Wow okay ME, double posting! I'm serious about reaching 60 my dudes, I got this. xx
FIFTY-SEVEN - Trying
10 Days Until The Wedding
"Obi tried to kill me with an arrow."
"He what?"
Shirayuki somehow managed to get her father to release Obi of his hold. But it did not stop her father from glaring at him, glowering even when his attention flickered from Obi to his own daughters. But Shirayuki also convinced him that she would tell him what he was seeking from Obi, having Obi feel like a coward. But if he said any more words, he was pretty sure he would be killed so…
Better a coward than a corpse.
"It's really a obscene story," Shirayuki stammered. "But it wasn't like Obi wanted to- he was hired to do it- a job, if you will."
"Someone paid this man to kill you?" Mukaze huffs. "Why?"
"He wanted to protect the Prince and Clarines," Shirayuki says quietly. "It's understandable why he'd hire a hitman on me." Before Mukaze could respond, Obi snickered quietly.
"She's rather dangerous, your daughter," Obi begins, having Mukaze only scowl at the man. "I wasn't paid to kill her- I was paid to scare her off. I only had the right to kill if she wasn't scared off. And, crazy enough, she wasn't scared." Obi imagined the arrow in his hands, twirling the imaginary item in his hands. "In fact, she didn't even flinch."
Mukaze's eyes steady on Obi, his silence gesturing him to resume. Obi rubs his hand through his black locks, "I shot 2 arrows at her. The first one stopped her, and the second one just made her move faster. I couldn't react on time and she left my sights within seconds."
"I didn't even have a weapon," Shirayuki hums quietly. "I was completely harmless…"
"You're armed with that persistence of yours," Obi chuckles, his amber eyes glowing when he looks at her. Her dewy cheeks, the red hair- those green eyes. Everything that Obi could possibly need in this world resides right before him, and her name was Shirayuki. "I just never realized that you'd make me completely defenseless."
"It doesn't ease the fact that you could have killed my daughter," Mukaze finally responds. His knuckles pop from his hands as he holds his knees tightly. Obi locks eyes with him, keeping his posture as they sat in sudden silence. "You wouldn't be in this childs book love if you had actually managed to get a shot at her."
"And yet I missed," Obi murmurs. "Twice."
"So what I'm hearing is you're a bad shot," Mukaze begins, having Obi furrowed his 'eyebrows.' Mukaze simply gives him a small smirk. "Either that, or my daughter is just as swift as her old man here."
"Or both, if we're being honest," Obi chortles nervously.
He didn't know how the tension quickly left, but it doesn't seem like Mukaze is really angry anymore. In fact, it didn't feel like he wanted to be mad with Obi in the first place. Mukaze is likely just being interrogative in order to protect his daughter from harm. She's already been chased away from her home town, captured by several crooks, and heartbroken by a Prince. Mukaze is just trying to protect his daughter from more disappointment.
"Thank the Gods you're a bad shot," Mukaze relieved as he began flipping his dagger. "If I ever found out my daughter was assassinated and somehow figured out it was you, your head would be on a pike beside me."
Obi was quick to sweatdrop but put his hands up quickly, "but now I'm her Personal Guard and lover so we can leave the past in the past, right?" Shirayuki giggled at his nervousness, but she couldn't blame him. Her father was quite intimidating, and this story was clearly not going to sit well with him initially.
"The past is in the past," Mukaze says with a nod. "I can tell my daughter has become fond of you and you her. I'm hoping I can trust you with her for a very long time- including after I'm gone."
"Papa…" Shirayuki pushes quietly, her eyes darkening from sudden worry of her father's passing.
"Don't worry about your old man, my dear," Mukaze tries to reassure. "I don't plan on leaving this earth anytime soon. Especially when I've got a couple of weddings to attend." Shirayuki turned her head like a canine but Obi knew exactly what he was getting at. Mukaze noticed Obi's reaction and immediately began to laugh. "He may not be a good shot, but he understands things pretty quickly."
Obi begins to cough- some saliva managed to go through the wrong hole- while Shirayuki's mind was still pretty blank. But she was happy to see that her father didn't seem angry with Obi anymore. She was glad that her mother rubbed off her tranquil trait on him, or else her father would just constantly be a cold, bitter man. But, she was still just a bit curious.
"So papa," Shirayuki starts, "what was Obi talking about? About your drink?"
Mukaze's pupils dilated and Obi's stare suddenly began to linger. He picks up the cup and sloshes the contents around, giving her a small shrug. "They're just vitamins I take every day. I've been more tired than usual, so the village assumes I'm deficient on a few things. It's nothing to worry about."
Liar.
"Oh, okay." Shirayuki bought the lie. Mukaze's face is in relief, but his heart was still tight from Obi's leering. "Are you having trouble sleeping? I've brought a few herbs from the castle- I can make you a sleeping remedy if you'd like!"
Mukaze smiles warmly. "That would be amazing, my dear, thank you. If you walk outside, the guards can guide you to your cabin- you can get started on it."
"O-oh, I don't think we'll be staying the night, papa," Shirayuki informs as she rises from her position. She slings her bag on her shoulder and bites her bottom lip. "They've requested for Obi to come back by nightfall if possible."
"Of course it's possible," Mukaze begins, "but it definitely isn't safe to travel at night." He chugs down the rest of his drink. Shirayuki shrugs and looks at Obi for an answer, in which he shrugs as well.
"Let's get some food in you first and then we can see how we feel about it," Obi says kindly, giving her a reassuring smile. She nods, beginning to retreat the cabin.
"I'll meet you guys at dinner then!"
And just like that, Shirayuki leaves like a flame blown away by the wind. Silence remains between the two men as Obi stared wondrously at her father. He still held the cup in his hand, as if there was still something in there. He could feel his own little knives clink when he moved his legs for a more comfortable position.
"Hey, Obi," Mukaze begins, having Obi as attentive as ever. "You haven't defiled my daughter in any way, have you?" …What? "Or used some sort of black magic to have her this infatuated with you?"
"No sir!" Obi begins, almost in disbelief of such absurd accusations. "I've never found any interest in a woman or a relationship like this for that matter. Your daughter is the one with the magic." Obi smirks. "I don't know how she did it, but my heart became hers before I even knew her name."
Mukaze looked away, looking distantly- nervous even. Obi's eyelids lower, his eyes still bouncing between Mukaze's deep green eyes and the empty cup in his hand. "The viel… it didn't actually contain vitamins, did it?"
Her father was motionless and mute. He didn't try to meet Obi's eyes, knowing that the younger man was on to him. "Sir, I don't mean to put you on the spot, but we agreed on a trade." Obi's hand sneaks into his pocket. "An answer for an answer."
When Obi was met with more silence, his patience wavered. His breath hitched, but already committing himself, he pulls out one of his knives. Once between his index finger and middle, he quickly flung the weapon without proper aim.
The cup was suddenly stuck on the wall, and the attention Obi was desiring was now his.
"Obi-!" Mukaze growled in shock, but Obi wasn't having it.
"Why'd you lie to your daughter?" Obi quietly asks. "What compelled you to keep the truth from your only child? The one you couldn't care for the majority of her life?" Mukaze's eyes suddenly lacked intimidation, and Obi finally felt like he was getting somewhere.
"It's not exactly easy to tell your daughter that you're dying, now is it?" Mukaze undertones.
Obi was without words. He stared at the grown man before him, those aging eyes welling up tears in the sockets. Obi didn't exactly intend to tread on thin ice, but now he's got it slightly cracked beneath him as well. He watches Mukaze rise from the mat, having Obi follow, as he walked over to pull out the knife from the wall. He slides the cup out and blindly tosses the knife back to Obi, who catches it with ease.
"As a father, you try your best to be as constant as air," Mukaze talks low, staring down at the struck bamboo cup. "You never want your child to ever feel as though they'll be alone. So you force your body to work, even when you know it doesn't want to. Because of my dear girl… my Shirayuki… I can't meet her mother just yet."
Obi emits a shaky sigh. This wasn't the answer he was expecting but somehow, it also was the answer he was expecting. Something so tragic can't be easily said to others when the one in pain can't even admit to it.
"I apologize for being so abrasive with you earlier," Mukaze begins, meeting eyes with the young man before him. "I just don't want to leave my daughter in the hands of a bad man. And I know you aren't a bad man regardless of what you were going to tell me. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I'm not someone who is scared to get a little fiesty."
"There's nothing to apologize for," Obi dismisses. "You don't need to apologize for loving your daughter."
Mukaze gives Obi a good look before quickly tossing his damaged cup and going up to Obi. Before Obi knew it, Shirayuki's father swallowed him in a tight hug. Obi is still somewhat foreign to the idea of affection, but he realizes that this man is essentially his father-in-law. This man will suddenly fill the deep void of what it would be like to have a father, a parent. Someone to ensure he remains away from misguidance and taught (properly) what it's like to be a real man.
Finally, Obi thinks as he returns the embrace. Someone to look up to.
"I promise I'll tell her soon," Mukaze whispers. "But she looks so happy right now… I don't want that to go away."
Obi could feel the mans chin jab into his shoulder, but he didn't mind it, "I'll work my absolute hardest to make sure it never goes away… her happiness, her smile- I'll glue it myself if need be!"
Mukaze chuckles, having Obi share it as they broke the embrace. Mukaze's hands found themselves on Obi's shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. "You do realize what this means, right?"
"N-no…?" Obi quietly questions, sudden worry surging through his body. Mukaze resumes to chortle but Obi's lips were slightly apart with concern.
"This means that you have my blessing," Mukaze says with ease. "I'm giving you my daughters hand."
"I-in marriage?" Obi stuttered.
"I'm expecting a ring the next time you guys return," Mukaze grins, having Obi completely rosy cheeked. "Stop blushing, boy." He shoves him away. "Men don't blush."
"Weren't you in tears just moments ago, sir?" Obi comments, having Mukaze laugh as the two let out a relieving sigh. "Should we head down to dinner?"
"Mm," Mukaze begins. He pulls at his chin in thought, "how long will it take my daughter to make that sleeping remedy I requested?"
"Probably around 30 minutes or so," Obi estimates. "It's been about 10 since she left."
Mukaze notes Obi's knowledge of Shirayuki's timed work as the two stand in thought. That's when abrupt thunder had the two flinching in the cabin. They both look out one of the windows to see it pouring with heavy rain. Obi thinks about the annoyance of having to walk back in the rain as he puts his hands behind his head in more thought.
"Are you sure you want to try to head back to Clarines tonight?" Mukaze offers again. "It's clearly wet outside and I don't really want my daughter to catch a cold upon returning to the castle."
"Well, she's a Court Herbalist," Obi shrugs. "I think sickness is the least of her problems…"
Mukaze smiles. "Well, it's ultimately up to you guys. But you go on to see Shirayuki. I'll request for some villagers to bring dinner up to the cabin for you two."
"What about you, sir?"
"Keep in mind I'm the leader of this village," Mukaze announces. "I have to make sure everything is well and my people aren't exposed to this sudden weather. Dangerous people thrive during weather like this and I'm not fond of my village getting hurt."
Obi nods respectfully. "I'll be very attentive as well and will alert you if anything."
"Oh, and if you do choose to stay," Mukaze begins. "There's always coal inside the cabins. Just light the torches at the porch of the cabin and my guards will let me know during their patrol."
"Thank you for the information." Obi then bit his tongue, realizing the words of his lover's father. "Wait, sir… the cabin? Is the Mistress and myself… sharing a cabin?"
"Is there a problem?" Mukaze hums, having Obi quickly shake his head. "You two are lovers, aren't you? I figured that you two are comfortable with sharing a space together."
"Y-yes, of course!" Obi stammers. "I-I just didn't think you'd want that to be the case while we're at your village…"
"Obi, you two are adults now," Mukaze begins as he turns to find a wine bottle under the pillow on his bed. He flicks the cork off and conjures a new, clearly unbroken cup. He pours himself a cup, waiting for Obi to pick up his own cup for another round. "I don't really have the right to control the way you two live your lives." Obi takes a sip of the wine. "But if it's really that important to you, we can prepare another bed in the kids' cabin-"
"We can share the cabin!" Obi quickly subdues his offer, having Mukaze chuckle before gesturing at the door.
"We'll bring your dinner up to you shortly," Mukaze says warmly. "I'll be seeing you soon, yes?" Obi felt a sudden fuzzy feeling, a parental security he's never felt for the entirety of his life until now, as a man.
Obi nods, "yes, sir."