Little Red *Mitsuhide x OC* (COMPLETE)

If I Had A Star For Every Time You Made Me Smile I'd Hold A Galaxy

Chapter 16: If I Had A Star For Every Time You Made Me Smile I'd Hold A Galaxy
Song: Worst Part Of Me - I Prevail

Daliah cuts me annoyed glare and a split second later, a blueberry bounces off my forehead. We decided to stay for the night to make sure that nothing else is wrong with her. Obi came out of the room a few minutes after my talk with Marla where she accused me of having feelings for Daliah and asked me to watch over her, that he was going to go back to the tavern to check on a few things. I decided to bring Daliah some fruit but her appreciation wore off when she found out that I had told Obi about her concerns dealing with bonding with him. Now she's just pegging fruit at my forehead here and there.

"Why are you mad at me?" I ask as I catch the next berry and eat it.

"You told my brother that I have emotions."

"Well you weren't going to."

"I was kidnapped then dying! It's not like I had a lot of free time!" She snaps as she tugs at the bandages.

"Stop fidgeting with your bandages Anyala, you'll rip your stitches."

"Great, thanks Auntie, now he knows my name." She scowls at the redhead as the woman comes in to water the various plants.

"In my defense, Len told first."

"I feel like you guys should have let me die..." Daliah huffs as she crosses her arms over her chest. "It would be far less annoying and embarrassing."

We leave just before dawn to make the final stretch to the herbalist. Thankfully Liro's nonsense didn't take us too far off course. We shouldn't be late getting back to the castle. Daliah is still upset that her real name was told and she's just overall huffy and miserable. It's understandable. The only reason she's here is because we caught her and we're fighting to save her, and she got kidnapped and almost murdered.

"Hey, I need to tell you something."

I look over at Obi beside me before moving my gaze back to Daliah walking ahead.

"What is it?"

"When I went back to the tavern... Liro's body was gone. He must have survived." His voice is almost inaudible so Daliah can't hear but she turns immediately.

"What!? That disgusting little freak is alive!?"

"He's not going to get near you, I promise."

"As if that worked so well last time." She shoots back and I sigh.

"If we stop at all after getting the file, one of us will stay watch over you until we make it back to the castle. We only have two days to make it back though, so we need to hurry." I cut in before they can continue their childish arguing again.

As we enter the village, I notice Daliah immediately tense beside me and her hand drifts to the hood of her sweater so she can hide her face. I imagine that they know of her reputation as Dali, so she's probably nervous. There are a lot of people after her because of the bounty after all. I look down at her and she briefly meets my gaze but in that split-second I can see her fear.

"It's going to be okay." I whisper.

Before she can say anything further, we reach the herbalist's shop and I hand the request form to Obi so he can get the information while I stay outside with Daliah. She sighs and leans against the wallnear the door.

"I hate this place..."

"Why? What's-" My question dies as I reach out to catch the rock aimed at her head.

"Murderer!"

"Whore!"

A crowd of villagers has formed in front of us, most armed with rocks or hammers. Another rock is thrown and I catch it before stepping in front of her.

"This woman is under the official protection of Wistal Castle. Any attack on this woman will be treated as a threat and you will be detained. Disperse immediately."

"She doesn't need protection! She needs to die. She killed my husband!"

"And my brother!"

"I-" I start but Daliah lightly touches my arm as she steps around me.

"Fine. You wish for my death, bring it on. I won't stop you, but I didn't kill anyone."

She's going to get herself killed... A man lifts his arm to throw a rather large stone but Obi steps out of the shop and clears his throat.

"She is telling the truth. The causes of death for all men she was rumored to have murdered are in these files. No one died of unnatural causes. So, that being said, if you touch her whether by rock or your hand, you will sincerely regret it."

"There's no way my husband died naturally. I saw her leave the area right before I found him dead. He was in a field! There were no other options!"

Obi flips through the files. "His death was ruled that he was struck by lightning... there were signs of attempted resuscitation?" He arches a brow as we both turn toward her and she shrugs.

"I-I couldn't just not do anything... with any of them." She whispers.

I look back to the villagers with a challenge to see if any of them will try to attack again but I guess with both Obi and I present, they back down with a few glares and halfhearted threats. I look at Daliah who scowls up at us.

"Don't talk about it, let's just go..."

We have stopped for the night in a clearing and Daliah fell asleep a little while ago. She's kept her distance and had been silent our whole trip back so far. I'm not sure what's wrong, but I'm not going to wake her just to find out. I cast a glance over at her before turning back to Obi. He's been studying the files thoroughly using the faint glow from the fire.

"She really didn't kill any of these people... Lightning, trauma from the apple cart, the horse, choking, aneurysm... It's all here. There were signs on almost all of them that she tried to save them. Master won't be able to deny that she shouldn't be sentenced to death."