Keeping secrets

Past Troubles

As Zen read the letter, I took an albino strawberry from the basket at I stared at it with my eyes unable to read what is written in the book I call mind. I twirled the familiar fruit around my fingers, inspecting every detail that I can get out of this fruit, while Shirayuki fumbled on the ribbon she used to tie to her hair.

"So you two are from Tanbarun I see" Zen stated, taking my attention from the albino fruit in between my fingers to him as I looked at him with my indifferent expression, my confidence nor demeanor didn't even falter a bit. Shirayuki only nodded feeling guilty and down that they or rather him found us.

"Meaning, the person that dropped off this basket traveled all the way to the border just to find you. He's a determined fellow i'll give him that much," he smiled as Shirayuki laughed nervously before responding and eventually getting cut off.

"Right?-"

"This isn't a joke!" Zen shouted. "How bad was it that you were forced to flee the kingdom?!"

This caused Shirayuki to cower a little while I only looked at him, but something else caught my attention as I drowned the conversation even if it's also directed towards me and even if Zen hit the table with his injured arm and was twitching as he made a weird position.

Something's not right.

Why would they only drop off a basket filled with apples, a note, Shirayuki's ribbon and those albino strawberries that I grew in our old home that I think it represents my eyes.

I didn't see any carriages nor did I hear horses nearby. I thought staring intently at the apples in front of me and Shirayuki.

It's most likely that Prince Raji's guard or something was the one that left it here... Is it a warning? Maybe not, he doesn't have the patience for that.

But the only way that could take the least time to get us to him is that if he... Immobilize us and the easiest way to that, is if he...

Damn it why didn't I notice it before?!

I quickly stood up and faced Zen and Shirayuki "Shirayuki! Don't eat anythi-!" I cut myself off when I saw them, I looked at them in disbelief and fear as they only stared at me.

I didn't move from my position nor did they. They were looking at me questionably while Zen held Shirayuki's wrist as her hand with the apple was in front of his mouth which I'm guessing he took a bite out of it.

"You're so impolite"

Everyone flinched excluding me at the sudden voice that came from none other than Mitsuhide himself, Kiki by his side.

Zen started chocking on the apple he ate as he walked towards Mitsuhide.

I walked up to Shirayuki and placed my right hand on her hand that's holding the apple as I pushed it down before muttering calmly, "Don't eat it, and prepare an antidote". Shirayuki only looked at me in confusion.

She'll understand later I thought as I made my way behind Zen, waiting patiently for the poison to affect his body.

"It's her apple Zen, why don't you get your own" Mitsuhide stated.

"What are you-" he was cut off by his own gaging and coughing fits.

"You should either talk or eat, don't do both" Mitsuhide said watching Zen have his coughing fit, Kiki on the other hand looked at me suspiciously as I only looked at her from the corner of my eye.

"Nobody asked you, stay out of it!" Zen spat at Mitsuhide as Mitsuhide replied "Well now you're just being rude"

"Zen" Shirayuki called out firmly catching out attention, I slanted my body a bit to look at Shira, staying alert as Zen might faint soon.