He's My Knight in Shining Armor (Akagami no Shirayukihime Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

Former Authoress: Primsgirl89 (You can find her on FF.net too!)

Beater/Reviser & New Authoress: Kartara (You can find me on FF.net too.)

Quick note: I, Kartara, adopted this series form Primsgirl89 and began to write for it. Prim and I both agreed that it'd be best if I edited the past chapters (Chapters 1 – 6) in my own style and upload it as my own fan-fiction to avoid copyright. Credit for the original story plot and development should go to her for these lovely chapters!

Former Authoress' Notes: Hey guys! I don't know what y'all like in this story. So I would appreciate some feedback.

The Second Prince was about to leave for the part of Clarines where Kiharu had come from for diplomatic reasons. Though it had been a while since the day of the test, that ugly guy was still in jail for his interference in the test and putting someone who was close to the prince in harm's way. Perhaps due to this, ever since that day, Shirayuki had been extra clingy to work, as well as to Ryuu and Obi. Whenever she was around the prince, she either became all flustered or completely formal and business-like. She must have been embarrassed about that kiss Zen had given her. Obi tried to bring it up on a few occasions, but she either dodged the questions and started talking about something else entirely or she would run away from him. He wasn't the only one who had noticed; everyone had, too.

Today, he was going to get his answers. And if I must play dirty... so be it. Wow, I sound demanding...I wonder... He laughed silently as Ryuu walked behind him, holding Midnight. He looked at him questioningly, but he shook my head and picked him up on his shoulders. Midnight saw Shirayuki and ran to her by means of jumping off his head, meaning her claws went into the skin. He hissed softly. Now with Ryuu's hands free, he began to play with his father figure's short dark hair.

"Having fun, Little Ryuu?" Obi asked sarcastically, his eyebrow twitching in irritation.

To his credit, Ryuu paused his hands for a moment. "I-I'll stop..." His hands then rested on top of his head, not moving. He was about to speak, but was interrupted by a voice. A bell-like voice; a voice he knew by heart to be Shirayuki's voice.

"Did he say you had to? He only asked if you were having fun," She scolded softly. She then looked at him with a soft smile, but it was replaced by the worried twitching of her lips when Zen spoke. He was right behind her, her somehow not noticing it until the last possible moment. In her defence, she had been preoccupied with talking to Kiharu. Her face went blank and flushed with the same shade of red a newly-bloomed rose had.

"We'll be off now," Zen informed her, darting a glance at Kiharu before letting his gaze return to her soft features.

She didn't respond, but she did move closer to Obi. This isn't like her. He looked at Zen and glared with his eyes, conveying his anger. He saw him noticeably flinch before he hopped on his horse and left, Miss Kiki and Mister Mitsuhide following after him in the afternoon sun with Kiharu not too far behind. The girl hung back for a hesitant moment, looking at Shirayuki with concern from the view she received on top of her horse, before being on her way.

"Shirayuki?" Ryuu asked. He felt his shirt start to get wet with her silent tears. Knowing that she and he would be better off by themselves for a while, he set Ryuu down and gently pushed him to his next spot in the castle. I think he is supposed to make some medicine to help with a strep throat. Oh well. Ryuu knew what needed to be done, so he left hesitantly. Once he was gone, Obi held Shirayuki close to him as she tried to hold back some sobs.

Deciding that it would be best if he brought her somewhere less open, he picked her up bridal-style and made a dash for the forest. As soon as they were where he wanted them to be, he put her down in a bed of Marigolds. She crawled onto his lap and cried into his chest. It pained him to see her breakdown like this, but she needed to let the worst of the past week's emotions she bottled up out. He put his hand on her bright red hair, that didn't seem as bright as it usually was, before caressing it soothingly. Honestly, it's about the same red of the marigolds at this moment.