Not So Invisible (Obi x OC)

A Harsh Wake Up Call

I wake up to faces surrounding me. Three to be exact. The faces blur before coming into focus.

Seeing one face in particular I smile,"Hey, Mitsuhide, have you proposed to Kiki yet?"

Muffled laughter sounds around the circle of faces.

Mitsuhide moves away embarrassed and annoyed, "It looks like the same Vela. We can stop worrying now."

I laugh at his reaction, wincing slightly from the pain that pulses through my head.

Kiki helps me to sit up slowly. A blonde woman checks me to see how I fared the attack in the marketplace.

She pulls away and writes something on a paper, "She's fine except for a minor concussion, a few bruises here and there, and some scratches. Rest is the best thing for her."

She gathers her things and nods to a certain silver haired prince, "She's all yours, but please don't stress her out too much." Then she's gone.

I look around the room still disoriented. Seeing the looks on the faces around me tells me something is wrong. Then I remember.

"How many died?" I fold my hands together in my lap, "How many were injured when the marketplace was attacked?"

Zen's voice comes softly, "Thirteen casualties in all with four dead."

"I see," my throat tightens. In my attempt to stop being the cause of others death I had hurt others.

"Vela," Zen keeps his voice low, as if trying not to spook a frightened animal. "Vela, look at me."

I take a deep breath and look up, "I didn't mean for this to happen. I- please don't be angry."

My throat was burning.

"I'm not angry. I'm disappointed and maybe a little upset but not angry. Not with you at least."

"Why didn't you tell us?" This time Kiki speaks, "If you were in some kind of trouble we could have helped you."

A look of genuine concern is on her, normally, expressionless face.

Oh. I get it now. They still didn't quite understand.

I slowly shake my head, "I don't think you quite understand. I...I- um..."

This is harder than I had imagined.

"She's one of them. She's one of those monsters who attacked the marketplace."

Everyone's heads snap in the direction of the voice. Obi walks forward with something in his hand.

He tosses it on the bed I lay in. It's my knife. The dark crest of Maura glitters proudly.

"I believe this is yours," Obi's voice is harsh and unforgiving.

I grab the knife, looking at it as if for the first time. Blood cakes the opening of the sheath.

"I saw her moving the shadows with my own eyes. Her own eyes had been the signature black," the look Obi gives me sends daggers.

I look at everyone in the room taking in the information. They subconsciously take a step back. As if I were a disease.

I look at Zen the only one who had not moved away, "Zen, you have to forgive me. I never said anything because I was afraid of this very thing that's happening right now. If I had said something you would have cast me out, and I would have died."

I get no response from him. I make a move to grab his sleeve, but my hand is blocked by Mitsuhide's sword. I pull my arm back.

"Mitsuhide, you know me. I am teasing and I may be too much at times, but I'm no monster. I do not believe in senseless slaughter," tears sting my eyes.

The selfless people who had saved me are now staring at me with fear in their eyes.

Zen looks like he's warring with himself. Finally he takes a deep breath, "Will you tell us everything this time? From the first moment we met to what happened in the market?"

"Yes, I'll tell you everything," my heart lifts at his words. There was still a chance.

Zen nods in thought, "Mitsuhide put your sword away. That's no way to treat an old friend."

Mitsuhide does so with reluctance.

Zen gives me a soft smile, "For now rest. We will come back tomorrow to hear your side of the story."

I smile, "Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."

"You cannot be serious!" the look in Obi's eyes is fire. "You are not going to just take her word, are you? She's one of them!" His finger points at me accusingly. "We shouldn't trust a Mauranian. They're ruthless, coldblooded killers," every word is laced with contempt.

"If I do recall," Zen's voice is steady, "you were too at one point."

"Well that-"

"Also, and correct me if I am wrong, I believe I'm the one in charge here." Zen cuts Obi off as if he had not spoken a word.

Obi clenches and unclenches his hands, "Fine. Do what you like, but don't expect me to take any part in it." He walks over to the door and slams it shut when he leaves.

A heavy silence settles once he's gone.

"I don't understand. Did I do something to offend him? Or does he really have such a strong hate for Maura?"

"I suspect the latter," Kiki speaks, "we don't not know his past. An unfortunate occurrence could have happened that included...your kind." She gives me a strained smile, "Though I have to say this new development does also put a few doubts in my own mind."

"I see," my hands tighten around my knife.

Mitsuhide sees this, "I am sorry, but would you mind if I held onto that for the time being?"

A shock of hurt passes through me. I hand my blade over without a word.

The door opens. A red haired girl walks in with two vials, bandages, and a rag.

She stops a moment seeing our expressions, "Am I interrupting something? I can come back later if-"

Zen smiles at her, "No, no. We were just leaving. Come, Mitsuhide. Kiki."

They all leave me alone with the red head.

She walks over to the side of my bed and places one of the vials on my nightstand. She smiles at me while pouring the contents of the second vial onto the rag.

"I'm going to need your arm there. You got a pretty nasty cut."

I glance at the arm she nodded to. I hadn't noticed the gash until now. I hold my arm out to her wincing slightly when the rag makes contact with the tender skin

"I'm Shirayuki by the way. I'm an herbalist at the palace," she glances up from her work.

"Is that so?" I keep up my false pretense of ease. "I don't know much about plants myself. Would you mind teaching me the basics sometime?" Having knowledge of flora would help during an emergency.

"I'd love to," Shirayuki pulls the rag from my arm and wraps a bandage around it, tying it securely in place.

She hands me the other vial, "This will help dull your head ache for a few hours so you can get some rest."

"Thank you," I take the vial from her and down it in one gulp. I hand the vial back to her.

"Well that's it. I'll come to check on you later."

She gathers her stuff to leave. When she's about to close the door I call out to her.

"Shirayuki!"

She turns, blinking her jade eyes in surprise, "Yes?"

"Thank you."

She chuckles, "You're welcome."

She gently shuts the door leaving me with nothing but my thoughts.

Thank you, Shirayuki. Thank you for treating me like a anyone else.