Akagami No Shirayukihime - Obi x (OC) The Visitor

Chapter 20 - Arrival of a Forgotten Fear and an Old Foe

A/N - Long title I know XD  Have I mentioned how I suck at naming chapters? Well I do, and the title is pretty self-explanatory.  I was gonna wait a while, but I thought, eh why not, the chapter is here so I'll post it right away.  So here it is, I hope it doesn't suck too bad!  >~<  This is when plot really starts and I've sure you'll just 'love' the little antagonist.  Trust me, if you think he sucks now, I hate to see your reactions to later chapters.  I'll just leave it at that and let you read the thing, that's why your here after all... I hope.  Enjoy to the best of your ability cause I am trash!  XD

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Wistal Castle was flooded with an unknown kingdom's troops, and they surely didn't come for tea. They brought weapon's that the men could easily counter, but they were nowhere ready for an attack, especially out of the blue like this.

Zen, Mitsuhide, Kiki, Obi, Shirayuki, and Alice were all gathered in the large throne room where Izana was also present. Alice was given a bow and told to protect her fellow red-head, so there stood, protecting Shirayuki off to the far right of the room, Obi stood on the opposite end off the room while Kiki and Mitsuhide stood in front of Zen who stood beside his elder brother on his throne. The grand doors were thrown open as a man in a deep blue cloak, the hood shielding his face. On either side of him were two fairly large men, their serious glares staring forward, only glancing at Alice as Shirayuki stood behind her. The cloaked mystery man stopped several feet before the throne, as he scanned the room, analyzing the people in it. He then brought his attention to Izana as the blonde prince stood and spoke, his voice booming in the wide and large room.

"What business do you have that you should show up unannounced and attack my castle." The cloaked man just cracked a smile, that was the only thing remotely visible from his hidden face. Zen though this action odd, as did Mitsuhide. Mistuhide placed a threatening hand on the hit of his still sheathed blade and raised his voice, tell the man to answer his prince. Izana calmed Mitsuhide and the man finally spoke up.

"I apologize on behalf of my arrival tactic. It is simple habit, so to speak. My country is not accustomed to welcomed greetings." As the two men conversed, the words were drowned out from a certained crimsonette. Her body began to shake at the sound of that painfully familiar voice. Behind her Shirayuki took notice and grabbed her shoulder. She went to Alice's side and spoke to her.

"Alice? Hey.." Her question's stopped as she saw Alice's panicked expression. Her eyes were wide and it seemed they were spill tears any moment. Her face paled and her mouth moved like she was speaking, but she was silent, just mouthing air. Her gaze was shifted down as she saw her friend's hand, white as a sheet as it clutched the wooden bow she carried. Shirayuki looked at her friend, then to the cloaked man. 'Alice must know these men, and from this.. They must not be a here for a friendly neighborhood visit.' The attention of Shirayuki's was now focused back on the two men.

"Who are you and why are you here." Izana was growing impatient with this man's games. It was obvious he was here for something, and his speaking was making him sick. THat grin he wore the whole time grew as he reached up and pulled down his hood. His hair was an odd shade of.. Purple? His eyes were narrow pools of clear blue, mimicked the color of silver. He crossed his arms across his chest and introduce himself.

"I am the son of the lord of a kingdom far from here. We have come here because we believe we could find a missing person we have been searching for for many years. She somehow managed to escape out gauge until now, and I have orders to return her to my kingdom." This time it was Kiki's turn to speak up, she had a bad feeling about this new guest.

"And just where is your kingdom. The name as well as your own name. We will give you no aide unless this criteria is known." The man sighed, but kept that same sly smirk on his face.

"Fine then, if you must know my kingdom lies far to the north of here, the Kou Empire if you must know. My name is Lucifer Orden." It was merely moments later his name escaped his lips, as an air was shot beside his head, just barely clipping his hair. The entire room's gaze shifted to the right as they witness Alice, panting, her face filled with a mix of negative emotions. Her bow was raised and her hand behind her shoulder from releasing the arrow. Shirayuki stood beside her shocked. "My my, wasn't that a tab bit rude Dear Little Alice~"

"What in the hell are you doing here?! How did you find me!" She reached behind her to grasped the fletching of yet another arrow from her quiver as she pulled it out, notched the arrow in the bowstring and drew, threatening yet another shot. "I asked you a question, and now I want an answer. Answer me Lucifer!" The entire room was filled with confusion as they stared at Alice. Never had they seen her snap like this before, it even made them fear her. She didn't seem like she was conscious of her actions, she was in a furious haze, letting her emotions control her, like she was on some sort of horrible cruise control.

"My my, you're still so immature. Acting on your own before you're given permission to open your mouth." Lucifer's smiled vanished as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small metallic ball. His face was concealed by a shadow. "It seems you need to be taught you manners again." He moved his arm and tossed the ball into the air, as it released a large amount of smoke, making the individuals in the room basically blind. The room echoed with coughs but Obi made out something mixed in, the sounds of a short scream. His eyes widened as he ran through the smoke, looking for a sign of Alice, hoping she was okay. It was a minute later the smoke was cleared and room was void of Lucifer and his men, but also Shirayuki and Alice were nowhere in sight.

"No way. Mistress, Alice.. They took them!" Obi was furious, he let a cheap little amatuer trick get to him and he lost not only Shirayuki again, but Alice as well. He heard Izana call in men that were outside the room and asked what was happening in the courts, but his only response was that the enemy had retreated and without a trace disappeared. He then issued an order to gather together a group of men and meet in the courts in 20 minutes. Izana began to leave the room as Obi then ran to Zen's side.

"The first prince, he's planning a search right?!" Zen looked to Obi, Obi who wore a serious expression on his face. "If that's the case, let me go ahead of the group!" Zen was expecting this, Obi tends to work on his own pace and take action immediately if possible.

"Obi you cannot lea-"

"You can't keep me here, when both of those girls can be taken anywhere. They can be taken somewhere where we can't reach them, somewhere unknown to us. I'm knowledgeable about the outside world, I can track much faster than your soldiers. Let me do this, please Zen!" Zen was taken aback by Obi's words. He never called him by his first name, and in this condition he did and with determination laced perfectly in his voice. Even if Zen had told him he could do nothing, Obi would do it anyways, that is the kind of man Obi is. Zen sighed and grabbed Obi's collar, bringing him close so he could talk in his ear.

"You may leave ahead of us. But for the love of god, don't do anything too rash." Zen then released Obi, making him stumble a bit backward. Zen then waved his hand off, dismissing Obi, as he then turned and bolted out of the room. Before he truly left, Mitsuhide had caught his arm.

"Obi, I need you to promise something. If you truly love Alice, then you better get her back in one piece you hear me." Obi's eyes doubled as his mind was like a slideshow of Alice. Her when she was angry, crying, smiling, they time she held to him and hide her face in his chest, this morning when she had him caught in her position, even when he saw her when he wasn't suppose to and she dressed from the shower, it was then that he realized. He loved Alice, he truly did and Mitsuhide noticed it before him.

"As long as I wear this scarf, nothing will happen to Alice."  He felt pathetic, he didn't realize himself about his own feelings until he lost the single person who gave them to him, all because he convinced himself he was in love with Shirayuki. He gripped the crimson scarf around his neck and received a nod from the teal haired man as he then turned and soon made his way out of the castle grounds. He easily found prints in the ground, and used the surrounding nature to follow the trail of the villains. Obi glared as he continued rapidly forward, he wasn't going to let these stupid baboons get far, not on their lives.