Shirayuki turned the map over in her hand, trying at the same time to calm her nerves. She hadn't even suspected that Zen really was a prince. Though, now that she considered it, he did seem to have the air of royalty. Like he was meant to be a leader. She inwardly laughed at how ridiculous that sounded in her mind.
"Look! Over there! That girl…she has red hair!" The villagers whispered in hushed voices at each other, and Shirayuki's hand unconsciously shot up to try and cover what was becoming the center of attention. She tried to dodge toward the shadows, hoping that the darkness would make the bright crimson of her hair a bit less conspicuous. Unfortunately, as she casually scanned the path, the bright glaring sun didn't allow for many shadows.
She turned her gaze to the map, her green eyes scanning it, trying not to pay attention to the whispers that swirled around her like a storm. This place was unfamiliar to her, so naturally she would feel rather uncomfortable. She had been invited to Clarines, by the second prince himself, and yet she thought that she had attracted enough attention by just the color of her hair. It felt oddly light, and when she ran her fingers through it out of habit, she once again blinked at the absence of the familiar ponytail.
By now, half of the villagers had decided that staring at her for about 10 minutes was enough to create a sufficient amount of gossip, and promptly left her alone. She was thankful for that fact, and she quickly hurried down the path, shielding her eyes from the bright sun. She raised her head, and she could see the castle in the distance. It seemed to majestic, and it reflected the sunlight, giving it a soft glow. For some reason, even though this had only been her first time, she felt as if she belonged here, and that she was going home.
She shook her head slightly to get rid of such thoughts, and took a deep breath, approaching the richly decorated doors. Two guards stood at their post, guarding the entrance with emotionless expressions. Shirayuki was mesmerized for a second, unable to take her eyes off the incredible architecture. Her gaze landed upon the garden, filled with bits of green and blue and red. Flowers bloomed in the distance, and she felt as if she could feel their presence calling to her. She wondered if she could recognize all of them. She was shaken from her thoughts when one of the guards spoke, his voice deep and curious. "Excuse me? What is your business here?"
She appreciated his good manners, and the fact that he hadn't yet commented on her hair, though she could see in his eyes that he wanted to. "Zen invited me." The words tumbled out of her mouth, and she considered them a moment later, wondering if they were rude. Should she have addressed him as Prince Zen? She knew almost nothing about castle etiquette, but she was fairly certain that most people weren't allowed to address him by his first name.
The guard looked at her strangely for a minute, as he comprehended her words. "You must be Lady Shirayuki then? His highness was waiting for your arrival." He and his partner both parted, so that she could walk through the door. She nodded to them politely, bidding them a good day, and made her way towards the castle.
It was similar to Raji's palace, so elaborate and gigantic that she feared she would get lost. She wandered through the halls, automatically glancing around herself in amazement. Briefly wondering who had designed the castle, she continued slowly strolling down the hallway. "Ah, Shirayuki!" She looked up to see Zen smiling at her in greeting.
"Sorry for intruding. How were you?" She once again wondered if her level of formality was alright. Did she need to be more respectful towards the prince of an entire kingdom?
"Fine." Zen offered her another smile, and quickly pulled her across the hallway. "Though I'm tired from signing all those papers."
"Is that why you're probably planning to run again?" She felt the sudden urge to tease him, and he sighed, probably admitting to her accusation. A pattering of footsteps echoed through the elaborately decorated hallways, and both of them turned to see Mitsuhide and Kiki walking towards them, causing Zen, for some unknown reason, to sigh again.
"Ah, you found me. It's your turn to run away to see if I can catch you now." Zen said to Mitsuhide, his voice in a bored monotone. Mitsuhide blinked as he fully comprehended the prince's meaning.
"Why are you shooing me away?" They continued their soft bickering, and Shirayuki was content to just watch, feeling like she belonged here.
AN
Sorry! I know this is a bad place to leave off, but I felt bad for not updating, so I just wrote a short chapter. Please review!
-Lapis Moon
