A Witch, A Knight and The Black Cat

Chapter 4

"Then I dealt with him," Obi concluded.

He was in Zen's office with the prince and his to aides. Kiki was standing next to Obi, Zen staring up at him as he held the report he was sent for, and Mitsuhide was standing behind the desk staring out the window at the evening sky.

Zen lowered the report onto a stack of papers as he straightened in his seat. He eyed Obi for a long moment before asking, "How?"

A small amused grin twitched at the corners of Obi's mouth as he remembered the look on the guy's face. "I tied him up as the pig he is and left him dangling off a pole in the square," Obi answered.

Zen bit back a laugh trying to remain the mature royal figure he was, but a snicker still escaped. Coughing to hide it Zen regained his composure. "So where is Kumiko?" he inquired.

"Up a tree," Mitsuhide answered for Obi. His tone was matter-of-fact as he turned away from the window, brown eyes heated with anger yet they held a feeling of defeat.

"Do you know which one?" Obi challenged.

"The tallest one on the grounds," Mitsuhide stated. His hands clenched at his sides.

"He's good," Obi said.

"Mitsuhide?" Zen questioned.

The prince got to his feet eyeing his friend with concerned blue eyes.

Mitsuhide's gaze flickered from Zen to Kiki and Obi then back as a strong hand landed on his shoulder. Swallowing, the silvery blue haired man shook off the tension building in his shoulders and back as he met Zen's gaze head on.

"I should have taken care of Wataru years ago," Mitsuhide stated. "But I had thought Kumiko had faced that demon, so I ignored it. Became a knight and got lost in work," he explained.

"Obi you're free to go," Zen said.

Obi glanced around the room then nodded. "Understood Master," he said.

He disappeared out the door his next destination already in mind, while Kiki moved to join the others.

"Mitsuhide," she said in her usual business casual tone. The man glanced at the blonde tightening the fists at his sides. "Why does Kumiko think you killed her brother?"

Mitsuhide's eyes widened just a fraction before they narrowed and his expression turned down in painful understanding. Zen's brows pulled together as he glanced between his two aide's concerned for his longest friend.

"What?" Zen questioned.

"In a way I did," Mitsuhide admitted.

The office atmosphere turned tense as the three friends exchanged worried looks. Mitsuhide shrinking back as his mind drifted back to the past. Back before he met prince Zen and before his sister didn't hate him.

AAA

Kumiko spent most of the following week alone on the castle grounds. When her hand was healed she took up the wooden sword practicing each day until she couldn't hold the tool steady. After practice she would drop by the palace kitchen sweet talk one of the apprentice cooks then head to her preferred spot with the food they would give her. Once perched in the tall evergreen Kumiko began eating her late lunch as she watched the happening of the castle.

Guards patrolling patterns, visiting royal officials, the rare sighting of the first Prince, Izana, lurking about the halls. Kumiko saw it all from her tree. She would sit in the evergreen until the sun began setting and lanterns around the courtyard were lit. Though she never made it to the ground alone, Obi always showed up on the bottom row of branches when Kumiko was making her descent.