THIRTY-NINE - Taking in the Truth (Adamantly)
14 Days Until The Wedding
What did I do?
The Prince could only think this question as he lied upon his silk-kissed mattress. His azure eyes sauntered his bedroom, looking at the stillness and soaking in the silence all around him. The only sound he could possibly hear is the thought-up ones. The heartbeats outside his quarters, guarding him from the unlikely intruders that'll show.
It was stupid, to say the least. Zen didn't even feel a spec of sickness surge through him as he pretended to lie helpless on his bed. It wasn't even that he was weak or lazy- he simply just didn't want to get up. To get up is to have to go back to doing his Prince duties, and Zen has never been particularly eager to attend to those.
Furthermore, he'd probably have to interact with his fiance.
Which makes him wonder about her well-being. Zen has beautifully managed to avoid this girl, even though Elizabeth is his soon-to-be wife and Princess of his kingdom. She's one of the added reasons to why he lies useless on his bed. He makes the guards lie to her whenever she tries to enter his room and 'check how my love is doing' by saying Zen is extremely unwell. The fact that he chose her to be his wife made it all ever so stupid.
Why couldn't he just do what he wanted to do and spend the rest of his life with Shirayuki?
Having her had made him strong in ways he didn't think he could be. With her, he suddenly wanted to do more than just be a Prince. He wants to be strong to protect his nation and those who are being oppressed. He wants to be a face that his people can look at and get sheds of pride from it. He wants to be the best man that Shirayuki can trust implicitly and smile contently at.
Zen felt like an idiot to let go of one of the biggest hearts he's ever met. He felt so moronic on his bed, with his white wisps of hair a mess and his bones just yearning to be used. He could be out there, at least doing his royal duties in respect of his people. He's doing nothing but evading the woman he's to be betrothed to and mentally pining over the woman he lost as a result of his goal to be a good Prince.
Ryu had been right to tell Zen off the way he did. Ultimately, Zen knew the young boy scolded him for all the right reasons and respectively towards his higher up. Even if it bothered Zen a bit, he knew the prodigy only wanted him to be aware of everything and how the girl is doing. And if Shirayuki is doing better, what could Zen say? He only wants the very best for her.
He'd just prefer it if the very best for her was him.
Tuning his thoughts out, Zen forced the blanket off of his body and got himself up on his feet. The cool, clean floor sparked something against his feet as trickles of goosebumps went surging up his calves and thighs. His warm, navy blue attire hung loosely on his body, its silky properties merely rubbing against him with every step he took towards his dresser. He had quietly thanked himself for bathing much earlier so he could quickly change into his usual Prince garments to present himself to the world again.
His blue boots clinked with every heavy step he took towards his door. Gently, Zen placed his gloved hand on the door and slowly pushed it so the guards were aware of his presence. They were quick to move away and face the Prince respectively before bowing to him.
"Your Highness," they both say firmly. Zen could feel his stomach churn from the words as he nodded them in dismissal and began his stroll to his office. As he did, he could feel the surprised eyes of the rest of his unit linger on him. He was used to the looks and glances, surely, but sometimes he gets exhausted from receiving so much attention. He could almost understand what it was like for Shirayuki when everyone thought those two were betrothed.
And there he loses once more, drowning in the thoughts of the beautiful herbalist that was just downstairs in the castle. He suddenly feels lost in the corridor, with no real desire to actually go to his office. Zen thinks up of the worst possibility: Kiki, Mitsuhide, and Elizabeth in his office, waiting there for him like worried parents. The very thought of it left Zen's mouth dry.
He suddenly walks into the corridor he's to be. To his left are the stairs towards his office, with guards positioned there already eyeing their Prince. But to his right were the descending stairs that led him to the woman he truly loves. With barely any contemplation, Zen directs himself to the right and quickly dashes down the stairs.
I want to see her- I need to see her.
The crimson haired beauty with the smile that could cure just about anything.
The big heart who has put others before herself in grave, dire situations.
The gorgeous young miss who has forced herself into hearts of so many without even knocking.
Zen wanted to see her so badly. It had only been yesterday that he saw her and felt her soft touch upon his skin, but that's barely ever gonna be enough to sate him. He's never dared been this greedy before meeting her, and all of a sudden, he doesn't even care. Shirayuki is all he's ever wanted, and he took her for granted.
The Prince could feel his heart throb beneath his chest, with the way his feet anxiously take the straight route leading to where she could be. His boots clunk loudly in the corridor of the medical wing, knowing he'd be attracting attention. But he didnt care.
"Oh, your Highness!" Zen's ears took in Garacks voice as his periphery detected her white lab coat. He paused, his azure eyes staring wistfully at the few steps he needed to do in order to reach Shirayuki's office. But with due respect to the head herbalist, he faces the sandy-haired woman and curtly smiles. "How're you feeling?"
"I'm much better, thank you," Zen replies in a low tone, "it was stupid to cause so much commotion over a bit of food deprivation, but I'm grateful to Shirayuki and Ryu for making sure nothing else was wrong."
"Making sure you're well is their number one priority, Prince Zen," Garack says kindly. "They wouldn't dare take any risks if you were potentially ill." Zen nods in response, his azure eyes suddenly wandering towards Shirayuki's office. Garack noticed this and forced a grin on her lips. "Are you looking for Shirayuki?"
"Yes, actually, I am," Zen replies in short. "Is she in her office?"
"She isn't, actually." Zen felt a vein surface his left temple. "She's at the back of the castle taking a nice stroll-" before Garack could finish, Zen had zoomed out of the corridor and turned into another leading towards the back of the office. He left a wind that sent the woman's hair flying, having Garack stare confusingly as she said, "...with Obi."
This was a bad idea- a very bad idea. Zen knew it as fact that he should've just went to his office and done his royal duties. He knew he should've just went over and confront Elizabeth, sate her with a kiss and dismiss her. He knew he should've went to get scolded by Kiki and receive cautious hugs from Mitsuhide.
But Shirayuki was just ever so inviting that he can't help himself.
He felt his boots drag against the floor as he suddenly halted himself at one of the corridors with the open pillars. He slowly walked towards it, his hands holding onto the balcony-like fences as his eyes looked about for the girl with the red hair. And of course, it didn't take him very long to do so.
There Shirayuki was, in her egg-white court herbalist attire, without boots in the feet-level pond Zen didn't know was even in the castle grounds.
Shirayuki looked so content, feeling the warm water swallow up her feet just before her ankles. Her smiled looked ever so grand, with her chubby cheeks high and glowing with a perfect shade of peach. Her emerald orbs twinkled, with soft crinkles by the ends of her eyes. And her short, slow-growing red locks of hair danced with her as she did adorable little steps in the pond.
At that moment, Zen could feel his own little bubble of euphoria bloat in his heart. But it had suddenly been popped when he suddenly let his eyes wander upon the black-haired mystery beside her.
There Obi was (never lacking in attendance) by his lady's side, his large hand holding her small, petite one as he spun her about in the water. Zen's teeth grinded harshly against one another, his azure eyes taking in the way Obi's ambar eyes stared at the breathing beauty by him. Zen could feel himself seething in envy, but there was not a damn thing he could do.
Obi held her strongly as he allowed her to step about the water gleefully. He couldn't help but feel all sorts of warmth and beatific when watching Shirayuki enjoy herself. Her eyes were no longer pink and puffy. Her face wasn't bloated, and her eyes has seized to look depressed for a very long time. It was like she was never sad at all. But in reality, she overcame her woe and became someone much stronger and rawfully perfect.
"Obi, you're splashing too hard," Shirayuki spewed through giggles, "my dress is getting soaked!" To avoid getting wet, Shirayuki tied the skirt of her dress up just above her knees. But it soon seemed pointless with Obi's harsh steps.
"M'sorry, Mistress, I didn't mean to," Obi began quietly with a genuine tone. She stared at him and laughed softly, knowing she wasn't actually upset at all and rather finds it incredibly humorous. Seeing her so ecstatic had Obi spewing a few small laughs himself. He purposely began stomping a bit, splashing all about her upper thighs and her tied up skirt.
"Obi!" Shirayuki exclaims, still too full of giggles to even sound the smallest spec mad. Obi smiled at this fact, taking advantage as he quickly let go of her hand and scooped her off of her feet. "Obi, what are you-!" With ease, Obi lifted her up bridal style and began spinning about in the small pond. "Oh my gosh!" Her arms found themselves around his neck as she let him spin her around.
"Do you prefer the splashing now?" Obi began, a little too loud, as he continued spinning them both into deep dizziness. She giggled and nodded, holding on tightly in fear of detaching from him. That's when Obi slowly eased the two into a halt, having his legs lag a little towards the left due to the dizziness.
"Was that necessary?" Shirayuki pondered with a smile.
"No, but I was able to do it," Obi replied with a rascal-like grin. Shirayuki giggles, looking up at her knight warmly. She could see his eyes light up with the way she looked at him. And he could tell she saw the twinkles in his eyes, as though she was the great thing he had ever laid his eyes upon.
They were suddenly in a moment, and Obi wasn't ready for it. He could see her eyes go still at his rouge lips, her black pupils dilating at them with pure desire. She was weakly pulling herself up so her face could get closer and closer to his. And oh, did her pink lips look plump and shiny like they were made perfectly somehow for a runt like him. He could feel himself inching closer and closer, seeing her creamy eyelids begin to close. But right as he could feel her breath tickle his lips, his ears felt a sound tickle them.
"He's here, watching," Obi murmurs, seeing as her eyes flutter open to watch him curiously. It all quickly clicked to her, having her nip at her bottom lip until she suddenly smirked mischievously.
"Kiss me anyways."
To Obi's surprise (and heavy delight), he obliged to her command and leaned in to place his lips upon hers.
As for Zen, he suddenly felt his world begin to crumble down into the abyss that has become his life.