Hello readers, it's been a while, hasn't it? Fun fact, I'm not dead. I was just getting really sick. In case you didn't know I have a condition called Chrons. It affects my intestines and I'm not going to get into much detail just because. The only important thing you need to know is that causes fatigue and weakness. Also, I have been really busy with school. Writing is a passion of mine, but I have had no time to do it because the tenth grade is actually extremely difficult. It probably doesn't help that I'm falling asleep in math, my worst subject. I want high school to be over, anyone else feels this way... :(

Anyways enjoy this chapter, Luv ya and I missed ya dearly! Glad to be back!

*Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Akagami no Shirayukihime, the only thing I own is my O'C's!

A hand quickly jolted up.

"Just one, what child invented such a trivial game," The room burst out into a fit of laughter.

"That so-called child would be me," A woman chuckled as she entered the room.

"Welcome Princess, glad you could Join us," Eli bowed.

"WAIT, PRINCESS!" The whole room was starstruck.

(Line)

"P-princess Akina, I didn't mean it like that, I meant.." The man stuttered.

"You meant that you have no time for such trivial matters, isn't that right sir," Princess Akina smiled.

"Yeah, that exactly right, thank you for understanding," The man started to calm down.

"Then you may go," She responded.

"Excuse me?" The man inquired.

"You may leave. If you have no time for trivial matters nor do you then have time to be here, so leave," Akina motioned for two guards to escort the gentleman out.

"Anyways, how about we start the game, oh I'm so excited," Akina giggled.

The room was silent, shocked with what had just occurred. Fearing what would happen next, everyone decided to play the princesses game.

"Shirayuki, you're next to me it seems," A voice called to the redhead.

"Prince Raj!" Shirayuki was happy, but that joy was quickly replaced with fear. She was seated between Raj and Princess Akina.

Zen rolled his eyes as he took his seat. He was between a man who looked roughly the same age as him and a lady who couldn't be more than fourteen. Kiki sat next to two nobles, both women. Mitsuhide also took his seat. He was supposed to be seated next to the man who was dragged out of the room, but they changed that after the incident. He was now next to a gentleman and a little boy who looked way too young to be here by himself. Obi casually walked around looking for his seat, but couldn't find it.

"Umm... Excuse me miss, where is my seat..." Obi inquired

"Oh, I forgot to mention that."

"ATTENTION, EVERYONE LISTEN UP!" Eli shouted over the chatter, "When you run out of candies you are out of the game and when mints are passed they pass the people without mints too."

Eli grew excited as she explained more about the game they were about to play.

"Stay seated if you lose all your mints because of the mint thief. The mint thief quietly goes around and steals mints from others, and if someone catches that person, they get one free mint from him. But, if someone who already lost all their mints happens to get the mint thief, then they can take all of his remaining candies and get back in the game. The mint thief can continue to steal mints until time runs out. When the time runs out, everyone counts there mints. If you get no mints, then you lose."

Everyone nodded, for they seemed to understand the instructions

Eli Took her seat at the small table in the corner. She peaked at the first question. "This one should really kick things off, she said as she read the question. Are you in love with anyone at the moment?" Eli giggled as those words left her mouth.

Shirayuki and Zen swiftly passed their mints off to the right, to symbolize yes. Shirayuki surprisingly got a mint from her left side, Princess Akina but not from Raj. Zen was lucky for he got a mint from both his right and left side. Both Kiki and Mitsuhide passed there mints to the right for some unexplained reason. Sadly, neither of them got mint.

Now it was Obi's turn, he had to be careful who's mint he was going to steal, everyone would be on there guard for him. He thought maybe it would be okay if he stole from Shirayuki but quickly dismissed the thought. His decision was snatching two mints from a random girl.

"Alright everyone, that it for round one of twenty," Eli chirped

"TWENTY!" Everyone was shocked at the number.

"Yes twenty, do you have a problem," Princess Akina joined in.

"No, we are very sorry for questioning it princess," The room stated in unison.

"Let's continue," Eli read off the next question.

The game continued in this fashion for a long time.

"Okay everyone, It's the final question!" Eli started.

Shirayuki had no mints by the fifteenth round, Zen had five, Kiki had six, and Mitsuhide had two. Then there was Obi. Due to Obi's exceptional Ex-Assassin skills, nobody has been able to catch him yet so he was sitting at twenty-eight. He wondered who to steal from next. There was a man with ten mints sitting down at the other end of the room and that was his first thought. Then he noticed a man with fifteen mints in all, that would be his target. Shirayuki was subtle with her eye on Obi, hoping to catch him and win the game.

"Would you die to save someone that you love," the room went silent at this question.

Akina swiftly passed her mint to the right. Passing Shirayuki, Raj took the mint. Zen handed his mint to the right, along with Kiki and Mitsuhide.

Obi was swiftly getting to the man with fifteen mints undetected. Shirayuki was trying to spot the ex-assassin. In the end, Zen was left with the same amount he had entering the game, three. Kiki and Mitsuhide both managed five, and Obi was almost to his steal. Suddenly he felt a pull on his jacket.

"Gotcha," someone whispered.

He turned around to see who was sneaky enough to catch him. Obi almost slapped himself in the face as soon as he realized.

"Miss..." this was probably the one time that he was not excited to see miss Shirayuki.

"Will you look at that, on the last round the mint thief has been caught," Akina broke the silence from beside Shirayuki.

"And with that, the mint thief loses, now add up your mints, whoever has the most gets a prize," Eli joined in.

Everyone counted their mints up.

"Now if you would all please stand up," Eli continued.

"Please sit down if you have five or fewer mints," Eli started narrowing down the contestants.

Obi was already out, and after the first alert so was Zen, Kiki, and Mitsuhide. Shirayuki took note of who was standing between every round. Princess Akina especially.

"Ten or fewer mints, please sit down," the game continued.

That took out a good chunk of the guest but still, quite a few people were standing up.

"Fifteen or less," by then, mostly everyone was sitting down.

The only people that were up by then were about ten random people, Akina, and herself.

"Twenty or less take a seat," only five people remained by that time. Things were really winding down.

"Twenty-five or less," After that, the only two left standing were Akina and Shirayuki.

"We have our finalist," Eli was enthusiastic.

Akina looked at Shirayuki and smirked. Shirayuki had no clue what Akina was thinking, nor did she want to.

"Twenty-six," Eli started off again.

"Twenty-seven," The anticipation continued.

"Twenty-eight," Shirayuki sat down in defeat.

Akina also sat down at Twenty-eight.

"Wow, this is shocking, there was a tie between Princess Akina and Lady Shirayuki," everyone started cheering, and Shirayuki's friends came up to her and started hugging her.

Shirayuki fully expected Akina to beat her. It was her own game after all, but what she didn't expect is for the two of them to have the same amount. Akina snuck up behind the red-headed girl and tapped her shoulder.

"Yes," Shirayuki turned around and smiled.

She soon realized who she was talking to and was scared.

"Don't be frightened, I just want to tell you congratulations on your victory," Akina smiled.

"You also did wonderfully, we tied remember," Shirayuki responded.

"Yes, but I have been playing this game my whole life, and not once have I ever lost, or tied."

Shirayuki was starstruck. She just did the impossible. She beat the Princess at her own game.

"I would like to get to know you better, meet me in the courtyard tomorrow. Fourish sound like a good time," Akina bolted off before Shirayuki had time to respond.

And just like that, the sweet herbalist's whole afternoon was planned out.

That was it. What do you think? Anyways again, glad to be back missed ya!

Reviews give me inspiration!

With all of my heart, Janna Zuercher