Ch 3

It was 11 pm when Shirayuki was roused from her sleep. She'd been reading a book on the health benefits of garlic and had no idea when she'd even fallen asleep. With hazy eyes she saw a familiar palace guard towering above her.

Izana's private guard? What was his name again? Why was he in her bed chamber at such a late hour?

Her first instinct was to think something had happened to Zen. He had been by earlier in the morning to tell her that he'd been sent by Izana to Sionne.

Could something have happened on his way? Her heart began to thud wildly in her chest.. if anything happened to her friend it would be devastating. Though she was still unsure of her feelings for him, she did know he was the first person to ever treat her with a sense of normalcy. Her whole life she'd been looked at as a commodity.. some strange thing because of her red hair. Zen was the only person who ever saw her.. not just a physical asset she'd been genetically gifted.

"I'm sorry miss." The guard said with an air of urgency. " I need you to come with me. Your skills are needed, we do not have any time to waste."

The fear began expanding within her. "Sir, i-is it, is it Zen?! Did something happen to Zen?!"

"No, Miss.." he said breathily " it is Prince Izana.. We believe he's severely ill."

Shirayuki thought some form of relief would come from knowing that Zen was safe.. but instead her distress had not eased.

The red haired maiden had not been close to the crowned prince.. in fact, some part of him unsettled her in a way she didn't fully comprehend.

It must be her annoying desire to have him aprove of her somehow. Not since her early childhood had she felt such an overwhelming need to be shown such a thing. But it annoyed her that he saw her as a manipulative commoner looking to use his brother to better her social rank. It annoyed her more that he was intimidatingly handsome.. it was insult to injury to hear him put her in her place while towering over her with his broad shoulders and his frustratingly alluring face.

She wanted to hate him.. maybe, just maybe because she believed he'd hated her unjustly first.

Shirayuki was temporarily pulled from her thoughts as she struggled through the palace attempting to keep up with Izana's guard. She was led into some part of the palace she had never been.. if possible it was even more decadent then the rest of it she had seen. Shirayuki had the vague understanding that she was now in the first Prince's private chambers.

She was led into a room finally that looked much like the patient rooms she worked at during the day. The wall was lined with what seemed small samples of just about every medicinal herb from the other sector of the palace she'd just left.

Then she saw him.. laying on a large white bed, for once looking quite defenseless.. there was Prince Izana. Some part of her was overwhelmed suddenly by this task.. where was his private physician? There were far more experienced herbalists who could treat him..

Shirayuki looked at at the guard before asking him these very things.. afterall could she handle holding this country's future king's health in her own hands?

" Sir, wait.." she began. " where is Izana's private physician? Shouldn't she be here to attend to this matter? Would she not be better suited?"

Overhearing her Prince Izana spoke weakly from beneath his bed sheets. "Better suited.. yes, within the palace at this time.. no."

The red haired maiden shook her head in slight disbelief.. where could she have gone? All herbalists were to live in the Palace.. how could she not be here?

The guard spoke up trying to save the prince from extending himself. "Izana sent her along with Zen.. He wanted to make sure no harm could come to his brother while he was away..so he sent his finest herbalists."

Shiriyuki pulled her palm down her face.. how could this have happened?

"Why would he do such an irresponsible thing?!" She asked hardly hiding her anger.

"Miss, you've seen the royal family's medical history.. Zen is the only one primarily mentioned out of the two brothers for a reason.. outside of two minor colds.. Prince Izana has hardly ever fallen ill."

He was right.. oh wow. He was completely right. Immediately she was pulled back to reality and rushed to the crown prince's side.

She had to think quickly. She needed to feel his head and make sure he wasn't running a fever. But for whatever reason she felt herself hesitate before touching him. Memories flashed back of the intense look in those oceanic eyes as he'd held her chin when they'd argued two days prior.

Shirayuki pushed the memory aside.. he was just another patient she told herself.. he needs help right now.

Her shaky hands neared his face and as she brushed his golden plated hair aside she heard his breath hitch for a moment. 'Is he nervous too?'

Prince Izana's beautiful face was flushed red. His forehead was scaldingly hot.. it was worse than she had presumed.

Shirayuki turned away for a moment and called to the guard who was still somewhat near the door way theyd entered. "Guard, i need you to assist me.. i need a bowl, fill it with the coolest water you can find and get a small towel.. we need to bring down his temperature."

As she watched the guard scurry to do what she'd ask him, she forced her attention back to Izana. His eyes were barely open.

"Prince Izana.." she said trying to wake him fully. "Are you experiencing any pain in your throat or body?"

His pit-less blue eyes trained themselves on her slowly.. his voice.. usually seeping with cutting sarcasm sounded so frail and husky.

"No throat pain." He said. "My body.. my body hurts."

"..w-where? Where does it hurt?" She asked him.

He pulled the covers away from himself slowly. She couldn't help but blush slightly at his action but she waited for him to show her.

Startling the red-haired herbalist he suddenly took her hand into his own. With her hand for added support he pushed his shirt up slowly revealing a large angry red rash all along his right side.

Jumping up, she pulled her hand away from him and raced towards the wall of herbs.. she had to mix a blend and create a cream to calm his rash. Shirayuki picked up a few varying plant extracts and a muddler and shakily began to mix.. she grabbed aloe to use as a base remembering that it had the ability to aid in discomfort and inflammation.

Then, returning to him she once again looked at his side.. the rash was trailing upwards to an unseen place. She knew he'd have to remove his shirt to have full access for the application.

"Um, do you mind-removing your shirt?" The red hair herbalist asked. Her face felt like it was on fire from embarrassment at the question.. how did she end up here in this situation?

She could see him smirk through his pain..some part of him was enjoying seeing her squirm. Shirayuki desperately wanted to get up and walk away.

"Could you help me?" He asked softly.

Vaguely aware that he was abusing his privileges she still had no right to refuse him given the situation. She'd have no choice but to cater to his request.

Shirayuki bent over him and wrapped her hands beneath his arms to help prop him to a sitting position. She could feel his breath on her neck as she hoisted him up.. her eyes closed for a moment subconsciously savoring the feeling of it.

Her hands then slid down his sides gently to where his shirt has ended. The material felt soft as she rolled it up along the length of his hard abdomen.. then with a swift motion it was off.

She scanned him for a second..even with the rash that was taking over his body she could not deny he was handsome. The unaffected areas revealed a unique shade of porcelain draping over ridges of perfectly formed lean muscles.. she doubted Zen looked like this without his shirt much less any other man she'd met.

He caught her looking at him..Making her eyes flicker away for a moment in an attempt at some form of modesty that was now long lost. Mentally returning to the situation at hand Shirayuki grabbed the bowl with the ointment and tipped her fingers into the cool concoction. She then slowly began to smear the slick blend along the side of his chest down to the edge where his pants began.

Feeling him shudder slightly she smiled a bit. "Im sorry, i know it's cold..but this should minimize some of the irritation on your skin."

He looked at her with heavy lidded eyes knowing fully that his shudder had come from an inner struggle against his own arousal and not a chill.

Shirayuki continued to move her hands across his form. The rise and fall of his chest felt hypnotic. At a certain point she was unsure if she was still touching him because she couldn't stop herself or if it was because it was still necessary.

His guard suddenly pulled her out of her daze. She had nearly forgotten him.

In his hands were the towel and bowl she'd requested. " Miss, is there anything you still need me to do?"

She still wasn't completely sure what he had.. It seemed like a cold at first.. but the rash didn't make sense.

Shirayuki shook her head.. 'No.' Then went back to tending for prince Izana.

She wrung out the cold towel and gingerly pressed it against his forehead hoping this would break the fever. 'His eyelashes are so long..and his nose was perfect.' She mused.

Shirayuki had to make sure he was going to be okay. Zen would never forgive her if his brother died under her care.. and she knew more importantly, that she likely wouldn't forgive herself.

"You're staring." Prince Izana said with a bit of humor in his voice. "Will I survive this?"

"I believe you'll be fine.. it seems like a virus or allergic reaction of some sort. I think once we break this fever it should cease to be so concerning."

The crown prince suddenly lifted his right arm and placed his hand over Shirayuki's, (where it had been resting on his forehead). She was alarmed for a moment and couldn't help letting out a soft gasp.

He slowly brought her hand down to the side of his face just beside his lips. "My life is in your little hands, my sweet."

She felt his lips on her hand and turned about 100 shades of red as she felt him kiss her palm.