SYN OF CLARINES • Akagami No Shirayukihime

C H A P T E R | 03

It was a fresh new day in Clarines. Syn wanted to tagalong with Shirayuki because she was requested to go visit Zen. Syn had no doubt Zen wanted to see the younger red head. The girls reached the castle gate and saw the two stationed guards checking a merchant for his ID to enter. Once they let him pass they noticed the females approaching.

"Hi Shirayuki! Syn!" They greeted.

"Yo." The eldest sister saluted them and clasped her hands behind her neck, trailing behind Shirayuki go was smiling.

"Well hello there." Shirayuki happily exchanged.

"Are you two back to visit Prince Zen today?" Syn scoffed out a small laugh.

"He wishes. I bet he would ask for my amazing sister everyday if he could!" She sighed and wrapped her arms around Shirayuki's shoulders to pull her close. The guardsmen laughed in agreement. Shirayuki had a tinge of red in her cheeks and huffed at her sibling's antics.

"I'm not. Mitsuhide and Kiki wanted to see me this time." She replied.

"So um... There's something I've been wondering about." Syn stood besides her and glanced down at her.

"Hmm?" She questioned.

"What's with the pendant that old man wore around his neck?" Shirayuki asked. Staring into the distance as the said old man pushed his cart of supplies.

"Oh! That's just his identification". One of the men searched under his clothing and pulled out a pendant with words carved into it, holding it up to the girls.

"Everyone who works inside the castle has to have it. Nobody is allowed to enter the gates under any circumstance unless wearing one."

But of course Syn and Shirayuki had to be a different case. Syn wondered if she should apply for a job in the castle and get her own but she quickly dismissed the thought.

Shirayuki however, blinked and processed the new information. The other guard saw this and exclaimed.

"Oh! You're both exceptions, Shirayuki. The Prince gave us special orders." He beamed at them.

"No question that Syn would just force her way though anyway." He added with a chuckle. The red head in question grinned at him.

"Go ahead. You can wait at the entrance." The other man waved us through kindly.

"Thank you very much." Shirayuki bowed to them and strolled passed them, Syn at her heels as they went on their way. She paused for a split second and turned around waving to the guards.

"Bye!" They laughed and waved back enthusiastically.

"Damn they're both so cool!" The youngest guard squealed while the other scolded him to get back to his position.

Syn, Mitsuhide and Shirayuki were walking through the castle courtyard as they made their way to the young Prince's study. Unaware of the Lord who glared at the girls with disgust. Shirayuki pointed out some flowers. The Lord's anger grew.

It had been a little after Shirayuki had gone home and Syn was wondering around the castle is search for Kiki or Mitsuhide to spar with as she was feeling restless. As luck would have it Syn turned the corner and overheard a very interesting conversation.

"We'll have no choice but to go in over his head." Haruka sternly spoke and he leaned on a pillar of the castle wall before turning his head to look at a figure up in the tree.

"Yes sir." The figure then vanished.

Syn stayed behind the corner and crossed her arms. She couldn't help but be suspicious of the Lord's discretion. She would have to look deeper into this. And so Syn walked off down the castle's tall hallways.