Yikes im the worsttt, im so sorry to those who have waited ever so eagerly for me to resume this story x
THIRTY-EIGHT – Check-Up
14 Days Until The Wedding
Ryu had wanted to confront the Prince since the day he saw Shirayuki cry.
The young prodigy is not very aware of emotions and doesn't particularly notice himself using them. But when Shirayuki had come down to their office with shiny, crimson cheeks and a bloated reflection, Ryu had felt his heart tighten. He knew instantly that it was the day that the Prince announced his engagement in which he broke Shirayuki's golden heart.
Ryu does not hate the Prince. No, he is far too incapable for such a strong emotion. But surely, the young boy isn't very fond of the Prince, who has shown nothing but kindness and respect to him.
His feet felt heavy as his took small steps up the steep staircase, heading towards the Prince's quarters. Shirayuki had requested for Ryu to check up on him, knowing that she couldn't really do it herself just yet. Which is more than fine for Ryu, considering he desires answers that doesn't regard his health.
"Fiancé," Ryu murmurs to himself, his aqua eyes studying the glossy ground that was so clean, it showed his small reflection. It was strange, he thought, as Shirayuki will absolutely never stroll about these corridors as a Princess. Not that it matters too much to Ryu, other than the fact that she might be too busy to hang out with him if she were new royalty. But knowing Shirayuki, she'd never leave the boy behind, and that thought warmed Ryu's heart. But Ryu had been more than ready to accept Shirayuki as his Princess, and hopefully then, Queen.
But that plan was burnt to a crisp.
"Ryu." A voice, male and firm, poked Ryu from his wandering. The dark brown-haired boy looked up, lips parting into a pout, as he met eyes with one of the Prince's infamous aides. "Have you come for Zen's check up?" Mitsuhide hummed, having the young boy nod in confirmation as he slowly strolled closer to the Prince's guarded corridor. It was always heavy with soldiers, having 2 perfectly stand symmetrical beside his large entrance.
"Is he awake?" Ryu asked, having Mitsuhide nod as the man walked the boy towards the door. Placing one firm, rough hand on one of the dark oak doors, Mitsuhide gently pushes it, listening as it creaks open welcome Ryu into the sun-lit room. Ryu nods in gratitude, practically dismissing Mitsuhide as he enters the room. Door shuts behind him, having Ryu confidently snap his neck to see Zen still in his bed.
"Sorry for intruding, your Highness," Ryu spews quietly, bowing lightly as the Prince simply hums in forgiveness. Standing straight, Ryu digs his hands out of his pockets of his azure hoodie and blinks a few times at the white, wispy-haired royal. "Do you mind if I come closer to do your check up?"
"Be my guest," Zen welcomes croakily, having Ryu walk closer to the obviously groggy man. But he had looked far different than he usually does.
His skin seemed much more pale, as though he hasn't eaten a single bite of anything in days. His lips were an unhealthy light coral color, chapped with transparent wisps of dry skin. His lovely azure eyes seemed to have been blotted much more lightly, the color weaker than it's usual bold color. And right under his eyes were rubbed dark grey, evidently showing how much sleep he's been lacking.
"Have you eaten?" Ryu hummed curiously, having Zen shake his head as he let out a breathy yawn. He just woke up. Ryu pulls up a chair from his nearby small table, positioning it besides Zen's silky bed for Ryu to sit by. The young boy then takes out the equipment needed to take a bit of Zen's blood, "that's good. Your blood is clean then."
"I suppose…" Zen hums distantly, his eyes desperately trying to focus on Ryu and the way his small hands grab Zen's right arm. Ryu squeezes Zen's arm all around, having a few blue and green veins come to be more prominent in the pale skin. Sated, the young prodigy then reveals a small, blue ribbon and begins to tie Zen's upper arm with it. "What are you checking for exactly when taking some of my blood?"
"I'm ensuring the color remains normal," Ryu quietly responds as he begins to tap at the bend of Zen's elbow. "Though your immune system is more than adequate, finding yourself starving for even just a day can affect you as it is not only vital, but something you do consistently. It seems exaggerated, and it somewhat is, but being food deficient for even the shortest periods of time can mess up your blood."
Taking that in, Zen simply hums out a "okay" as he watches the young boy take out two small, black bottles and a transparent vial from his pocket. Zen watches as Ryu checks the labels of the bottles, and begins to open up one of them. Placing the cap down on the small bit of bed beside Zen, Ryu reveals a cotton ball and pours some of the clear liquid on it. Alcohol, Zen thinks as Ryu closes the bottle again and begins to clean Zen's bend of the elbow. That's when Zen decides to get something out of Ryu about the most important thing to him since the day he met her: Shirayuki.
"How has Shirayuki been, Ryu?" Zen asks politely, feeling goosebumps rise from nerves and the chills of the cool alcohol against his skin. Ryu doesn't dare pause or freeze in thought as he taps Zen's arm again to get the veins back up.
"She's been well," Ryu hums, "even better than before, quite honestly." Before?
"Before?" Zen asks quietly. "Has she been unwell before?"
"Before the ceremony," Ryu quietly replies. Zen couldn't help but feel like that was an incredibly indirect insult to him. Before the ceremony was when Zen was genuinely happy, and so was Shirayuki. The two had been so content with each other's existences that nothing else mattered. Nobody could stop the two from what they had. Not even social class could keep Zen away from the red-haired beauty that resided in his palace. "She's becoming more involved in her study and work here. She's getting to know everyone else more, and is becoming highly recognizable by the staff. And really, she's enjoying herself a lot."
"Enjoying herself?" Zen questioned curiously as Ryu blew the alcohol dry on his skin. His small fingers professionally prepare the small needle. He unleashes the needle, placing the cap on the bedside table to ensure he doesn't lose it.
"Shirayuki doesn't feel so restricted anymore," Ryu bluntly says as he studies Zen's veins. Ouch. "Nobody watches her the way they used to, as if she was doing something incredibly wrong." Ryu hadn't wanted to say too much, for he might be the reason that Zen's heart officially plots itself deep into the cold ground of guilt and regret.
"Ryu…" Zen begins, but his breath quickly hitches when Ryu candidly poked through his flesh with the sharp steel. Gritting his pearly whites, he looks away to study his balcony and how his curtains had begun to dance from the wind being produced outside.
"The way you let her go actually made my chest tighten," Ryu softly let out, his small fingers pulling the pulley back to squeeze in blood into the syringe. "Why did you do it, your Highness? I know it's none of my business of the choices you make, and I respect that you would not like to confide in me. But please know that Shirayuki is someone I care about a lot and can't imagine my life without her."
Zen was taken aback by Ryu's words. First off because of how much Ryu has grown and has finally developed the trait of being fairly talkative. And then the idea of Ryu actually feeling things and openly expressing it with words was beyond the Prince. Though he didn't hang out with Ryu so much, he knew from the few interactions he's had with him that mute was not far from Ryu's set of adjectives.
But Zen is too much of a coward to tell a blunt boy the truth.
"I have royal duties I am obligated to abide to," Zen spews quietly, noticing Ryu blink in his periphery. The young boy whipped out a small piece of gauze and pressed it down on Zen's skin where the needle was punctured and slowly began to remove it from his flesh. Zen lightly flinched from this but composed himself when the needle had finally been out and Ryu was ripping off a piece of tape with his mouth. Where was this kid conjuring all these items? Zen genuinely wondered as the awkward silence began to swallow him.
"So does your brother," Ryu muttered, sticking the gauze down on Zen's skin. "As King, he is to respect all other nations and try his best to restore peace. But rather, your brother provoked chaos for the benefit of himself and his state. Which is respectable, but was obviously acting defiantly." When had this suddenly become an attack on his blood? The Prince thought as he listened to the young boy spit truth.
"And your mother," Ryu began quietly, "a coward who should recognize that her duties should have remained here where her King last served and her two kids reside. Surely, she's carrying out her duties in another palace, but that almost seems like betrayal to this one, doesn't it?"
"Wilant is ours, Ryu…"
"Ever so far away from you and the place she was raised in." Ryu began untying the ribbon on Zen's arm. "Where the people had looked up to her when your father entrusted her to protect this castle before his passing. Even so…" Ryu swallowed, "the two are fantastic rulers, and I'm more than content to be under the reign of your family."
"Then why are you acting incredibly cold about it?" Zen begins, almost defensively as Ryu began to fill the empty vial with his blood. "And why can't I be the change in trend and actually obey the rules I'm to follow for the benefit of my kingdom?"
"Because change is found through disobeying the rules and doing something out of norm," Ryu hums informatively as he studies the crimson liquid. The young boy just barely glares at the Prince before standing up to wander towards the balcony. He spins the warm vial in his hands to keep the blood going. "You were going to marry a commoner, someone that isn't even the daughter of a noble."
"Don't you dare disrespect Shirayuki that way," Zen spat angrily, but Ryu quickly waved his hand in dismissal.
"I only called her that for the sake of the explanation, your Highness," Ryu replied coolly. Zen was pretty surprised at this. Not only was Ryu extremely talkative, but he was also sassy and incredibly comfortable in being blunt with the Prince. There was no lick of intimidation in this boy. To this, Zen smirks.
"How audacious you've become." The smirk dissolves into a sad smile. "From asking about how Shirayuki is doing to critiquing my leadership. I've chosen a Princess over Shirayuki not only for the good of my people, but for my happiness. I'm more than content to have a beautiful Princess by my side who is my fiancé and soon-to-be wife. I know that I hurt her feelings beyond repair and for that, I'm sorry but—"
"Didn't you listen earlier, your Highness?" Ryu interrupts. "I apologize to interrupt, but Shirayuki is doing much better than before. So please, don't apologize." Zen gave in immediately, much to his dismay.
Zen swallows harshly. "…if you are done here, you are dismissed." Ryu nods, but quickly puts the vial in his pocket to reach above his head and into the hood of his azure sweater. He revealed a bento box, one that was simply white and blue—the colors of the state. Ryu walked back to Zen and offered it to the Prince, having him eye it in wonder.
"Despite everything, she still made you a breakfast to enjoy," Ryu informed. Zen's lips part in awe, hesitantly taking the unknown meal and placing it down on his covered thighs. This bothered Zen. This bothered him beyond anything that's annoyed him before. More than his brother and his witty remarks and sarcastic being. More than Prince Raji almost taking Shirayuki to be his personal sex slave.
More than Shirayuki being Obi's and not his.
"I… thank you, Ryu," Zen muttered. Ryu begins for the door wordlessly, but Zen's next words make him pause. "I know what I lost. I know I'll regret it for the rest of my life." Ryu tilted his head down, his aqua eyes adjusting to the ground as he nods and resumes walking. But Zen watches as Ryu makes it to the door and suddenly halts, his small hand on the knob.
"There are thousands of Princesses in this world, your Highness," Ryu hums. "But there's only one Shirayuki, and you lost her. I'm glad you know what you lost and will never have again."
"Ryu." Once again, Zen stops Ryu from leaving. "How… how much has she disconnected from me?"
"She doesn't say your name anymore, with or without other peoples presence," Ryu replies blanketly before dismissing himself from the room and leaving the Prince alone with his mind to torture him of his regrets and pure pain in his heart. But even with the young boys words destroying Zen's mind, he couldn't help but smile.
Shirayuki was literally breathing change, and that has made Ryu into a braver boy.