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Title: Enmity

Inspired by: Chapter 8 of the Manga Akagami ni Shirayukihime

Characters: Izana Wistalia, Shirayuki

Wordcount: 1021

Rating: General

The visitors left. Shutting the door behind them, the library was plunged into a deathly silence. I continued to stare ahead, controlling my sudden surge of temper.

I do not know why I feel all sorts of emotions around her: anger, irritation, annoyance, and contempt. I am a just and fair man. And I do not normally concern myself over trivial matters. I can let my retainers investigate her further without making direct contact with her. But the fact that she has gone so far as being Zen's special friend, my thoughts kept echoing back to the events five years ago.

The one where I almost lost my brother.

Maybe it really is my brotherly instincts coming to surface. Or maybe my intervention is more to my selfish reasons. Zen is eighteen. Three more years and he would be a full-fledged man. While it is an easy thing to put Zen under house arrest at thirteen years old, doing the same punishment on him when he is at this age might have different consequences.

Shirayuki is a woman. And I have seen men foolishly let themselves deteriorate over a woman.

I refuse to let my brother succumb to the same fate as countless others. I need Zen to be by my side. Always. Always.

I dropped all pretenses and decided to show her my displeasure. "Zen's favorite, huh? It felt weird for me to say it myself, just hearing it spoken out loud. For Zen, a member of the royalty, to have a friend and let her stay in the castle. Those who hear this must be very interested."

Silence.

I shifted on my seat, my coat rustling a little as I found a more comfortable way to sit back and relax.

"I'm interested too. You must have something that he really needs, right?"

Shirayuki made a small clattering sound. Placing the quill neatly beside the stack of parchment, she stood up again. "I cannot answer you whether there's obviously something about me that others might see…"

I directed my gaze at her.

Her green eyes looked moist. But they gleamed with inner fire. They remind me of newly polished emeralds glowing before a dying ember. And the expression of her face didn't surprise me.

She looked like a defiant kitten.

"My apologies for keeping you here. You may leave." I made a dismissive gesture.

"Thank you, your highness."

She made a beeline for the doors, trying not to be too eager to leave. Still irritated, I made one more remark that stopped her in her tracks.

"If the words you just said weren't humble, bringing a girl with a rare red hair color from a foreign country into the castle and rejoicing about it- that's an act of a stupid prince." I stressed the last words.

Shirayuki paused at the doorway.

"You may be right in your assessment of Zen, your Highness. He is, after all, your own brother. And you have known him since he was a baby."

My eyes narrowed. How dare she talk to me while showing her back?!

She must have heard what I was thinking because she whirled about to face me.

Shirayuki looked unyielding.

"However, you are wrong about one thing: Zen did not bring me here. I followed him because I believe in his sincerity in serving his people. I came here knowing that I would be serving under a good leader."

And with that, she opened the door behind her and slipped away before I could speak.

Was it my imagination or did the kitten just unsheath her claws?

Cheeky little brat! I simpered inwardly. And then, without warning, I let out a shout of laughter.

I've just been lectured by a foreign commoner. The door opened, and Iyasu, my other aide entered, took one look at my expression and approached unhesitatingly.

"Your Highness, about the girl…"

"I let her go." I explained.

"I've managed to dig out a little bit more information…"

My eyes widened at the bit of news.

Tanbarun's first prince actually ordered Shirayuki to be part of his harem? I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows in surprise. I have not communicated much with the King of Tanbarun, except on very special circumstances such as thievery incidents occurring between our borders. But, suffice to say, his eldest son has poor taste in women.

Shirayuki was coveted to be turned into a concubine, huh. A flash of her red hair flowing gently into the wind imprinted on my mind.

Concubine. Was Zen aware of this?

"Interesting, Iyasu." I murmured, more to myself, rather than for him.

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness? Did you just give an order?" Iyasu began to pour drinks into delicate blue and white china. The warm smell of cinnamon and cloves filled the room.

"How long has it been since we invited guests to stay at the palace?" I queried absentmindedly, peering into the courtyard once again. The apple trees branches and leaves swayed into the breeze.

"Quite a while, Your Highness. Quite a while. Roughly eight months. Since the Duke of Silas has presented the magnificent tapestries decorating the Rose Gallery." Iyasu handed me the teacup, whose contents are still warm, judging from the steam rising from it.

Good timing, then. To know more about Prince Raji and observe the other chess pieces gathered here, an invitation is in order.

I took a sip from the cup. The warm liquid tastes invigorating. I have managed to accomplish a lot on my first day back at Wistal. It bodes well for all my plans.

"Iyasu. Send out an invite to the King of Tanbarun. Inform His Majesty, I would like to strengthen my ties with the future King whom I will be liaising more into the future, especially since I would be soon crowned as King."

"Very good, Your Highness. Consider it done." Iyasu bowed. He eyed the sheaf of parchment sitting on the table. I saw his action and my eyes narrowed into slits in remembrance of the woman's boldness.

I came here knowing that I would be serving under a good leader.

A good leader. I felt an unnamed emotion crept under my skin. Am I not the next King? Doesn't that make me the good leader she is referring to then?

If Shirayuki is indeed smart as what Garack Gazelt described, she would soon be rising in ranks in the same way Garack rose when she first started. Shirayuki's specialty is medicinal herbs, identifying their abilities for curing ailments and deadly diseases. Garack Gazelt, though brilliant on her own, prefers to study more on the characteristics of the diseases known in the Kingdom, its incubation period, behavior, and how deadly it can be to an infected person. While her work is important, I feel that Shirayuki's knowledge is even more valuable.

The thought of Shirayuki serving me directly instead of Zen holds a lot of possibilities I dare not acknowledge yet.

"Your Highness? Prince Izana?" Iyasu's questioning look cut through my reverie. I directed my gaze at him and saw him took a step back.

"Sit down. Iyasu. I still have a few more people I need to meet today. Rewrite those parts to continue the records."

Iyasu nodded, not looking the least surprise by my instructions. He reshuffled the papers and prepped the ink.

Placing down the cup on the table beside him, my fingers traced the letters on the paper she wrote in, which Iyasu shoved to one side as he prepared to call for the next visitor.

Lords Asanagi and Zakura's name was written down in neat cursive. I was expecting her to write in block letters- the common style of writing preferred by the populace. However, seeing this neat cursive style, told me a lot more about Shirayuki than what Iyasu has collated so far.

Shirayuki is more learned than a common folk. The cursive writing is used by members of nobility. She must have had a formal education sometime when she was growing up.

Who are you, Shirayuki? I lowered my lashes, before grabbing the parchment and crumpling it into a tight ball.

"Let us begin."