuki had told him, with the happiest of tears in her eyes, yes. She was to become what she never dared to believe could be – a princess.
Almost immediately after, Mitsuhide, Kiki, and Obi appeared beside them (Shirayuki was sure they'd been eavesdropping). Mitsuhide cried and picked up Zen in the biggest bear hug; Kiki smiled and congratulated Shirayuki with a slightly less obnoxious but still meaningful hug. When she pulled away from Kiki, Shirayuki turned to Obi, expecting open arms, but he hung back. With his left hand resting on his right shoulder, he brightened his face at her gaze and spoke in a voice that, to most, would sound genuine.
"Congratulations, Miss," he said teasingly. "It's about time."
Shirayuki smiled at him and opened her mouth to thank him, but was interrupted by a still-sobbing Mitsuhide who gathered her in his arms as well, earning a disgruntled look from Zen. She didn't spare a second thought about Obi's less-than-enthusiastic response to her engagement.
The next three weeks had been filled with such happiness and excitement and anxiety as she'd never known. Immediately wedding plans were put into the works – she was thrown into a whirlwind of fittings, color choices, princess orientation, and secret rendezvous moments with Zen when it started to get a little too much to handle. Instead of her normal Obi shadow, Kiki was the one who followed her around and guided her through her days, which she welcomed. It wasn't until the winding down of the third week, and the promise of a free day the next day that gave her aching mind permission to think of other things – one of those things being why she hadn't seen Obi for longer than was normal.
"Kiki?" she asked quietly, as they walked back to her room, in the finer parts of the castle now.
"Mmm?" was Kiki's casual reply.
"Where's Obi?"
Kiki didn't answer immediately, and as Shirayuki peered into her friend's face she saw a trace of worry.
"He…went out on a job." Her response was disjointed.
"Has he been gone all this time? Shouldn't he be back by now? He's usually pretty quick. I know Zen prefers to have him close to home." Shirayuki felt a tightness in her chest at the thought of Obi being on a job, especially alone. After three weeks of nonstop wedding talk, she longed for his lighthearted jokes and unaffected nature.
"This one may take a little longer. He'll be just fine." Kiki managed a small smile. "It's Obi."
Shirayuki returned her smile, but her heart didn't relax any. She tossed and turned that night, unable to sleep with her over excited thoughts.
The next day she met Zen in the gardens, and he took her hand as they sat together and talked more of the wedding plans being made. Every once in a while, Shirayuki felt her mind slipping back into worry for Obi, and she found herself unable to focus on the conversation.
"Shirayuki? Are you all right?" Zen looked into her face lovingly, concern pulling his eyebrows together. "You look a little pale. Should we go to the pharmacy?"
She shook her head, putting on a small smile to appease Zen. "I'm fine. It's been a pretty exhausting three weeks, and I didn't sleep much last night. Is this what being a princess feels like?"
Zen's look of concern deepened at her words. "Why didn't you sleep? Do we need to get you a sleep tonic? I told them not to overwork you," he said, standing suddenly. "I'll talk to them immediately. I can't have my bride – "
Shirayuki blushed at the endearment and grabbed hold of his sleeve, pulling him back down to her. "I appreciate how much you care, Zen. Thank you." She sighed. "I'm fine. Piled on top of all the other obligations of the past few weeks, I suppose...I was just a little worried about Obi too."
Zen blinked. "Obi? Why?"
She nodded slowly. "Kiki told me he was out on a job. He's been gone for a while and I was just worried for him. Where did you send him this time? Is he safe?"
Zen looked further confused and spoke slowly. "Obi isn't on a job. I didn't send him anywhere. He asked for some personal time."
Shirayuki stared, taking in Zen's words and Kiki's lie. "Then…where is he?"
Zen shrugged. "Around. I told him not to go far. I think he just needed a little freedom, so I gave him a week to roam. I've seen him on the grounds a few times."
Shirayuki's heart sank. Obi was still in castle grounds, and he hadn't spared even one second to see her? She wondered why that thought hurt so much. She had, after all, spent more than a few years with him. She'd gotten used to him being around and all of his quirks – the lilt of his walk, the cadence of his voice, the way he put his hands behind his head all too often. He was someone she was used to. Going this long without seeing him just wasn't normal.
"Oh." She put her hands in her lap and looked down. "I won't worry anymore, then."
She tried not to think about it as she spent the day with Zen. It was supposed to be a happy time, and she wouldn't let a few insecure thoughts get her down. She focused on Zen, laughing with him, blushing when he snuck kisses, but returning them in full. By the time they had settled in Zen's office – Zen working on some paperwork, and she with a book in hand on the window seat – her heart felt almost joyful again. Mitsuhide and Kiki also joined them, and she enjoyed the banter quietly, occasionally looking up from her book to take part.
Suddenly a movement outside the window caught her eye. She strained to look in the direction of the forest, a figure walking into its entrance. She gasped, dropping her book and standing, startling the other three. She ran to the open balcony and leaned over as far as she could.
"Obi!" she yelled, knowing it was fruitless. He couldn't hear her from this height, but she wanted to see him. "Obi!"
"Shirayuki – ?" Zen started, but she ran past him, throwing open the doors and running in a quite un-princess-like manner down the halls and out the doors to the forest. Her heart ached. As soon as she reached the forest she screamed his name.