The Pharmacist and Her Knight

Story 1

"All girls desire to be princesses."

That was a saying in which many people said and agreed with but Shirayuki begged to differ. Who said that all girls desired to be princesses? In fact, Shirayuki just wished to live a normal life as a normal person. Ever since she was little, she all but desired to live a simple life and make enough to support herself. If life granted her a family, she would gladly take it but even so, she would choose to rely on herself.

"Shirayuki-chan, what do you want to be when you grow up?" her father frequently asked her. "A fairy? An elf? Or could it possibly be a princess?!"

"None," Shirayuki blatantly replied in the same manner. "I want to be a herbalist so I can support you, grandma, and grandpa!"

"S-Shirayuki!" her father hugged her with teary eyes.

Even now, Shirayuki remembered those times when her father was still there with her before he disappeared without a trace. She was never intrigued in the affairs of the people around her nor in their relations, even as she grew up to be a small herbalist in a town of Tanbarun. Her job was to treat people and to provide them treatment; nothing more, nothing less. If she had free time, she would bury herself in books and herbs and that was it. But, it seemed that life hated her; at least, that's what she thought at the time. Her apple red-hair was deemed an annoyance to her, especially in the case of Prince Raji.

However, her view of her hair changed when she encountered Zen who stated:

Color has meaning, and red is supposed to represent fate. You may not like it much now, but your red might lead to something good when you least expect it.

She was moved by his words but did it really move her enough to fall in love with him? The obvious answer was and still is no. After coming to Wistal Castle and having become friends with the Second Prince of Clarines, Zen, and his aides, Kiki, Mitsuhide, and Obi, she found herself enjoying the passing long days yet romance was never a topic that interested her. But, the person whose company she enjoyed the most wasn't that of Zen's but rather, that of the unusual knight, Obi.

"Hey, Shirayuki!" Zen called out to her.

Shirayuki brushed her bright red hair back behind her ear and stood up, the morning wind gently swaying her hair. Turning around with a smile, she greeted the Second Prince of Clarines, the young man who she had befriended during her trouble in Tanbarun.

"Zen," she smiled. "Morning."

Zen grinned with a blush on his cheek.

"Mitsuhide-san, Kiki-san, morning," Shirayuki smiled at them, too.

"Morning, Shirayuki," Mitsuhide waved.

Kiki nodded her head in acknowledgment with a smile. "Good morning, Shirayuki."

The three came down the stairs and walked towards Shirayuki. It was still early in the morning but mornings at the castle always began early for all of them. Shirayuki patted her work clothes of dirt and joined them.

"What are you doing so early in the morning?" Zen questioned, getting a leaf out of her hair.

"Ah," Shirayuki said as she patted down her hair. "The Chief Court Pharmacist told Ryuu and me to go gather some herbs since we were running out of stock in the storage room."

"It seems that even the court herbalists have it hard," Mitsuhide sighed.

"Don't they always have it hard?" Kiki shot a glare at him.

Mitsuhide suddenly realized what he had spouted and began apologizing. "Sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, Shirayuki!"

Shirayuki laughed in her airy and bell-like voice. "It's fine. I understand what you mean. It must be hard being the Aide to the Second Prince of Clarines."