Equilibrium

Chapter 3

A/N: Hey all, thanks for the reviews, I like the hear your thoughts. But as I said, this is quite a dark fic and is very much AU so don't expect it to follow canon at all. I try to keep the characters true to their canon personalities but the truth is, this situation they're in would cause anyone to do what they can to survive. Obi is just trying to keep her safe. There will be some other characters point of views shortly, so keep tuned. Thanks so much for reading :)


"So Yuki, tell me where you hail from," started Kimi as they both walked downstairs with two of Reno's men behind them and one in front.

Shirayuki frowned as she thought about what she should tell her but in the end she realised she could tell the truth about this one since it wouldn't give away where she actually lived and who she worked for.

"Tanbarun," she said meekly with a small smile. "What about yourself?"

Kimi smiled, her eyes lighting up just thinking about her previous home. "I'm from Wilant, actually, I was a local herbalist there and back then, had thought of traveling to Clarines to apply as a Court Herbalist!"

Shirayuki couldn't hide her surprise and when they reached the bottom of the stair case, Kimi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"But that was the past," said Kimi, her blue orbs holding a sadness that Shirayuki could now understand.

Maybe she had been taken then...before she even got a chance to do what she dreamed of doing. Was Shirayuki just one of the lucky ones?

As they walked into the Herbalist room, Shirayuki's eyes burned with determination.

She would help to bring this organisation down and she inwardly apologised to Obi because she wouldn't be able to do what he asked.

When she walked in, half the girls who had been in the room on her first day were not present.

Kimi also seemed to notice the cull in people present and she looked to Shirayuki in slight alarm.

"Reno wants you two to look at that formula," began one of the guards, looking at Shirayuki and then over to the blonde.

He had a dangerous look in his eyes now, with his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned on the door frame, just daring them to question him.

And Shirayuki didn't want to disappoint.

"What is it, exactly? And what is it for?" asked Shirayuki but Kimi grabbed her arm, squeezing it and shook her head slightly.

But she wasn't one to stand down.

The guard narrowed his eyes. "Not your concern. I can however tell you its a drug and that we need it to be more pure. At this stage, its at sixty percent."

Shirayuki's eyes widened. A drug? "What sort of drug?"

The guard glared at her and pushed off from the door frame. Kimi automatically started to back away but Shirayuki didn't follow her.

"If you want me to help you, perhaps you should-" she began when suddenly she was on the ground, covering her throbbing cheek with a hiss.

Her green orbs stared up at the guard in anger, tears in her eyes from the pain and Kimi was at her side immediately, helping her to her feet.

"Perhaps you should shut your mouth and do what we tell you. Reno doesn't accept failures and especially doesn't like curious girls," spat the guard, towering over them menacingly.

Shirayuki pursed her lips. God it hurt.

When she was on her feet, she merely nodded at the guard and walked over with Kimi to where two other girls were looking over some notes. She noticed there were some other men there too but they didn't seem to be guards. They were focused on their work, so she assumed they also were Herbalists.

None of them had dared look at the scene ahead of them when Shirayuki was questioning the guard.

The room was lined with long wooden tables, each with a sink, tools for cutting and crunching up herbs and a space for books to sit as references for their work. There would be at least twenty stations in the room but then why were there only five or six Herbalists in the room instead of twenty?

"There were fifteen people in here yesterday," whispered Shirayuki to Kimi as they both moved to a spare station.

The blonde nodded. "I know," she whispered back but she fearfully looked over to the entrance to see the guard glaring at them. "Lets just do what they say, we can talk later."

Shirayuki nodded.

An hour passed and Shirayuki realised it wasn't a medicinal drug, nor a poison. It was a recreational drug, which made sense because they wanted a pure product.

That meant that it would be more addictive and potent but also had more of a chance to cause an overdose. Also, she had never seen a drug like this before. The ingredients were a mix between powder and crystal but on a whole new level.

The formula was almost right and she could easily correct it right now...but she wouldn't. She would be dragging it out as long as possible. She refused to let the drug out onto the streets, knowing it would turn people into addicts with the first or second try or even worse, would kill them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They had been down there for ages, she didn't even know how long, when the guard had said it was time for them to go back to their other duties.

Shirayuki had to thank her lucky stars because she didn't know how to stall any longer and Kimi had been none the wiser of her plan.

However, perhaps it was too soon for her to be thanking the stars because as they were walking toward their lodgings to get changed into their outfits for the day, another guard came up to them, ordering Shirayuki to see Reno in his office. But she recognised him as the man who had slapped her earlier.

Kimi gave her a worried look, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. Shirayuki nodded at her with a reassuring smile before being dragged off by a guard.

The guard had his hand on her upper arm, squeezing it harder than necessary as they sped through the empty hall.

"I can walk," she exclaimed angrily as she yanked her arm out of his grasp but kept walking.

He looked back at her and narrowed his eyes and grabbed her arm again.

Suddenly they were outside Reno's office. The guard opened the door and shoved her inside. She landed unceremoniously on the ground and rubbed her sore arm.

Shirayuki looked up to see Reno's amused face and then his eyes focused on the guard behind her.

"That wasn't necessary, Hiro, we shouldn't be ruining the merchandise," said Reno, dangerously calm and when his eyes met his, the guard bowed immediately.

"Apologies, Reno."

And then he shut the door behind him, leaving her in the presence of Reno and someone else who was sitting on the couch but he was facing Reno and had his back to the entrance.

Shirayuki began to get herself to her feet and when she looked up, Reno was standing above her.

God, he was fast.

His eyes which she noticed were grey in color, landed on her cheek with a frown on his face.

"Tsk tsk. A guard did that?"

Shirayuki licked her lips and nodded and then in her peripheral vision, she noticed movement and saw gold orbs staring at her. He had his jaw clenched, obviously seeing what Reno saw on her cheek.

Oh, so the other person was him.

Her eyes then went back to Reno who seemed to be looking at her thoughtfully.

"So. What do you think of my formula?" he asked softly as he reached down, grazing his thumb against her cheek gently.

Shirayuki hissed in pain at the touch.

"Its...potent...Master," she said stiffly, ignoring his touch.

Reno smirked. "That it is, Yuki."

His eyes moved from her cheek to her neck now and his eyes widened slightly. "You have a Master? Already?"

Shirayuki's eyes automatically wandered to the person who was now walking toward them.

"Brother, can you take your hands off my property, please?" snapped Obi as he stopped behind him, his eyes showing his annoyance.

But Reno simply smiled and Shirayuki didn't like it, not at all.

"Oh?" said the leader, raising an eyebrow and turned to look at Obi who stood a few meters away.

Suddenly Shirayuki felt a chill and it wasn't because all she wore was her skimpy silk negligee that she was required to wear daily.

It was the way that Reno smiled at Obi, like he knew something they didn't.

"Yes. Now, can we get on with business here?"

"What a pity, I was planning on taking her for myself soon, but no matter. Its my gift to you for returning to the fold, Brother. Of course, you'll have to stay. None of this running off doing jobs type thing, though," said Reno, turning to face Obi with an eyebrow raised.

Obi rolled his eyes.

"And how boring that would be."

Reno smirked before turning and walking toward his desk. "Neko, bring the girl in."

Suddenly the doors opened and a girl stumbled in with a guard behind her, grasping her slender arm tightly. She was then shoved to the ground and she fell to her knees and hissed in pain.

Shirayuki turned to look and her eyes widened in recognition. She looked at Obi in horror, about to bolt to the girl's side but Obi glared at her, telling her to not do what she was about to do. And although she wanted to go to her with every fiber of her being, she didn't.

But her green orbs never left her friend's, even though she wasn't looking up.

Oh god, what had they done? The blonde looked thinner than she had been a few months ago when she had visited her and wore the same sort of negligee Shirayuki had on but it was tattered and the way she held herself was so submissive.

Her head was bowed with her light blue bangs hiding her face and was on her knees, silent, even though Shirayuki suspected that she was in a bit of pain with the way she landed. She knew first hand what it felt like since Hiro had shoved her to the ground in the same manner.

Oh Yuzuri...what have they done to you?! she had thought.

She turned and glared at Reno who held a neutral expression.

"Now, Yuki. Tell me about the formula."

Shirayuki looked over at Obi but he had turned now, sitting back on the couch, casually. Didn't he care? It was Yuzuri! But she remembered what he had said this morning that he would be acting the part, but boy, he truly was a good actor that was for sure.

"I-It isn't finished. I can...I can fix it but I need time-"

"You don't have time, girl. I want it done by the end of the summit. Every day after that time that you do not have my formula completed, I will give her fifty lashings."

Her eyes widened and she turned back to Yuzuri who had now looked up, wondering why she was to be subjected to such treatment to see her best friend staring back at her.

"No!"

Reno glared at the red head and started to walk over to her. He walked with purpose in a straight line toward her, his grey orbs piercing into her soul, about to teach her a lesson for speaking out of turn and raising her voice to him, after all, she had to learn how things worked, didn't she?

But then Obi was standing in front of her.

Shirayuki looked up at Obi's back and wondered when he'd gotten up from the couch and how he had moved so quickly to block her from his brother.

His back was so broad, she noticed, his back muscles defined from underneath the fabric of his shirt and he was standing so straight and tall. Had he always been so tall and broad? Back in Wistal, he always seemed to slouch in a relaxed fashion, so Shirayuki supposed she never had the opportunity to appreciate his full form.

Reno looked at her 'Master' curiously with an eyebrow raised, genuinely surprised by Obi's action of standing in front of her.

"Let me punish her, she's mine, remember?" said Obi with a sigh. "She's only new but she'll learn, however, she won't be able to stand tonight so will have to miss out on serving at dinner."

Reno grinned at the thought and nodded. "Fine. She's yours so I'll allow that. Its only one night but make sure she can do her job tomorrow."

Obi nodded and then he turned and looked down at her with anger in his eyes.

Shirayuki couldn't believe what she saw because Obi had never looked like that toward her and she knew he wasn't really angry...he was just pretending but it looked so real.

His eyes flickered to her cheek for a split second before moving back to her eyes and then put his hand to her other cheek and then slid up to her hair. He gripped a chunk of it tightly, causing her to wince and then he leaned down so his face was inches from her own as a malicious smirk began to grace his lips.

"Time to learn," he said huskily and his auburn orbs showed something she hadn't seen before. Was it...hunger? Excitement?

She gasped in shock and then hissed as he yanked her to her feet by her hair. Shirayuki yelped and then his hand moved from her hair and grabbed her arm roughly, pulling her along behind him.

"I'll see you later on, Nanaki, I'm sure you'll be fully satisfied by then," laughed Reno and then nodded to the guard to take Yuzuri back to her room too.

Shirayuki's eyes met Yuzuri's surprised and shocked ones as they were both dragged out of the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

He shut the door behind them and looked over to Shirayuki who stared at him. She was angry, he could tell, but he had told her this would happen.

He knew it was all just a show but then why...why did he feel so disgusted with himself? And more than usual. The self loathing was always something that was on his mind, day in and day out. He never showed it to his Master, Zen, nor his Miss Shirayuki but it was always there.

But today he'd acted like a Master - something he swore he would never do, ever again. But it was all for her, wasn't it?

"Well come on then, Master. You were going to teach me a lesson," she said with a bite to her words, her green orbs showing fire toward him.

Obi swallowed and then slowly walked toward her. Shirayuki sat on the bed, her legs dangling off it as she continued to glare.

"Miss...you know that I had to say those things-"

"Did you?" she asked, looking up at him as he stood beside the bed. "What did you promise you would do exactly? How would you teach me a lesson Obi?"

Her body guard, now Master, looked down at her, incredulous.

"I-"

"I know what it is but I want you to tell me. I want you to really think about-"

"You do, do you? I don't think you do, Miss," he said quietly, looking down at her, as he began to undo his knife belt.

It dropped to the ground and it surprised Shirayuki as it clattered, noisily.

"If I did what Reno wanted me to do, you'd be sore for hours. And not from labor or lashes," he said huskily, taking a step forward until he was almost standing in between her legs.

Shirayuki looked up at him wide eyed and her cheeks flushed a bright pink color.

"T-thats how they teach the girls to learn here?" she gasped in horror, but she already knew that's what they had meant earlier.

It was just a bit of a shock hearing it out a loud, though.

He leaned down but his eyes had landed on her cheek now and brought a hand to touch the affected area. It was starting to mildly bruise and he delicately traced the area with his thumb.

Shirayuki winced with a twinge of pain but then she brought up her hand and covered his with hers. Obi's eyes widened in surprise at her touch and she looked up at him and sighed.

"I know...I know you had to do it. You told me you would but I...I was just shocked."

Obi lowered himself to his knees in front of her now and Shirayuki brought his head to rest on her stomach. Her hand came up to rest on the back of his head and the other on his back.

"I'm so sorry, Miss," he whispered with such pain and anguish and his arms began to wrap around her small frame. "God, I'm so sorry."

"I know...its okay, Obi, we can't help it now."

"But I grabbed your hair-"

"Shush I know. But its nothing compared to my cheek," she laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood but it seemed to make Obi's body stiffen.

He pulled away and glared at her face. He got to his feet and sat next to her on the bed, their legs were touching and she noticed Obi's hand was clenched into a tight fist.

"I questioned the guard...I'm sorry, I know you told me not to," she said with regret.

Obi growled, rubbing a rough hand through his hair stressfully and shook his head. "No. Hiro has always been violent to the women here but that will come to an end soon."

Shirayuki sighed again and reached over to Obi's closed fist, putting it between her small hands. His fist slowly relaxed and she entwined his fingers with her own and looked up to him with a small smile.

He looked down at her, baffled at her touch and her comfort.

"Miss-"

"Yuki, remember?"

"Yuki-"

"Don't worry about Hiro. You can't protect me all the time and I know now not to question so abruptly, like I did."

Obi turned away from her. "I can't promise anything, Miss."

Shirayuki pursed her lips and then they lapsed into silence for a minute.

"Obi," she began, wanting to ask about Yuzuri.

Now that her friend was here, things had changed. They had to get her out.

If something happened to Yuzuri, she didn't know what she would do.

Suddenly he heard footsteps and his hand left hers quickly, his eyes alert, watching the door intently. When the footsteps became louder he realised they were coming to his room.

Without thinking, he quickly lifted Shirayuki over to the top of the bed so her head landed on the pillow, removed his shirt and moved quickly to hover over on top of her.

She was so surprised she didn't even protest. And then his hips were against hers, with his legs in between her own and even with the fabric in between them, Shirayuki could feel everything. He then grabbed her wrists and held them tightly above her head.

He mouthed 'trust me' as he looked down at her, his eyes showing apology.

"What-" she began, wanting to ask what he was about to do, but then the door burst open and he instantly put his mouth on top of hers so that the person who 'interrupted' them could see they were busy.

Obi looked up and glared angrily at the interloper.

"What?!" he growled to see Reno staring at them with amusement, a couple of guards behind him with smirks on their faces.

"Oh, my apologies. The lesson is going well then?"

Obi continued to glare. "It would be if I wasn't being interrupted," he snapped, letting go of Shirayuki's wrists and instead put his hands either side her torso, holding him above her still. "Did you want something, Brother?"

The man laughed. "Well, I guess it can wait. But you wanted to know when we got a lead on the rebels that are giving us some mischief."

This time Obi pursed his lips and began to remove himself from on top of Shirayuki. He noticed how shocked she looked and that her cheeks were very much a rosy color, but ignored that for now.

"Fine," snapped Obi as he got off the bed, picked up his shirt, throwing it over his head quickly and grabbed his equipment belt off the ground, but before he left, he turned to her with a commanding look.

"Wait here. We'll continue your lesson very soon," he said with a wink and then turned to walk out the door.

When they left, Shirayuki let out a breath she'd been holding.

God, his lips had been so soft. She'd felt them on her hand before and on her cheek once but never...

And even though he said that last line as a rouse for Reno, why did she actually want him to continue?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Shirayuki sat thinking about Yuzuri for a moment. She needed a plan to get her out, but what could she do?

First thing was first, she needed to find out where Yuzuri was being held.

Shirayuki decided this was her chance to have a little snoop around since she believed that most of the guards were with Reno and Obi in his office, talking about the rebels and probably some other tactical information to do with the Order. Although, she didn't know for sure.

In fact, it would probably be one of her only opportunities, except at night but she had a feeling that Obi would advise against it.

Shirayuki opened the door slowly, poking her head out into the hallway and when she noticed no one hanging around in the hallway, she crept out.

She really had to map these hallways in her mind because when she wanted to escape, she would have to know them like the back of her hand. Although, she didn't need to creep, if anyone questioned her, she would just say that her Master asked for her to get him something...and she would just make up that something if the occasion called for it.

But for now, she needed to find Yuzuri.

She tried to remember the hallway she was in now which she believed was a left, right and right and now she was back to Riza's bedroom where she had stayed the first night.

Shirayuki sighed. Next time she needed parchment so she could physically map it down.

Her green eyes surveyed the dimly lit hallway, noticing a few doors along from Riza's. She heard voices from behind one door so she listened in.

She recognised Renka's voice and also the timid Hanni. So that was their room, right next to Riza's and she knew the one over was Atsuko and Kimi's.

But then, the third must be Yuzuri's.

Her feet softly padded down the hall toward the door and she stopped in front of it and looked sideways to the left and then to the right to make sure no one was coming and then held her ear to it.

She couldn't hear anything at first and then her eyes widened. There was a faint sound but couldn't tell if it was loud breathing or snoring.

Shirayuki stepped back a little, her eyes determined and went for the handle. It was locked.

"Damn it," she whispered as she frowned, thinking of what she could do.

She bent down and looked at the key hole to find it was a simple lock - one that she knew that Obi would easily be able to open.

Shirayuki thought she could see if it was Yuzuri's room by calling out for her from behind the door but then she looked at Renka's door and thought better of it since Renka was nearby and although she liked to think the best of people, there was something about that girl she didn't trust.

She turned and looked back to the lock and decided she needed some wire. But where could she get that?

Her eyes widened in realisation and she smiled. Of course, the room downstairs where the Herbalists were working would have something.

Shirayuki turned and headed down the hall and toward the dining area. No one would be there yet, hopefully, because it was in between lunch and dinner.

She padded across the hall, looking all around her to make sure she wasn't spotted. At least she was right - they were all in the meeting with Reno. Even the criminal lords, unless they were out hunting as she had overheard that it was one of the traditions for them to take part in at these summits.

Finally she reached the hall on the opposite side, avoiding the exit to where Reno's office was in case there were guards posted outside it. When she turned the corner, it started to look familiar and she made her way easily to the stairs before reaching the room where she had been working that morning.

And as she reached for the door, she heard voices behind it.

Well, that was her plan shot. Although, she could walk in and say that her Master had given her free time and because Reno had ordered her to produce results, she decided to come down and work on the formula.

Shirayuki smiled and nodded to herself. She could do this.

She would do this for Yuzuri...she had to.

Her small hand grasped the handle and pushed the door open. Their faces turned to look at her in surprise and she realised that the voices she had heard were the two girls from earlier who were working on the formula, as she was.

"We were-"

"I'm just-"

And then silence. Her orbs reflected confusion as did theirs.

"My Master gave me a free minute and so I thought I should come down and work on Reno's formula," said Shirayuki, surprisingly calm and spoken just how she had imagined in her head.

The girls nodded.

"You're the new Herbalist," said one girl.

Shirayuki looked them over properly now, noticing how thin they both looked. One was older, probably in her twenties and the other in her late teens if she had to guess.

Both had light brown hair and hazel eyes with similar features. They were sisters.

Shirayuki nodded after a short while. "How long have you been here?" she asked as her eyes began to gaze upon the room to find what she was looking for.

The eldest pursed her lips. "A year, give or take. But we shouldn't talk," she said shortly.

There had been a curious light in her eyes earlier but it was as if she remembered something and then that curiosity crawled inwardly back to a safe distance and then she grabbed her sister's hand.

Shirayuki nodded. "You're right," she whispered.

"Some day I want to escape," whispered the younger girl, her hazel orbs looking over at Shirayuki from across the room.

Shirayuki inhaled suddenly in surprise and then she smiled with sadness. "I suppose they all do-"

"No. You're wrong," snapped the older girl. "Not all the girls want to escape. You have to be careful who you trust here."

The girl's words made her thoughtful and her mind began to race as she thought of all the suspects. If she had to guess about someone who might be untrustworthy, though, it would be Renka.

Then again, she hadn't met all the girls yet. There had been more down here when she had first arrived but for the life of her, she hadn't the faintest idea of where they could have gone.

"They're gone."

Shirayuki jerked her head up and looked at the girl. She walked closer to their station with disbelief. "W-what do you mean?"

"You were looking for the others, but, only the useful ones are left. Mika and I...my sister," began the older girl, pointing to the girl next to her and clarifying their relation. "Last year we discovered a flaw in their formula, which we corrected."

She understood now.

"They got rid of them...the others. By the end of the Summit, we will have reached our usefulness too."

Shirayuki gasped in shock, her eyes wide with incredulity. Was it true?

"I saw it," squeaked Mika, looking up at her sister, her eyes full of hysterical tears. "Brenna and I, we saw them loading bodies into a fire, across the creek and near the tree line."

Shirayuki was absolutely appalled but she didn't doubt them. Her jaw tightened and then she decided she had to get the bits of wire she needed so she could get Yuzuri out of here before it was too late.

"The blonde one that came, they won't get rid of her yet. She's a botanist from Lyrias and is quite knowledgeable...its a pity she's just a means to an end, though."

"Yuzuri," bit out Shirayuki with gritted teeth.

The girls nodded. "They were going to get rid of her but then you showed up and then I overheard one of the guards saying that she'll be needed...something about red...red something, I don't know," whispered Brenna, shaking her head with anger in her eyes.

She knew what they were talking about. It had to be about her hair, if anything. Did they know that Yuzuri was her friend? And that question brought about more and more questions.

"No one will save us, will they?" sobbed Mika, clutching onto her older sister's arm like a lifeline.

Brenna shook her head as tears welled in her eyes too.

Shirayuki clenched her fists but couldn't help but feel emotional too.

"Look, don't lose hope, okay?" smiled Shirayuki, reaching across the table and placing a hand on Brenna's. "But you should go before the guards come back."

When she heard the door close, leaving her alone in the big room with the plants, herbs and chemicals, she looked up to the ceiling and clenched her eyes shut and a tear crawled down her cheek.

She had to save them. But could she?

Zen Wistalia had sent her on this mission, not knowing how this would all turn out. No one had known who the figure heads of this organisation were and now...she knew so much.

By all rights she could leave now and would have fulfilled her mission, but seeing these girls...Yuzuri, how could she leave now?

Her eyes spotted what she needed on the table. Some loose wire that had been used to keep a plant growing upright and so she snatched it quickly and made her way back to where she believed that Yuzuri was being held.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"His name is Mukaze," said the informant.

Obi watched the man. He didn't recognise him but apparently he had assimilated into the Mountain's Lions group without them knowing he worked for the Order.

But he wasn't part of them either. He didn't look especially skilled because he was stout, ratty and looked like a two-faced little turd.

He was playing both sides, he had a bet on that (in his mind).

He wondered what Shirayuki would do if he told her that the Order were targeting her father's group. Most likely she would stay to try and fend them off somehow.

Could he let her do that? His job was to protect her, at all costs, even if that meant he had to betray her to do it.

Or was that just his way of rationalizing the fact that this was second nature to him...betrayal...always working on the side that benefited him the most.

So was he that different to this skittish little man?

When he'd arrived back with his 'family', he'd told himself that this was temporary and that being here wouldn't affect him because he had his Master, Zen Wistalia, and his Miss Shirayuki.

And already he was thinking of betrayal and where best to align himself to reach his goals.

But there was only one side he was always on. And that's how he reasoned with himself about his decision not to tell Shirayuki about this. At least, not for now.

The informant had been telling them all about the Mountain's Lions but he already knew most of it, in fact, he knew quite a lot more. He knew exactly where their main base of operation was (their home) and this man it seemed had not been there yet.

He knew some of Mukaze's key right hand men too and their names, but he would be keeping that information on lock down.

Unfortunately, that meant that he would have to kill this man tonight.

A few hours had passed. They had been in deep discussions in Reno's office with his inner circle of soldiers, the informant and some of the criminal lord's whom Reno was in close business with.

The others were off on a hunting trip today.

So far, it was just brain storming on how to most efficiently get rid of the Mountain's Lions. Nothing concrete had been decided but apparently will be brought up tomorrow in the third day of the Summit.

Obi had acted bored the whole time, as he usually did (and always had), but was paying full attention without anyone knowing. He was always the best actor.

It had been the same at the castle too, for a while anyway, until he got to know the Prince of Clarines...until he came to know Miss Shirayuki.

He got up from his seat and began to walk to the door because he'd heard enough. They didn't know much at this stage and he hoped it stayed that way.

"Will I see you tonight, brother?"

Obi shrugged but didn't turn around and Reno pursed his lips, deep in thought before turning back to the men in the room to finish off their discussion.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Shirayuki fumbled with the lock. She had two bits of wire shoved into the hole. One holding the cogs in the lock in place while the other (which she had shaped with a hook at the end) was not doing as she had been shown.

Obi always did it so quickly.

She huffed, stood upright for a moment and stretched her back out a bit. She had been at this for a little while now and it was really bugging her, not to mention the amount of time she had wasted.

Suddenly she heard footsteps and so quickly hid the wires she had fashioned behind her back and she began to walk back toward Obi's room. If she had to explain what she was doing standing there, well, she didn't actually know what she would say.

As she walked, her small feel padding across the floor quietly, she noticed someone walking toward her. She held her head down, not wanting to get in trouble for looking one of the men in the eye, and continued forward without acknowledging them.

"You," snapped a voice, grabbing her arm forcefully and she quickly put the wires into her other hand.

She recognised his touch...it was Hiro, but she was smarter this time, she didn't look him in the eye and didn't fight his physical abuse.

"Look at me, girl," he growled.

Shirayuki's heart was pounding and she did as he commanded and looked up at him.

"M-My master is waiting-"

"Your Master?" he said, exasperated and then his eyes noticed her choker. His body stiffened as he stared at it as if it offended him.

"Y-yes, my Master. I shouldn't be tardy, he wouldn't like it. And I think that your life will be in danger if you continue," she said, her words shaky at first, but then held more confidence at the end.

After all, it was true. She hadn't lied because Obi had said as much to her earlier.

She looked up at him through some stray red locks of hair that fell across her face with a stern look.

"And why would your Master give two shits about how I treat you?" he spat, his grip tightening as his face came closer to hers, with his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Shirayuki noticed the grey color of his retinas and how he had a scar over his left eye, going vertically from the top of his lid to an inch beneath the bottom, underneath the eye. He had short, sandy blonde hair which was messy and he stood a little shorter than Obi but was still tall enough to tower over her small frame.

"You know, that fancy little leash you have there won't save you," he said with a deep booming voice, bringing his other hand to grip her other arm.

He pushed forward, causing Shirayuki to back away.

"I've had blondes, brunettes, white haired girls, blue haired girls and black and even girls with violet hair...but never red," he whispered dangerously.

Shirayuki's eyes widened in horror of what that statement meant.

"I didn't like the way you spoke to me this morning and you know what? That bruise suits you."

It was becoming hard for her to bite her tongue because this man was a pig and god knows how many other women he had abused and if she had to guess, raped too.

"My M-Master-" she began with a quivering voice, flinching from his touch as he began to edge his face toward hers.

"Doesn't like you touching my property with your filthy hands, Hiro."

He turned and when he saw who stood there with a deadly expression, he instantly let go of Shirayuki, as if burned.

Hiro stared at Obi who stood a few meters away from him and slowly pulled out a kunai knife from a pouch that sat on his belt. He spun it expertly in his fingers until the hilt of it sat firmly in his grasp and held it by his side.

Shirayuki watched on and could see the expression on his face. Obi's eyes were dangerous and she felt that if Hiro moved in a way that Obi didn't like, he would pounce on him with deadly force.

She'd never seen this side of Obi. Those auburn orbs that held rage to the point of looking almost demonic right now, had always held softness with her.

But, she had heard that he didn't always look like that, from others; she never believed them.

"Itoya-san...I never thanked you for trying to bring me to my father. I never got the chance with all the commotion and then celebration," laughed Shirayuki.

Visiting her father was something she had toyed with, for years, since she had been captured by Umihebi and finally she now had the chance. She was here.

Itoya had met her by the gate to escort her and her friends up to the village center. She had travelled with Obi and Ryuu. Ryuu had been interested in seeing the healers here and they had asked for his expertise in some matters when she had written to her father, asking if she could visit. Apparently Ryuu had made a name for himself since their time in Lyrias and Shirayuki couldn't have been prouder at hearing this.

Kazuki, Obi and Ryuu were chatting, well, mainly just Obi and Kazuki making snide remarks to each other and Ryuu was rolling his eyes.

Itoya looked down at Shirayuki with a small smile and nodded. "I'm sorry...for what happened. Your guard was very," he began and cleared his throat. "Displeased."

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him curiously. "Well, he was quite annoyed because of what happened but it was years ago now and all in the past, so don't worry. He doesn't hold grudges-"

"I beg to differ. You didn't see him that day after he awoke to find you gone."

Shirayuki shook her head. "He might seem rough around the edges when he fights but that's natural...people get angry in the heat of the moment-"

"No, Shirayuki. I know the look he had and it was not a...normal expression, even for the heat of battle. I would be careful of him. He's okay now because you're safe but I would hate to know what he would become if you were gone."

Her green orbs widened at his words and fell silent, clenching her hands together tightly at her front. Her sun dress blew in the wind and her longer hair flowed freely behind her as she looked up to the sky in deep thought.

Itoya watched her. "I'm sorry...I...I've ruined the mood," he said awkwardly as they neared the stairs to ascend to the village.

Shirayuki smiled and shook her head and was about to say that it was okay when suddenly Obi yelled out to her from behind them.

She turned and Obi grabbed her, lifting her off the ground. She gasped in shock but then saw that Kazuki had Ryuu in his arms beside him.

"Beat you to the top, old codger!" yelled Kazuki, speeding off while Ryuu protested, his cheeks red with embarrassment.

"In your dreams, kid," exclaimed Obi as he passed Kazuki with Shirayuki laughing; her arms around his neck.

Itoya watched on in disbelief. The man who held such hateful rage back then could hold such happiness in his eyes too.

"She's just a server, Nanaki. Why would you even claim this girl when you've never done it in the past?" said Hiro with incredulity, his eyes burning with anger.

But beneath that facade, he knew what the man in front of him was capable of and his grey orbs observed him carefully.

Obi didn't answer straight away and looked down at Shirayuki who still had her back to the wall, watching him with what he could only describe as curiosity.

"Its not your concern, although, you should be concerned with how little your life means to me," said Obi coldly, his eyes narrowed slightly.

His back was straight, stiff and his stance reminded Shirayuki of a cat, ready to pounce.

"You can't kill me. Even if you're family to Reno-"

Obi laughed but there was no humor behind it and then a smirk was fixed on his lips. Without a word he moved forward, quicker than Hiro could register and held the knife to his neck.

How had he gotten so close?

Shirayuki moved away as Obi backed Hiro to the wall, the knife still tight to his skin and he looked down at him with distaste.

He pressed the cold steel harder into Hiro's skin and the soldier hissed in pain as the sharp edge nicked it, breaking the skin but then he felt a hand on his elbow and he looked down.

"Please Master...he didn't mean it," she said as she removed her hand from his arm and bowed her head, looking to the floor.

Her red hair fell in front of her eyes.

"Please don't."

Hiro's eyes widened at her gesture and her plea for his life and he snapped his gaze back to Obi who was staring down at her in disbelief.

He removed the knife and looked back at Reno's soldier.

"Touch her again...if you even look at her in a way I don't like, you're dead," spat Obi, venomously as he put the kunai knife back into the pouch behind his back.

And then he looked down at Shirayuki.

"And you. Get back to my room now.