Ya'll, my birthday is coming up and ya girl is excited. I just wanted to thank you all for reading this, and to the OGs who stuck through the years. This story has been through 2 (will be 3 in 7 days) of my birthdays and 3 of its own birthdays. So thank you guys for enjoying this story- I'm so happy you guys like it!

SEVENTY-NINE - Damage Control: Failed

"Did you need anything, Your Highness?"

It was awkward, really. It's been a long time since Shirayuki has been in Izana's office. The last time, he had been thanking her for her 'work' with Zen, and praising in regards to her relationship with Obi. But now she was here, clearly lovers with Obi and no longer hurting over Zen the way she used to. But she truly wondered what Izana could want from her, as he's invited her personally to his office first thing in the morning.

"Have you eaten yet?" Izana asks, his voice monotone and stern, as usual. Shirayuki shakes her head no. "Come." He meets the eye of a maid, who quickly brings over the cart of breakfast he had asked for before bringing Shirayuki over. She walks over slowly, watching as another maid pushes one of his guest chairs closer to his desk for Shirayuki to sit.

"Your Highness, you don't have to do this," Shirayuki insists, "I can eat after we're done here."

"Ah, but that's the thing," Izana hums, looking down as two covered platters are placed before them on the desk. "I don't know when we'll be done here, so I thought it'd be a good idea to have us full now so we won't be hungry until later."

Shirayuki tilted her head, clearly confused but decided to just run with it. She takes a seat, thanking the maids for their service before watching one of them unveil her unrequested breakfast. She looked down and widened her eyes, but quickly dissolved her shock. It was the First Prince and proper KIng who requested these meals; she shouldn't have expected anything less than royal.

Before her sat a plate with French bread, cut into slices and toasted with fresh butter. Next to it had been a small bundle of prosciutto, the cured, orange-red meat shining against the suns rays. And, taking a majority of the plate, was the creamiest scrambled eggs she's ever seen. It was ornate with minced chives and sliced truffles, and had steam emitting from it. She wasn't even sure how to start eating it, seeing as she was already uncomfortable.

"Your Highness,if I may ask, " Shirayuki begins. Izana was already digging it, with some scrambled eggs sitting on the piece of bread he held in his hand. Just as he was about to take a bite, he lowers it and meets her gaze. "Why am I here exactly?"

Izana puts his piece of toast down and replaces it with a mug of black coffee. Taking a sip of it, he looks at Shirayuki ever so seriously and says, "I wanted to know if you were willing to give my little brother a second chance." Shirayuki couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"...Pardon?"

"I hate to repeat myself, Shirayuki, I really do," Izana complains, but he doesn't press it too much on her. It was pretty daring of him to spring such a suggestion to her. "But be sure to listen this time, yes?" Shirayuki only stares. "I was wondering if you would be willing to give Zen another chance."

Shirayuki raised an eyebrow at him, unable to comprehend the audacity. "The last time I was here and we spoke, you were quite happy that things between Prince Zen and I had ended. You were practically congratulating me, Your Highness." Izana nods, recalling this well with no hint of denying it on his face.

"This is true," Izana agrees, "I thought it was the best for both my brother and you. Unfortunately, the little devious Princess proved me wrong, and for that I apologize."

Shirayuki squints, studying the man cautiously, "what're you apologizing for exactly, Your Highness?"

Izana snorts, clearly entertained by how witty and sly this girl was. She wanted a proper apology, not only just to prove a point, but to destroy a bit of his usually concrete confidence and still expression. "I'm sorry for thinking you weren't good enough to be my brother's wife and the Princess of my Kingdom."

Shirayuki nods, "okay."

Shirayuki has always been intriguing, but her enticing level has risen since the last 1-on-1 he's had with her. Shirayuki was more fierce. She was staring at him head-on, eyes completely locked on his. There was no hint of fear or anxiety in her face; she was just impatient. "So… back to my question."

"Can you repeat it?" Shirayuki asks, forcing so much innocence into that question. She smiles kindly at him, seeing how much she was wearing him out a bit, "it seems I've forgotten it. Silly me, I apologize, Your Highness."

She covers her mouth with one hand and silently giggles. Izana smiled too, but with absolute shock rather than entertainment. "Shirayuki, don't you want to be with my brother again? To share that love that clearly had him whipped beyond words." Shirayuki was untouched. "I know that you got hurt very badly, and I apologize for that as well. But when I confronted you the first time I met you, you were more than set to stay with him for the rest of your life."

Shirayuki remained still for a moment after his words before picking up her plate and holding it in her hand. The plate was scorching surely, but Shirayuki used her napkin to protect her hand and went for the fork provided. Taking a bite of the eggs, she hummed happily, "this is well done. Creamy… melty… soft…"

"Shirayuki, why are you avoiding me as if you're gonna be let out anytime soon?" Izana asks, his tone more rash and aggressive. Very contrast to his attempted 'patient' voice. "I have no intentions on leaving you alone until you answer everything I want answered."

"Or else what?" Shirayuki asks, taking a bite of her toast. She doesn't bother with her manners, and with a mouthful says, "awe you gonna kiw me?" Izana couldn't believe it. The woman who never fails to present her properly and perfectly, is now acting up and acting as though she wasn't civilized. She swallows the morsels down, and continued, "I'm not sure why you want me to get back with the Prince when you know I have a lover already."

Izana blinks, "you clearly know what happened with the wedding; you don't have to feel forced to be with Obi anymore."

Shirayuki raised a brow, "excuse me?"

"Obi was the fallout plan, wasn't he?" Izana pondered. "If Zen and you didn't work out, you had Obi to take his place."

Shirayuki couldn't believe what she was hearing. Izana was very good at pushing people's buttons, and itching at ones agitation tolerance. His mind games were complex; there was no real or efficient way of figuring Izana out. You'd have to divide his personality from his intentions, and deal with the two individually. But she never would have figured that Izana was disrespectful.

"Does Zen know I'm here?" Shirayuki begins. "Does he know the contents of what you're speaking to me about?"

Izana doesn't answer, which alone gave her the answer. "You won't ever have to worry about anything else again, Shirayuki. You could marry into the family, and be spoiled for the rest of your days. You wouldn't have to worry about being financially supportive for your kids. The Wistaria family will protect you for the rest of your days-"

"Please stop." Izana was taken aback by the rude interruption. But Shirayuki's eyes held a glare he hasn't seen in a while. She wasn't feeding into his words, she wasn't persuaded from his tone. "I reject whatever offer you're attempting to convince me with."

"And why's that?" Izana questions. "Have you actually grown to love my brother's little messenger boy?"

"His name is Obi, and he's not some 'little messenger boy,'" Shirayuki informs, clearly seething from the scum Izana was spewing. She puts her plate back down onto the desk and wipes her lips with the napkin provided. "He is my lover, and soon-to-be fiance. I have no plans of being with any other man but him."

Izana grins, "are you doing this just to be difficult?" He was humored- entertained even. Shirayuki couldn't believe that Izana was just amused rather than taking her seriously. She hated it.

"What happened yesterday, Your Highness?" Shirayuki whispered. "You were understanding; you understood and helped Prince Zen against your mother. You saw his pain- his sadness!" Izana was surprised to see her eyes watering. "Everything already happened the way it has; I thought you of all people would get that."

"And that's why I'm talking with you about this, Shirayuki," Izana utters. "I want to get rid of my little brothers sadness, and yours as well. It's a win-win situation when the two of you love each other."

"Your Highness, I'm sorry," Shirayuki says in a hush tone, "but I don't love Zen anymore. And really…" Shirayuki puts her hands on her lap, slowly closing them into loose fists, "I don't think I want to learn to love him again."

Izana didn't like that answer, "Shirayuki, if you don't comply-"

"Then I'll repeat myself!" Shirayuki says loudly. "Or what then? Are you going to kill me?"

Izana rises from his desk, clearly agitated enough by how hard it was to persuade the girl. Shirayuki only looks up at him, irritable with a glare glittering her eyes. She wasn't going to play into his game, and he knew it already. He simply didn't want to accept it. Before he could utter anymore words though, another voice entered the room, raising the tension within seconds.

"Lord Brother."

Izana and Shirayuki look over by the other wall of Izana's office to find Zen, revealing himself from behind the curtain. It struck nostalgia in Shirayuki's stomach, recalling when she first hid there while unintentionally eavesdropping on Izana and Zen's conversation. He stood there, his hair done nicely and his usual attire without one wrinkle. His azure eyes appeared worn out, but they were bright and full, a sight the two haven't seen in a while.

"What are you doing?" Zen asks with a sigh. He already had a long night, sorting himself out while simultaneously trying to get some rest. And now he was up, informed by a maid that his brother was busy having a discussion with another staff member. His curiosity destroyed him, and now he was here, disappointed in his older sibling. "I understand you feel guilty, but please don't try convincing Shirayuki to do something she doesn't want to."

"Zen, I…"

"She's happy with Obi," Zen says confidently, a smile playing at his lips. He looks over at Shirayuki and gives her a friendly wink, "the thing I want the most in this world is for her to be happy. So if she's happy, I'm happy." He's not too confident about those words, but he's good and honest about them. There's no pain in his tone, only a bit of concern and a twinge of annoyance.

"What I don't understand is why she's not willing to go back to the way things were," Izana bluntly says. Zen walks over to the desk and stands next to Shirayuki. She quickly stands up and looks over at him, only to receive a gentle smile from him. Zen just shrugs.

"There's one thing about Shirayuki that I've known for a long time," Zen nods at her, giving her a bit of reassurance, "and that's that she will do whatever she wants, whenever she wants to so long as it's what her heart wants."

Shirayuki appreciated this. Zen, after being held down by so much weight that she will never amount to understanding, has finally decided to push it off. She knew that he would already respect her, even when there were moments when he lacked it. The engagement being cancelled clearly helped free his spirit from the chains that should have never been put in the first place.

"I… understand," Izana hesitates, sitting back down and continuing to down his breakfast. He looks up at Shirayuki and directs a silent apology to her. She nods, accepting his apology. Without looking back, she quickly walks out of the office. Zen watches her go, clearly going slowly so that Zen would follow. But before he leaves, he turns back to his brother and pats his head with his hand.

"Thanks, brother," Zen mumbles, giving him a cheeky smile. "I appreciate what you were trying to do but please… don't ever do it again."

Izana nods, shaking off Zen's hand, "I'm not a pet, you know."

"Sometimes you're as deadpanned and nonchalant as a cat," Zen comments, receiving a scoff from his brother before he goes towards the door. As he does, he glances back to see Izana with a small smile as he takes another bite of his breakfast. Zen gestures to one of the maids constantly waiting in case Izana needs her and asks, "can you get someone to send breakfast to my quarters? A plate for me," he pauses and continues, "and a plate for my mother."

Izana watches the maid hurry off as Zen follows, not looking back before closing the door behind him. As he does, he's met with a gentle Shirayuki, looking down somberly. She was hugging herself a bit, her eyes slightly clouded. He frowns before saying, "I'm so sorry about my brother-"

But before he could finish, Shirayuki quickly jumped into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He had his arms in the air, unsure whether to reciprocate the hug or not. But it was pleasantly surprising. It's been a while since they had interacted like this, and it was only when they were lovers. But as friends, it still filled his heart, and he was glad she didn't dislike him or kept her distance anymore.

"Thank you," Shirayuki mutters, "I really didn't know what was going on…" She wasn't trembling, there was no fear in her voice. But she definitely seemed tired and needed a break from the drama that kept looming the castle.

Anything for you, he thought to himself. "No problem, Shirayuki," Zen nods. She lets go of him quickly, and stands in front of him once again. She still looked worried, a sight that Zen disliked very much. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry," Shirayuki says earnestly. I don't know how much you heard, but I promise I don't mean it to come off rude. Those feelings I had for you, they just-"

Zen immediately waves to silence as he smiles down at her, "don't worry about it. Everything that happened already happened, and you look really happy with Obi. You look great together, really." The way Zen insisted warmly still dug pangs of guilt into Shirayuki's heart. He's forcing himself a little bit, but his words were genuine and true.

Shirayuki nods, "I'm very happy with him, too." She then weaves her fingers together, holding her hands in front of her before continuing, "I better go find my dad. I've been meaning to introduce him to Miss Garak and Ryu for a while. And now that he's here, I think it'll be a great opportunity."

Zen smiles, "sounds like a great idea. Please, if you could," he brings a hand up to scratch the back of his neck, "tell him I'm sorry, again." He begins to turn around and continues, "Elizabeth's parents should be on their way, so I'll be awaiting their arrival-" he was suddenly interrupted, though, when Shirayuki says his name. Just his name.

"Zen." He looks back at her, his eyes gleaming when he sees Shirayuki stare back at him with a smile. She had his hand offered to him, with emerald eyes wide and heavy. "If you have a few minutes to spare, why don't you accompany me and apologize to him yourself?" Her smile was so gentle, so honest. Zen could feel his heart get heavy. "I think he'd be more inclined to forgive you properly if it came from your mouth."

He was hesitant, but Zen nods and takes her hand, allowing her to guide him through the corridors towards the room Mukaze was staying in. But when they made it and Shirayuki went to knock, a maid passing by informed them that Mukaze wasn't in his quarters.

"Really?" Shirayuki asked curiously. "Where did he go?"

"Sir Obi came very early and picked him up from his room." The maid informs.

"Where did Obi take him?"

"Down to the medical wing towards your office, Miss Shirayuki," the maid says, "they went to specifically see Young Ryu."