Bewitched (Snow White with the Red Hair Fanfic)

22.Pride

The sun. Too bright. My head. Too dizzy. I woke up to the piercing gaze of the sun and it irritated me greatly. I was relieved to find myself on a soft, warm bed.

I couldn't believe we had been rescued. I actually thought that I was going to die. With one swift moment, I immediately got out of bed to freshen up. It appeared that I had been changed into my night clothes by Kinare.

So I picked a dress at random and got changed. I wanted to meet up with people as soon as possible to see how things were while I had been gone. Gently, I opened the door and stepped out.

Only to be stopped by a certain daredevil. "Lera!!! You're awake!?" Zen questioned ominously. I smiled at him. It had been a long time since I had last seen him and there were so many things I wanted to tell him.

"Zen..." I paused for a moment. I was anxious about what I was going to say. "Can we, perhaps, have a talk later in the evening?" I asked with hesitation.

"About what?" he retorted.

"Um...uh.." Noticing my reluctance, Zen instantly complied as if he knew what I was going to say. I had thought immensely about it during my time with Shirayuki.

"It's fine. Evening it is then. You'd better meet up with everyone else. They were all worried about you." he said. "Including Ryu. He said something about how your body lacks nutrients."

"Really? And how's Shirayuki by any chance?"

Zen walked along with me as I was headed to see Shirayuki. "You'll see." was his only reply. I hope she's fine and well...

"I heard that you saved her." Zen continued and I slightly glanced at him. "Maybe you could say that she saved me too." I replied. It was true. Without Shirayuki and her knowledge of herbs, I never would have survived two days without food.

"The troops are still in search of the people who kidnapped you. It is treason to steal citizen rights and moreover, harming you would, at the very least, achieve them a twenty year prison sentence." Zen explained.

"That's a bit harsh." I mumbled. Kaine had been a generous captor if not for his flirty behaviour. And his very empty confessions. I sure hope he learns to love truely.

"Yeah, but that's what they get for hurting you and Shirayuki. I would have beaten them up if I only caught them."

"Zen, you don't have to do that. Saving us was the best thing we ever wished for. Thanks for helping me when I fell unconscious by the way." I said and Zen gave me a confused look.

"I wasn't the one to help you when you fell down...." he said. A swift of breeze swept by as my cuiosity grew. Then who? "Obi? Mitsuhide?" I asked.

"It was Brother." Zen answered firmly. "Brother saved you and properly brought you to safety. While I was able to do nothing but watch from the sidelines. It pains me to say that I fail to be the one to rescue you." Zen was facing down from depression.

With the answers in epiphany, my heart fluttered. It was Izana afterall? I felt the urge to just leave everything and run. Run far.

Into his arms.

"Zen...!" I called and he looked up a bit. "It isn't your inability at all. You were still a major help in saving both Shirayuki and me. I feel like I can't live without you being a part of my life,"

Zen's eyes sparked up and I smiled in confusion. I had no idea I would be saying this.

"but I can't be by your side. I can't be the one to accompany as your life companion. I know I can't because I'd be focusing on someone else. It's not because he saved me. It's just the way he makes every little thing matter. If I'm not honest now, I think I won't ever be in the future." I confessed.

When I finally looked at Zen, I could see that he had a worn-out smile. I hoped that he wasn't too upset with my declaration. Or the fact that I rejecred his proposal.

"I knew you'd say it sooner or later. I always knew you had feelings for Brother. Same way with him. But I was too much of an obstacle for you to find out sooner." he smiled.

"Now that you know, go. Go tell him. Embrace him with all your might." Zen said. By this time, I had tears pricking at the edge of my eyes. I wasn't sad at all.

I was thankful. Thankful to Zen for being a part of my life. For being by my side at hard times and still remaining that way even after I said that I chose another over him.

"Thank you, Zen. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you for the best." I prayed. "It's alright. Now, go tell him!" he reminded and I nodded in joy.

"He's in the garden."

With that, my feet immediately twisted into another direction as I ran with the best of my efforts to look for the one and only.

Love can be such a confusing yet sweet thing. It hides in a shell. And it's up to the person to crack the shell to earn it.

♢♢♢

The halls were echoing from the sound of my heels and the harsh breathing of mine. There hadn't been a single memory of me rushing like this in royal establishments ever. And I was breaking that rule.

People were peeking outside to see what was the cause only to find me. I saw Obi, Mitsuhide and Kiki glancing from Zen's studyroom.

I had a glimpse of Ryu and the herbalists came in after the usual gathering of herbs. I even ran into Kinare coming back from laundry.

With harsh shouts from Lord Haruka for my ridiculous running.

Finally reaching the garden, I paused to catch my breath. Frantically looking for thr blonde, I scrambled across the grass patches to look behind every bush and search every pathway.

I finally had a glimpse of his majestic blonde hair when I reached the edge of the garden. My heart started to race in a rapid pace while I thought about what to say.

The shrewd prince finally realised I was there and took notice of me. "Lera." he greeted. I took a step forward before he came to me himself.

"Are you still hurt anywhere? I thought I told Kinare to keep you in bed." he said and suddenly held my shoulders. I tensed up and couldn't look at him straight in the eyes.

"You seem tired. Perhaps you should go rest right away." he clarified before I stopped him. "Wait! I have something to tell you."

"About what exactly?"

His question startled me and I was puzzled about what to say next. I love you. It was such a simple and easy thing to say but in reality, it seemed a thousand times harder than the thought.

"Izana....I..."