blue butterfly (IZANA WISTARIA ◎ akagami no shirayukihime)

15; The Path

Hwaaaa~

You all loved chapter 13~
Tanka uuuuuuu

And I jut typed two chapters and posted them at the same time #VeryLoyalToThisStory

And look at that sexy thang up there
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"Are you both sure you're going I be okay?" Umi asked, standing by her siblings beside a carriage.

Milliana held her hands. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah, no worries, sis." Alhe gave a one armed hug.

Umi felt a pang of guilt in heart when he called her that. "I'm sorry I'm not going to come back with you both."

"Geez," her brother sighed and lightly punched her arm. "You've been apologizing all day, Umi."

She chuckled. "I guess I have, huh?"

Milliana giggled. "We'll be sure to visit you—" she nudged her and whispered so only her sister can hear, "—and your prince."

Umi blushed. "It's not like that..." She grumbled.

Her older sister just laughed. "We best be off! See you soon, 'lil sister." It was ended with one somehow strong hug, then her entering her ride.

Alhe gave her a hug and said, "Bye, big sister," mocking what Miliana said and grinned before following into the carriage and moving away from her. They looked back out from the two windows on the sides of the doors and waved a last goodbye, Umi giving it back to them as they disappeared back inside.

Umi didn't move from her spot and continued to watch them move further and further away from her.

"It was very unexpected," Izana said from behind her.

Umi jumped at his sudden appearance and glared back at him. "That was just mean."

He smiled. "My apologies."

She slumped her shoulders and crossed her arms. "I'm too emotional today."

"With that dramatic speech that you gave to them earlier, I would see why."

"My throat is sore from all that loud talking."

"Is that why you don't speak?" He laughed.

"Partially."

"Want to go get some water?" He offered.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Let's go get some."

He nodded and walked beside her inside. He took this chance to make a conversation with her. "So," he started, "why do you want to stay in Clarines?"

"I want to start on my own path, remember?" She said, moving her arms up and down her arms out of nervousness. Umi looked at him. "Do you have a path?"

He chuckled. "No, not yet."

She gave a closed eye smile. "It's nice that you said 'yet'. Good knowing that you're looking for it," she giggled.

Izana gave her a side look—it warmed him inside that she was figuring him out.

"I suppose you're happy about me actually being a noble person," she stated, smiling sadly or perhaps even disappointed.
He opened his mouth to retort to what she said, but she cut him off before he could speak. "At the party," she started, "I could tell that you didn't want to speak to me—a commoner-looking girl—in front of all those people. It would hurt your reputation as crown prince."

He slowed his pace, her continuing to walk forward. He heard her sigh saying, "it's chilly," in a small voice. Izana smiled and placed the coat he usually wore over her shoulders. She looked up at him, eyes wide as he continued to hold onto the coat over her shoulders. It seemed like he couldn't break eye contact from her.
"Tell me."

"Huh?"

"Tell me...this is going to sound as if I've gone mad...tell me what love is in your own words," he asked, still looking into her eyes.

"Eh?" Umi stared dumbfounded. "Why do you want to know?"

"Everyone has different thoughts on different things. I want to know what you think of love and how you know it is love." Being completely honest, he didn't know what came over him, but him practically having his hands on her was making it very uncomfortable for him.

She bursted into a fit of giggles. "I never imagined that you, Izana, would ask such a question."

He sighed and let go of her. "Let's just go get your water," he said, disappointed, and began to walk toward the kitchen.

Umi walked quietly behind him. After a few moments, she spoke up. "I got it!"

He looked back at her and slowed down just enough so that he was beside her. "What?"

"I think I got a good enough explanation for what I think it's like to be in love," she responded. He nodded slowly at whatever she was about to say. "You know you're in love when you have a feeling of relief when a person is safe and cheerful."

"That sounds like friendship."

"It does, but it's much more. It's a much more deeper feeling in the gut of your belly, like you just fell off a cliff and landed on your stomach."

"That sounds painful."

She shrugged. "Love hurts. Though, when they're happy, you're happy." She flapped the arms of the coat around as if she was a bird. "That's just how I would explain it."

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So yeah...