After a couple of months of procrastinating, I managed to find the time to review the future chapters and edit them as best as I could. You may start noticing that some of Izana's actions may seem out of character. I apologize in advance for that. Truly. I tried to make subtle changes- it is very difficult to write about someone as stubborn as him, and with scant information whenever I consult the manga (believe me, the online english scanlations has been bookmarked in my browser for the longest time). Also, next chapters will have notes at the end. Because I love historical facts, so there.

Title: The Night Before Luen Departs

Inspired by: Chapter 38 of the manga Akagami no Shirayukihime

Characters: Izana Wistalia, Garack Gazelt

Word Count: 1117

Rating: General

Status: Beta-ed chapter by Kartara. Please check out her profile and support her works

I fell into step beside Garack, who was doing her final round of patrol at the wards being housed under the Pharmacology Institute. Despite waking up very early during the day and practically hijacking the command center of the Institute, she still sports a spring in her step.

It was nearing midnight. Ryuu and the rest of the healing staff have successfully completed the final stages of the cure for the disease. The healers have begun administering the treatments to the affected and were currently down to the last two wards.

The patients who contracted the disease did not break into a thousand, which was a miracle in itself as we were expecting far worse. We have managed to prevent others from acquiring it as we raced against the clock to identify the contaminated sources.

However, it is never good news to know that the death toll has reached the final count of twenty-one; most of the casualties were the old people who has succumbed within the first two days of displaying the symptoms of the disease. They have been misdiagnosed as having pneumonia or the common colds. There was one victim, a toddler, who was ignorantly cared for by a young mother. The mother also succumbed to the disease and died soon after her baby daughter expired within hours of being committed in the ward.

Garack and I attended the burial ceremonies held for the victims. I find myself feeling unusually sad for the young mother and daughter, who were buried together inside a simple wooden coffin.

"Shirayuki would be devastated if she finds out that the child and her mother had both died." Garack let out a frustrated sigh as we turned towards the last ward where she and Obi were resting.

I felt a little weary from all the activities during the day. I have come to the last part of my journey here. The only thing that was preventing me to start my travel back to Wistal is her.

"It cannot be helped. The sickness was already advance when we took them in."

I was not surprised to find her still sleeping. The lights inside the wards have been dimmed a little, making the room solemn and quiet, conducive for resting. And yet, I feel restless as I followed Garack and moved closer to where she lays prone and unmoving.

Already, some of the healers are starting to administer the treatment to the other patients. A small clutch of them huddled at the other end of the room. I saw Ryuu emerged from the other door, carefully carrying the tray of syringes and medicines towards where we stood.

"I'm glad this is almost over," I replied to Garack, who nodded in agreement. "Zen and his party will be arriving soon to check up on them." I nodded towards Obi and Shirayuki.

Garack pursed her lips. "And you, Your Highness? Will you not change your mind and stay for a few more days to ensure she has fully recovered?"

It took me a moment to come up with a proper answer. But knowing Garack, anything I say would be futile. She already knows how I feel about Shirayuki at the onset. There is no escaping her notice.

"I will depart as soon as Zen arrives."

She raised her eyebrows at this. "You will not ask Zen to accompany you?"

I shook my head. "No," I replied simply.

She kept quiet at this. Ryuu reached our side. Nodding in acknowledgment, he placed the tray of medicines on a portable table and began to tap the small bottle of clear liquid which he used to fill up the syringe. He went to Obi first, cleaning the inside of his elbow and injecting the needle. Obi didn't even flinch-so deep was his sleep that he never even moved his eyelids in reaction.

He repeated this when he turned to Shirayuki. I held my breath, as if expecting her to suddenly wake up as soon as the clear liquid disappeared into the vein where Ryuu jabbed the sterilized needle. But she lay still, sleeping. I watched her face, pale and soft-looking all thanks to the careful ministrations, lovingly done on a regular basis by the nurses supporting the healers in the wards. It would be some time before I see her again, so I tried to take in my fill.

Ryuu bid us a quick goodbye, informing Garack that he would see her at the local inn for some midnight fare together with Yuzu and Shidan before he left the ward.

"Well then, if you are insistent on rewarding your brother with some quality time to spend with her, I guess I will allow them to stay a little bit longer. Perhaps the distance has made the heart grow fonder," She mused.

I gave a slight impatient noise at this sentiment.

Garack replied a laugh. "Or maybe I should say that the distance will make the heart grow fonder in your case, Prince Izana."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Garack. Perhaps you need to retire. It has been a long day." I replied coldly behind her retreating back.

"We shall see you back at the castle, My Lord, hopefully in a less temperamental mood." She waved off.

My time at Lyrias is brief. And yet, I cannot help but think it is one of the best ones I've ever spend so far, despite the issue of the deadly disease wrecked by the Olin Maris plant. For it was not only illuminating, but it was precious time spent with Shirayuki. The feeling of liberation in just a short span of time was exciting and intoxicating.

But as always, the knowledge that I am someone who will be King someday was a constant reminder. And everyday, the noose around my neck keeps getting tighter and tighter.

I should be grateful, at least, that I somehow found myself spending time with her. And I got to know her more without worries of this being viewed wrongly by others. At Lyrias, only a handful of people knew my identity, and I felt free to do as I pleased. But that freedom has an expiration date. And it ends tomorrow.

The journey back to Wistal is something I am not looking forward to. Because I would be leaving with a heavy weight on my shoulders. As soon as I arrive at Wistal, I would be sending a dispatch to my mother, Queen Haruto.

My message would contain what is to be expected from me after this sojourn: an offering for the hand of a suitable Lady as future Royal Consort.

Notes:

The manga never delved deeper into Shirayuki's work. I inserted creative license on how she, Ryuu, Garack, and the rest of the unnamed healers and pharmacists do to compensate for the lack of information.

I used the modern term "syringe" in this chapter as one of the tools used to heal patients. While reviewing this chapter, I realized my error in use of this, and I wondered whether syringes or hypodermic needle was already in use back then (I roughly gauged the manga in the timeline of the Renaissance, rather than the Middle ages, because there is very little advancement in treatments during the 5th to 14th century). And I wanted Shirayuki to be in the middle of medical discoveries and helping achieve better healthcare for the people.

So, I dug around a little, and found out that syringes were used as early as the 1st AD by the Romans. There were evidences that Iraqi/Egyptian surgeon Ammar ibn Ali al-Mawsili created a syringe in the 9th century. The next timeline was in 1650, when Blaise Pascal invented a syringe as an application of what is now called Pascal's law.

Since I have always tried to portray Clarines as a country that is eager to prove its worth as a center of learning, culture and invention, I decided to not re-write certain parts of this chapter by allowing the syringe as one of the tools normally used by a Clarines healer. Although, my intention is that this is still a new invention, possibly only a few years old, and is not widely used yet all over the country. I hope I can explore this tiny bit of fanfiction trivia in the future chapters.