If only [SLOW UPDATES] - Snow White with Red Hair FF

7 | Touka Bergatt

After Tsuruba had departed, Tariga and I had gone out for our usual night time patrol. Our shoulders were side by side, brushing against each other occasionally, with him on my left. Our hands naturally rested on the hilts of our sheathed swords.

Tilting my head up, I noticed how many stars appeared since Tsuruba left.

"The sky still isn't pretty..." I mumbled, catching the attention of the boy beside me. In the corner of my peripheral vision, I could see his head turn towards me, his braid following and resting on his left shoulder.

He raised his eyebrow at my solemn expression, looking up to observe the night sky as well. His squinted his eyes slightly whilst scanning the dark canvas. "What do you mean? There are plenty of stars out tonight. You normally like the night sky like this."

I sighed and shook my head, returning from the sky to whatever was in front of me. "There's a difference, even if it looks the same every night to most people. I don't- I don't really know how to explain it, I just kinda.. know. When it's not pretty, there's this negative gut feeling I have."

Tariga looked at me once again, to which I turned my head to look at him too.

His eyes.

They were.. glum.

"Do you find that your gut feeling is always right..?" He asked.

I stopped.

I knew what he's referring to...

It's true that my gut feeling wasn't always right, but it just happens to give me to wrong idea at the worst of times. Like this.

If I don't make it back in time,

I will leave things to you.

Those were Tsuruba's last words before he departed.

"I thi-"

"Tariga. Akami."

A familiar voice had called out to us from behind. The two of us turned around to face the person.

His Highness.

"Come with me," Prince Zen ordered. Tariga and briefly glanced at each other, hesitant at first, but we let the prince lead us. We passed several soldiers who we exchanged bows with.

Finally, Prince Zen had stopped at a large balcony, a bit further away from where our dorm was.

".. This is?" Tariga asked.

"Up there," the prince pointed, making up look towards where he was looking. It was a window cell. Except, it was barred with iron. "Mitsuhide is in there."

Mitsuhide?

Oh, right, they... Arrested him.

Prince Zen walked towards the edge of the balcony, where there were some barrels and equipment. He sat on a wooden box covered in some cloth. "Oh yes, so you haven't revealed your real names, have you?"

"--.. Yes," I replied, slightly confused. "Ah, except, I called out Tsuruba's name on that hill, where the fire was.. That was when the arrow was being shot towards him."

"It's likely that the seniors have started to suspect something," Tariga added.

"Won't that be a problem?"

"The three of us just decided to do it, even if it was only once.." the twin answered. "To work according to something we believed in is what Tsuruba and I wanted. Not as people of the Bergatt House."