Seclusion | 孤独 | Obi

| seven |

As Shirayuki had become a regular guest at the castle in Clarines, the two guards at the front gate would always smile and greet her kindly. She loved to stop by them and hold a short conversation as their jobs most likely entitled them to stay standing there all day.

"Ah Miss Shirayuki, you're back to see Prince Zen again?"

The blond haired guard smiled crookedly with red cheeks as the brunette kept his face monotone with only a slight smile, Shirayuki smiled in reply and answered with a grip on her satchel, "Oh yes, and Shirayuki is just fine- there's no need for formalities."

The red- haired girl smiled and walked through the gate to head towards the second Prince's office as the blond guard giggled with a blush, "Ahh~ She's so nice! Prince Zen is so lucky!"

"Could you be quiet? We have a job to do."

He pouted but stood back at his post, "But this is so boring!"

The sound of horse feet hammering against the floor caught the attention of the two guards, they looked down the path leading out of the castle in front of them to find a small figure on a horse sprinting right at them. Holding out their guard sticks, pointing the sharpened arrow at the stranger, "Stop right there!"

The short girl as the guard's realised stopped, hopped off of the horse but kept walking closer until she was about a metre away from them as she puffed with her head down, "I-I'm sorry.."The girl looked up with an eye patch over one eye as the other was wide in fear, "Some people.. Were.. Chasing me.."

The guard with blond hair frowned and lowered his weapon slightly but the other had only scrunched his eyes curiously, "What business do you have here?"

"Who were the people chasing you?" 

Breathing in, "I'm not sure but I'm.. Used to it- but that doesn't matter, a red-haired girl just walked in here right?"

Removing the hood from your head, your dark hair slowly cascaded down your back and shaped around your heart-shaped face, The sun shone down on you, illuminating your brown eye that seemed so much brighter as the other wasn't visible.

"What do you want with Shirayuki?"

"Idiot, don't say her name!"

The blond guard jumped at the insult the other guard delivered but you slumped with a breath of relief, "So that was her.."

A whistle erupted from your mouth, startling Kuro as he stomped and jumped behind you aggressively, this caught the attention of the guards as they looked towards the stallion with frightful faces. You had taken this opportunity to squeeze past the guards- successfully.

Placing the hood back over your head as Kuro had maintained the attention of the guards, you only kept to the shadows and practically glued yourself to the castle walls, running and climbing up to get onto the roof and keep yourself concealed. You were thankful to find that you could jump and parkour across the buildings with ease, finding a certain red haired girl walking across the halls to reach a another building.

Movement caught your eye when you saw a spot of brown moving slowly, turning your head as you saw a bow and arrow being pointed right at the girl you had been watching. The male was well hidden in a tree but not from you and there seemed to be a small green note hanging off of the arrow. Without another thought, your legs began moving- jumping and hoping from pillar to wall as you got closer only he had already let go.

Holding your breath, the arrow had dug it's itself into the wall right in front of Shirayuki. She grabbed the weapon slowly and read the green note as it hung there and walked off with it, a hard look on her face. A sigh left your mouth but you temporarily forgotten that you were only a couple of metres above the male as he sat in a tree, the bow forgotten when he was behind you in a flash as he stood on the same branch without making a noise.

A cold object grazed against your neck and you shivered as the knife was pressed harder on your skin. Your fingers tightened around the tree next to you when a breath escaped the man to hit your ear, making goosebumps arise on your skin, "Who're you?"

"None of your business." You answer was short and hard, making the male chuckle behind you. His warmth hit your back sweetly but you yearned to leave and find Kuro in the forest where you knew he'd be.

"I was hired to be here, what about you?"

Keeping your mouth shut, the male hesitantly moved his knife away from you, "Don't hurt Shirayuki."

Your words suddenly surprised the male when he saw you jump higher up the tree to escape onto the roof but your sweet voice only forced him to follow. He was quiet as you didn't even notice him but his wide stare was so prominent that you could practically feel it.

"Hey.. What's your name?"

"Why would I tell you?" He jumped slightly, not expecting you to answer right away but smirked slightly at your smooth voice, it was a really nice sound. "Hmm maybe because I asked? I mean it's common courtesy right?"

The smirk in his voice was oddly attractive but you kept walking forward to the edge of the castle on the roof. Your hood had fallen as the wind blew harshly and you basked in the feeling of your wild tresses being flown around your face. It was refreshing though it also made you unaware of the way the stranger stared at you.

"Hm~ So you're stubborn then huh? Well I'm Obi, at your service milady."

Turning your head, he felt delighted to see your eye, your cute nose, tinted cheeks and small, pink lips facing him. He offered half a smirk as the wind blew his short brown hair that was half covered by a beanie of some sorts that only covered his forehead and some of his hair.

"I don't understand why you've followed me, I'm a threat and should be treated as such- leave me alone."

He scoffed lightly, his cat-like, yellow eyes piercing into your own as he refused to look away causing a pink tint to grow more noticeable on your face. Widening your eyes, you looked away harshly and felt the edge of the roof under your feet. 

"I'm afraid that won't happen Miss. Your name?"

Glancing down to admire the waving trees and leaves falling, the wind spoke harshly and the sun heated your hair to make you feel warm. Keeping interactions to a minimum, you had jumped without another glance at Obi as he watched in shock, running to the edge of the roof to find you had disappeared leaving horse tracks embedded to the ground.