Shirayukihime and The Lost Fox

Chapter 20: Cavalry

Akira POV

"You can't read?"

I look away, slightly embarrassed and nod my head. "At least not this country's language. I'm literate and fluent with my home country's language. Could you perhaps help me learn?" I ask sheepishly. I rub the back of my neck and look back at Shirayuki. She looks at me for a moment before shaking her head and smiling at me. "Of course I would help you."

I sit up straighter, smiling brightly. "Really?"

She laughs a little. "Yes, really."

We were currently sitting inside Shirayuki's room at the inn, eating breakfast. While my side of the table was considerably clean, Shirayuki's side was cluttered with books, paper and ink wells, all detailing what I guessed was plants and the like. Still studying for that exam, I see.

She stood up and began packing her books into her satchel. "Are we going somewhere?" I ask curiously. She took some plates, cleaning them and stacking them neatly to clean later. "Yes, we've received a call from the palace. Mitsuhide and Kiki wants to meet with us."

"Then let's go. If Mitsuhide called us, something must be up with Zen," I said finishing up my breakfast before stacking the plates as well. I grab my headband and pin my ears back, looking in the mirror to check they were in place. "It's so amazing, like magic." I look back at Shirayuki, who was staring at my tail in wonder. "It shouldn't be possible for you to make your tail disappear from sight at your will." I give her a half smile, looking down and willing my tail to hide from sight. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I managed it quite well eventually.

We head out after Shirayuki replaced my arm's bandage and quickly make it to the Poet's Gate, the side gate in which those two guards regulate. They were currently occupied, letting an old man through the gates after he showed them a tag. I believe it was a castle ID.

"Hi, Shirayuki, Akira!" The energetic blonde said once he saw us coming. Shirayuki smiled at them, greeting, "Well hello there." I give my own sort of acknowledgement, shortly waving my hand and saying, "Hey."

"Here to see the prince again?" Yes, I thought. Though he doesn't know we're here. "Not this time. Mitsuhide and Kiki were the ones who wanted to see us."

The blonde haired guard chuckled, a mischievous smile on his face. "Maybe they're here so we can see Akira beat up the other guards in a spar," he teased. Every time I've come here, whether if I'm alone or with Shirayuki, Mitsuhide and Kiki would pull me away and give me training lessons. Occasionally, I would spar with a few of the royal guards, which the others watched for personal enjoyment. I will admit, watching a cocky guard walk into the arena, confident of my defeat only to be defeated himself was quite amusing to watch.

I let a small teasing smile slip onto my face. "If you ever want to spar, I'm right here and willing," I tell the younger guard. He gives me a mock salute, a goofy grin on his face. "I was wondering," Shirayuki asks. "What's with that pendant the old man wore around his neck?"

"Oh that's just his identification," the brown haired guard explains.

"Identification?"

He pulls a similar pendant out from under his uniform, holding it out for us to see. "Yes. Everyone in the castle is required to have one, and no one can be allowed in under any other circumstances."

"But you two are an exception," the blonde guard added in. "The prince gave us special orders." They both stepped away from the gate, letting us through. "Go on inside," the other guard said. We go inside the gate, quickly being met by Mitsuhide.

He guides us through the now familiar castle courtyard, asking about our wellbeing. We only stop momentarily when Shirayuki looks over the flowers, bending down to admire them with a bright smile. "They're more pretty every day," she comments, eyes sparkling as she looked at them. I smile at her, her happy mood infectious to everyone around her.

At the feeling of a piercing gaze on us both, I look up and observe a well-dressed man. His sharp eyes glare deeply into Shirayuki's back, and I knew who he was in an instant. This was Lord Haruka, I believe, an advisor in Zen's court. His blonde hair was sweeper out of his face and an embellished sword decorated his hip. His white and purple coat were lined with gold embellishments and his face seemed to be fixed in a permanent scowl.

Once he saw me looking at him, his scowl only deepened and with my sensitive hearing I hear him mumble angrily, "The peasant brought her guard dog as well? Pathetic." I bristle at the hostile insult as he vehemently turned back the was he came and stormed off. My eyes follow after him until I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Akira? Are you okay?"

I turn back to see Shirayuki, her hand on my shoulder. Looking past her I see Mitsuhide looking at us. I shake my head, saying, "Yeah, I'm fine." I quickly walk to Mitsuhide, who was waiting for us, and we continue walking to Zen's office. "Thanks for coming on such short notice," Mitsuhide said.

"No problem," Shirayuki said. "Is there something wrong with Zen?" Mitsuhide just sighs with a chuckle. "Not really. Zen had gone off on business for a meeting, and he had snuck away to go see the area. All of us here are used to him sneaking out, but he came back really late, and the officials didn't go so easy on him. Now he's locked himself inside his office, doing his paperwork."

"He's depressed?" She asks.

"More like trying to make a point," he replies, smiling wearily as we approach a large pair of doors. "He needs to relax, so we thought he should see you." He opens one of the two the doors, stepping to the side to let us view inside. Zen was sitting at his desk, but despite the windows behind him being clear of blinds the room had a cold and dark feeling. Around Zen especially there was a tangible dark aura that gave off a menacing feel.

Zen pauses in his writing, looking up with tired eyes. "Shirayuki?" He whispers as we step inside the room. "We called her here because you need a break and you should spend time together," Mitsuhide explains with a smirk, arms crossed over his chest.

"You shouldn't have done that," he objects. As Kiki was coming around his side to collect papers off his desk, she said, "Sometimes you write Shirayuki's name on some of the papers." His cheeks flush up, and he mumbles a sorry excuse, "I just like her name."

"You need to relax, you've haven't eaten and barely slept at all. Go on and spend time with her." Kiki pulls him up from his desk, not so gently pushing him towards Shirayuki. "Fine, fine. But only if you agree to hang out with me," Zen asks Shirayuki. She smiles, nodding her head. "I'd love to."

I come to stand next to Kiki as Zen and Shirayuki walk out of the room. "If you only needed Shirayuki, then why call me too?" I ask, turning my head to look at Kiki. Mitsuhide walks over, a large smile plastered on his face. "We thought we could have another training session with the guards. Would you like to join?"

A mischievous smile of my own appears on my face. "Wouldn't miss it for the world." Mitsuhide's smile grew larger while Kiki had a smile of her own appear as we walk out the doors and head to the training area.

Once we got there, there were already a number of guards off duty who were training in their spare time. Some were practicing on their own while others were up in pairs sparring with each other. One guard noticed us coming, and a grin fell on his face once he saw me. He turns around to the rest of the guards, shouting, "Hey guys! Cavalry is back!"

Almost immediately, all the guards stopped their training and look to us, a smile coming onto their faces. "It's the Cavalry! He's back!" A crowd starts up around me as guards come to greet me. I smile as I greet them in return. "Nice to see you aren't dead yet, Cavalry," a guard said jokingly as he patted my back. I laugh at the comment.

The guards of the palace soon took to calling me Cavalry soon after they saw me training with Kiki and Mitsuhide. It only really stuck once they saw me defeat three guards at once. They clearly understood that I was not one to be messed with, and so Cavalry was a nickname and warning to all.

"Ready for a demonstrative lesson with Cavalry again?" Mitsuhide said a grin on his face when the guards scrambled into straight lines, their formation. With all their backs up straight and their eyes ahead, they all replied, "Yes, Sir!"

Kiki smiles as she tosses me a practice sword from the wall's rack, saying, "Alright, who's first?"