Because of me

Chapter 4 - Awakening

He felt exhausted, his whole body felt numb, almost as if he was floating in a sea of dark and loneliness. Somehow though, he felt comfortable there. He felt as if he was at home and he didn't want to leave.

'What happened?' He felt as if someone was holding onto his hand, as if he was being dragged around, carried. He felt the motion but then....... It just stopped and didn't come back for a while.

'Zen.' He heard a voice calling out to him.

'Zen!' Again, only louder this time.

'ZEN, WAKE UP!'

He awoke with a gasp, he was in the castle's infirmary, his head head hurt 'What happened....? Where am I? I remember infiltrating The Claw of the Sea but then...... Everything's just a big blur.'

"Zen! You're awake."

"....Kiki?" Zen began to sit up.

"Don't sit up just yet! Are you okay? Do you remember anything that happened." Kiki tucked him back into his bed.

"Kind of but.... It's all just one big blur, I scarcely remember infiltrating The Claw but....."

"O-oh, I see" Kiki stood up and started to exit the room "I should call for the the chief herbalist."

'Herbalist.... Shirayuki! What happened to Shirayuki?!'

"Kiki." Zen immediately stood up and started walking towards Kiki.

"Y-yes?"

"How about Shirayuki? How is she? What happened to her?" Tears pricked at the corners of Zen's eyes. He grabbed onto Kiki's shoulders

"You really don't know, do you?" Zen shook his head.

"After you Shirayuki was pushed into the water, and you jumped in to save her, the rest of us were attacking the Pirates and once we defeated them, we started to search for Shirayuki and yourself. We found you but Shirayuki...... We never found her body. So we believe that she's......"

"Dead? You mean she's dead?" Kiki nodded her head slowly.

"Yes." Zen backed away and sat on the bed. He began to cry. The words kept on playing back in his head.

'Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead. She's dead."

"Kiki, how long have I been asleep for?"

"Eight days."

"Eight days? I've been lying on this bed for eight days?"

"Yes."

"So for more than a week now, Shirayuki's been missing?"

"Yes, she has, and search parties are still at sea seeking her out."

"Then............ I shall join them in search for Shirayuki."

"No you can't! You still have to heal!" Kiki's face grew concerned.

"If she might be dead because of me, then I must help the search parties seek her out." Zen stood back yo and looked towards Kiki "Did you find the keepsake which I had given her?"

"Which one?"

'So they didn't.' Zen thought to himself.

"I shall join the search for her tomorrow. You may think or say it's pointless or not worth it but no matter what anyone says, I believe I will find Shirayuki, dead or alive."

"Zen..." Mitsuhide enters the room to see Zen standing up, looking better than ever within the eight days he was asleep.

"Zen! You're finally awake!"

"Mitsuhide! Long time no see"

"Kiki, did you tell him?" She nodded her head as a response. "So.... What are you gonna do?"

"Join the search parties and help seek her out." Zen replied casually.

"What?! Are you insane? You haven't even heal and you plan to go save Shirayuki today?"

"No, I'm going tomorrow."

"Prince Zen, she's already been assumed dead. You can't hold onto something that's already gone."

"You can if you don't believe it's gone. Besides, " Zen looked out the window, "if she's dead because of me, then I should be assissting helping find her body, not sitting here and crying. I shouldn't cry because," Zen trailed off "I know Shirayuki wouldn't want to see me cry."

***
She opened her eyes slowly, only to find herself in a room she was not familiar with. 'Where am I?'

Author's note:
GAHHHH HERE YOU GO!! I'm sorry for taking so long, again. I might be posting the next chapter a little late because I have two assignments due this week. I should be able to post on the weekend though but hopefully earlier! On a side note, I'm so happy people are actually reading this! Thank you to the people who voted for this story (even though I have no idea what a vote does lol) and left really nice comments! I'll be sure to continue updating and I'll try to be more consistent with it so there are more chapters uploaded quicker so until then.
Edit: Also, I forgot to mention, I have an Instagram: oikawa_senpaii1639
GOODBYE