A soft knock woke her the next morning, scattering away the edges of a dream.

"Come in," she called, attempting to scoot herself up in the bed, belatedly remembering not to put pressure on her injured arm. The scoot became an undignified shimmy as the door opened, revealing the same maid from the night before.

"I've come to help you dress, my lady," the maid chirped with a slight bobbing curtsey.

"Oh! Thank you! Um?" Shirayuki blushed lightly, thinking it would be best to know the name of person who she was getting so familiar with.

"Camille, my lady," she said, bustling into the room and picking up the discarded dress from the night before. Back turned to the girl, she ran an appraising eye over the buttons, wondering how she had managed to get them off on her own. Wisely, she kept her mouth shut. Trysts at court were not unheard of, and the redhead was known for attracting the attention of many handsome men.

"I thought we could dress you in something simple today, something that would be better for taking a walk around the gardens, if you'd like."

"That would be wonderful," Shirayuki said, turning to slide herself off the bed and stand. She remembered falling asleep in the chair, and suspected she knew how she had gotten to bed. It wouldn't be the first time that she had stayed awake too long studying and had to be carried to bed. She had stopped protesting long ago, arguing with Obi was like trying to catch smoke.

With less awkwardness than the evening before, the two women managed to get her into a simple dress. Another shawl was procured, this time of a deep green that matched her dress, and her arm was bound up. Camille twisted her hair into a simple bun, securing it with the pin Obi had given her all those many years ago.

"All done, my lady," she said, stepping back to admire her work.

"Please, Camille, call me Shirayuki." She smiled at the maid who nodded in return.

"As you wish, Shirayuki," she said, shyly. "Breakfast will be served soon in the dining room, or I can have a tray sent up?"

Shirayuki shot a glance at the door connecting her room with her guard's. She knew he preferred to accompany her in the castle, an abundance of caution, he'd called it. He was usually up by this time, but she supposed he had had a long few days. She wouldn't begrudge him a bit more rest.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you have them send up some food?"

"Of course," Camille bobbed a quick curtsey and left the redhead alone in her room.

Suddenly finding herself alone after the last few days of constant companionship, Shirayuki felt strangely lonely. Deciding she needed some fresh air, she moved to the balcony doors, pushing them open and stepping outside. The morning air was crisp, and she breathed deeply as she moved to the railing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shape move on the balcony next to hers.

"Good morning, Miss," said Obi, still looking out over the castle grounds. All of the blankets from his makeshift bed had been spirited inside, dumped unceremoniously on his bed.

"Good morning, Obi. Thank you for moving me; I hadn't planned on falling asleep so quickly."

"It's understandable. You've had a rough go of it lately." Guilt pulled at him again, but he tamped it down, the only sign being his hands clenching lightly into fists at his sides. Turning to the girl, his breath caught in his chest. The early morning sun softened her, and she looked every bit of the woman she had grown into. As she turned her head to look at him, the sun glinted off of the hair pin he had given her during his early years at Wistal. There wasn't much she carried with her from place to place, but it always seemed to accompany her on all of her trips.

"What's on our agenda today, Miss?" he asked, trying to shake himself loose of his stupor. "More riveting dinners with Prince Raj?"

"Well, breakfast will be here soon, and then I was thinking we could go for a walk in the gardens while we wait until we're needed. I'm sure Raj has a lot of business to attend to during the day, but I'll see if someone can send a message to Sakaki about where we'll be in case he needs us."

"I couldn't imagine anything I'd like more than a walk in the gardens with you, though breakfast does sound good, too. Any chance you asked for extra bacon?" His mouth quirked up at the side and he leaned his arms on the railing of his balcony facing hers.

Any response she might have given was interrupted by a knock at her door, which opened to a cart containing their breakfast tray. Shirayuki moved into the room to the small table that she generally used for her research rather than her breakfast. Obi hopped from his railing to hers and followed her into her room just as she lifted the cloche from the tray. Pleasant smells wafted into the room as they were greeted with an array of breakfast dishes including, thankfully, bacon.

"Say what you will about Raj, but we never go hungry," Obi remarked, loading up a plate and settling in one of the chairs. Shirayuki hummed in response, making up a plate of her own. The nausea had tamed down with the pain in her arm dulling. She was cautiously optimistic that she may be able to make it through the day without any herbal remedies. The pair had barely tucked into their meal when the doors burst open.

"Shirayuki!" Rona wailed, throwing herself at the herbalist. Obi moved to intercept her, but the girl checked herself at seeing the sling and instead threw her head into Shirayuki's lap, sobbing.

The girl's shoulders shook and Shirayuki stroked her soft pink hair with her left hand, leaning forward and murmuring soothing words.

"How could he leave me?" she sobbed, "Papa promised he'd always be here with us after Mama passed. Now… now we're alone."

Shirayuki tried to swallow around the knot in her throat. She knew from experience that there were no magic words to say to ease her grief.

"He didn't want to leave you," she said softly, rubbing the girl's back. "I didn't know him as well as you, but I know how fiercely he loved you. He's gone and it hurts, and nothing will take that away, but you have your brothers and you will always have me as a friend. It will take time and I can't promise it won't still hurt, but we will get through it together."

The young girl was too overcome to respond, and Shirayuki's mind wandered to a little redhaired girl years past who could have used those exact words, only then there had been no one to give them, no one to comfort her as she navigated her life without her grandparents. The same sickness that had taken the queen had also robbed her of the only family she had really known as a child. Nothing but time could ever ease that hurt.

After a while, Rona's sobs lessened as the girl cried herself out. Once she lifted her face from Shirayuki's skirts, the herbalist offered her a napkin to dry her face. Obi vacated his chair and gently grasped her elbow, easing her up into it.

"If you'd like, Obi and I were about to go for a walk out in the gardens and you're welcome to join us."

Rona shook her head slowly, dabbing at her eyes. "I wish I could, but I have a council meeting with Raj and Eugena later this morning. We have… arrangements we need to make." She hiccupped back a small sob. "I should probably get back to Eugena. I don't want him to be alone. Thank you, Shirayuki."

The pink haired girl bent down and gave her a careful hug before slipping back out of the room. Shirayuki's heart clenched, watching the girl try to pull herself together before rejoining the rest of the castle. She knew firsthand the loneliness that came along with the loss, and grief she long thought had passed threatened to rear up and swamp her.

Obi shut the door behind the princess and turned back towards the table. His eyes flitted over the young woman, her head bowed and shoulders tight. A few steps brought him to her side and he laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Miss?"

"I'm sorry, Obi, I just need a moment." She stood, meaning to walk toward the balcony for some privacy, but he grabbed her wrist gently, stopping her.

"It's alright," he said gently, his soft gaze catching hers, "I'm here, it's ok."

Despite her best efforts to hold back her heartache, his words crumpled her resolve and she pitched forward, burying her face in his chest. Obi was slightly taken aback, but wrapped his arms around the woman, holding her close. Her uninjured arm snaked around him and fisted in the fabric of his black shirt as her body wracked with sobs. All of the pain and loneliness that she has stored away for so very many years had overwhelmed her.

The dam was broken and she pressed herself as close as she could, seeking comfort in his embrace. Her tears dampened his shirt as he laid his cheek on her head, one arm rubbing gentle circles on her back, the other wrapped tightly around her lower back. His heart broke for her. He knew she had been alone for a long time before coming to the castle to work as a herbalist. She was always so cheerful that it was easy to miss the moments of longing, the memories of loss that drove her to form such strong friendships. It was as if she was trying to build a family to replace the one she had lost.

"I've got you," he murmured into her hair, "I'm not going anywhere, I swear." He wasn't sure if she would hear him, but it seemed to have the opposite effect that he'd hoped as her crying intensified to the point where he was slightly concerned that she wasn't going to be able to catch her breath.

"Please, please stay," she plead between her sobs, her small fist gripping the fabric of his shirt.

"Always," he whispered, his heart twisted, and at some point, his 'always' had become the words he could never tell her. I love you.