Seclusion | 孤独 | Obi

| six |

"Mitsuhide, Kiki!"

"Yes Prince?" Mitsuhide answered just as strong, Kiki was a little too angry to answer as she turned her body to face Zen, giving him her full attention as the three boiled in disbelief and fury. Shirayuki was startled but her mind was racing, she was mildly afraid to say something to the second prince of Clarines when he was so serious and intimidating.

Her mind was calculating and she found that her gaze had been locked on her own hand, the place where the red apple had been before it was swiped away fast, unbelievably fast. Like it had been done many times before.

"-ust go after that thief and bring them back now!" Zen's authoritative voice startled Shirayuki and when his gaze met hers, that was when she had snapped back into reality from being momentarily frozen.

"Wait!"

Mitsuhide and Kiki stopped slowly and turned at the sharp cry from Shirayuki, Zen looked slightly alarmed and his brows had furrowed again, "Shiray-"

"No! I-.." She thought about it more and it began to make sense, "Poison.." 

Zen didn't hear when the red haired girl had muttered under her breath and he was getting a bit impatient, "What? What is it?"

She looked up with wide eyes, Zen felt at ease in that moment when staring for a little too long before she finished her sentence, "Those apples were poisoned."

Mitsuhide's previously angered facial expression left to be replaced with one of surprise though Kiki remained the same, sceptical about the situation and Zen stayed put in thought before a yell was heard outside.

"ARGHH IT'S YOU!"

A loud thud forced the four people to go out on the balcony where there was a male on the floor as he held his head in pain. He was alone, the perpetrator may have escaped but the gasp that left Shirayuki's mouth caused Zen to tighten his grip on his sword, stilling in his spot when the girl beside him spoke shakily, "Pr-Prince Raji!?"

The said Prince looked up in fright and deflated when he saw people looking down at him, and not the girl that had punched him on the head that had just escaped on a horse.
"Isn't this the guy who forced you to leave Tanbarun?" Zen recalled.

Mitsuhide looked at the man, recognising a crest, "Huh.. It's the Prince of Tanbarun."

"That's first Prince to you! How dare you do this to me!" He jumped up and whined helplessly. The four were confused as you watched in the bushes, in dire need of a snack for this entertainment, "Do what?" Kiki asked with a voice that made visible shivers run down Raji's back.

"First you take that maiden then you make that other- other freak hit me!?"

"Freak?" You had deflated in the bushes as Kuro roamed the grass for food after you forced the horse away from the apples in your hand, "Freak? Aren't you being a little rude?"

Zen leaned on the rail of the balcony and Shirayuki stood right by his side, they both felt oddly comforted by that, "We don't know who or what you're talking about so maybe you should head on back to Tanbarun, Prince~" 

The said man gasped in shock, deeply offended as Shirayuki spoke quietly to the Prince beside her, "The person who took the apples?"

Kiki nodded to Mitsuhide when they both opt to jump from the balcony to escourt the Prince of Tanbarun away so he could get out of the forest when another familiar figure stepped out of the bush, a bright red apple in her grasp.

Shirayuki jumped in shock, seeing the figure in full as the person wore the clothing that was identical to the ones of the person from Tanbarun that had been caught stealing from commoners on the street, "It's you!"

You froze with the apple in hand but didn't stop looking from the shaking Prince as he watched you as if you'd pulled a machete from your pocket though the gleam in your eye made him feel worse, "Sire."

He flinched.

"I suggest you take this as a light snack, get back to your horse and go home to your castle."

Holding out the poisonous apple, it fell slowly from your fingertips, making Raji follow the action before screaming with a bruised head as he ran away, screaming again from almost running into your horse.

Zen, Mitsuhide and Kiki were all shocked, the look was clearly present on their faces and Shirayuki composed herself enough to attempt to speak to you, only she had no idea what to say. You stood up to a Prince and sent him away and above all else, you had saved Shirayuki's life. She was indebted to you and she didn't mind because she knew that the three with her would treat you nicer and hopefully apologise.

"Uh-uhm..-"

Shirayuki smiled and Mitsuhide hid a smile, he might like this person. Kiki put her sword back to her waist and awaited her Prince's orders and Zen swallowed thickly, "Uh, on behalf of both Mistuhide and Kiki we'r-"

"Don't."

Zen jumped at your sharp voice, you never looked up when walking over to Kuro and slowly breathed in to speak out loud to express that no apologies or unnecessary small talk was needed nor wanted, "I only did that because then my own sacrifice would've been for nothing."

Short and to the point, the four were confused after all they didn't know what you had done; stripping yourself of your clothing and revealing the one thing you hated about yourself to a Prince so he could keep you as a trophy of some sorts.

Kicking your dignity to the dirt to take the spot of someone else who didn't deserve it. You refused to get close to people and these four were included, a sigh escaped you followed by a yawn and Kuro stomped over closer so you could grab the dark mane and pull yourself up and disappear back into the bushes.

Yikes I'm taking my time, aren't I? But I like this so... :)

- Oriana__3