Seclusion | 孤独 | Obi

| ten |

Huffing, the ex-assassin splashed through the water back to the riverbank. His clothes stuck to his skin and his hair was splayed wildly upon his head with water drops leaking down his face. The horse was agitated, neighing aggressively as it was frightful of whether it wanted to come in the water or not.

Obi lifted the girl closer to his body as his legs broke through the water to get her on the bank, she laid unconscious with her hair sticking to her face like a curtain, a trail of blood leaving her body to turn the water beneath her a faint orange colour as the river continued to flow.

Her arms were like dead weight as while her neck was flaccid, turning in an awkward angle away from Obi. He took large steps, fighting against the current to put her upon the grassy bank and step out after her. He circled around to her other side and crouched over, moving away from the horse that sniffed her face to rest his cheek against her chest. He had felt something near his feet and didn't hesitate to grab the filthy robe to dry you off lightly. He could feel a heartbeat but it was slow and pretty steady, he didn't know what to do, what to think. He found the eye patch to be hanging around your neck, he untied it and stuffed it in the pocket of his pants.

He should probably bring her to the castle but that wasn't his concern right now. He had stared at her, looking down at her face as it was cleaner than before, he was cold, shivering when his shaky hand moved to her face and grabbed her dark hair. It was covering your face so he unveiled it to see the cuts and bruises upon your milky, smooth skin.

He was shocked by the smoothness of your face but a loud animalistic huff brought him from his daydream when Obi realised that you had fainted into a river and could've died. Despite the situation, he smirked at the thought of having you indebted to him. He knew he wouldn't leave you alone now because he also knew he had to question you on your wounds.

Why it looked as if you had been held restrained or kidnapped and beaten. The wounds around your wrists were red and raw, scabbing over while the bruises on your arms only made him frown. He had looked up to the horse and how it seemed so restless as it stared down at your insentient body. It was a refreshing sight and hence why he inhaled before forcing his arm under the back of your knees, his other arm going under your upper back as he hoisted your motionless body, lifting you into his hold to rest you upon the horses back.

He had gripped the mane of the horse and kept his other hand on your arm, careful to avoid your injuries as he walked back the way he came from. He could feel it now, the way his heart was vibrating in his ears so quickly. He hadn't even realised that he was puffing until he began retreating though his eyes were narrowed staring straight ahead.

The sun was just about to set as he saw the castle walls coming into view. It was getting darker and he was getting dryer, Obi had walked around the wall to get to the entrance that both Prince Zen and Lady Shirayuki used daily so that the Lady could find herbs outside. She had been coming recently so that she could get a job in the castle as a pharmacist. It was a relief that Obi had known previously where the pharmacy was located so that he could take the girl on the horse there but he also realised that he couldn't bring her in the castle, he didn't know how to go about this so that you wouldn't hate him, or get angry at him so he stayed by the wall for a short while, thinking about his options before finally grabbing you from the horse to lay you against the concrete wall.

The horse stayed beside you and he almost smiled at its loyalty towards you. He made sure you were still breathing and he felt reassured to leave with the dark brown horse clinging to you. Its black mane flew slowly in the breeze and your own hair was beginning to dry. Your skin was pale and it made the injuries more obvious, they looked like they didn't belong.

He ran to the edge of the wall and used a tree to jump up it, he made it to the top and his eyes narrowed as he searched for a head of red hair. He was displeased as he didn't find it, the image of your swollen and raw wrists coming to his mind again as he leapt and hurried to the ground to look in the castle pharmacy. He looked through an open window, jumping through it stealthily and then he found her. Shirayuki had her back to him and he would've taken that opportunity to scare her, just to humour himself if it wasn't for the current situation.

"Miss," Shirayuki turned quickly, almost smiling at Obi before observing the distressed look on his face, "That girl, she needs help. I'll take you to her now. Get what you can and lets hurry." She nodded, her eyes hardening as she turned back to the bench to grab what she needed, she urged Obi to come forward and handed him a small basket when she began hastily placing things; small jars and cylinders that were closed with unknown substances in them. Obi looked at them in wonder but he was getting impatient, "How is she? Is her breathing steady?"

She was focused on grabbing what was necessary for all options that could've happened to you; to almost falling into a coma to the point that you were suffering a small bruise. She didn't care and she needed a little more information.

Obi's eyes were hard, serious and it almost made the red-haired girl stop, "She's unconscious, she had fainted and fell into the river. She's really pale too, her wrists are really red and almost puffy, I guess? They're infected."

Both the girl and the princes aide almost managed to rush through the door when it was opened and a younger boy came in, his eyes catching their own when they stopped, "Ryuu, I'm sorry I'll explain later I promise!"

He didn't say anything, moving out of the way and they rushed through, Obi's brows furrowing when they were stopped again by the Prince, "Shirayuki? Is everything alrig-"

"Urgh Zen, just come with us!" They ran around him, shocking the white-haired prince and he followed, Obi carrying the medicinal herbs and concoctions to his chest as he followed the girl before him. Zen had managed to catch up and they made it outside as the Royal Guards stared after them but they didn't stop the three. Soon after, Shirayuki slowed down a little when she saw Obi, he caught up to her and passed her as he ran faster and Zen narrowed his brows when the former assassin looked so determined to get to you, a stranger.

They heard the horse neigh and stomp its feet and Obi huffed but he didn't look as tired as Shirayuki but she stopped when she was only meters away from you. She observed you body, your wounds and she breathed in deeply multiple times to steady her breathing. Shirayuki felt like a girl on a mission and she was so fixed on saving you and bringing you back to your consciousness. Despite the fact that you appeared so small and frail under the clothes you wore, she had removed your large jumper-like clothing and Zen had to nudge Obi's side to get him to look away because of how red Obi's face had gone.

"We should do this inside the castle, she needs proper help."

"You can do it though, right? I mean you're into this stuff."

She gave Obi a glance that made him almost smirk though he was still watching you, the way you were slumped over against the wall, "I know but this is serious, she could die here."