Kumiko tried to sneak away multiple times while Shirayuki was absorbed in her work, and every time Obi dragged her back kicking and complaining. One time Obi literally dragged her back to Shirayuki's work station by a bootless foot while she moped with her arms crossed. Obi refused to return her shoe until Shirayuki announced they were heading out to the garden which he only groaned at while Kumiko stuck her tongue out at him.
As she picked herbs from the massive greenhouse garden Shirayuki managed to keep a better eye on Kumiko, but not by much. When the mundane chat stopped the herbalist would quickly get lost in her work once more leaving Obi to chase the hooded girl about the garden. By the time Shirayuki was done collecting samples Obi and Kumiko were wrestling by the exit. Obi had snatched her hood and shoved it down the back of his shirt while Kumiko was pulling on his scarf choking the man to get her hood back. They were a tangled mess on the ground, frozen by Shirayuki's intense staring.
"He started it," Kumiko blamed.
"She was trying to leave," Obi said defensively.
"I keep telling you I'm not going to leave the castle," she fought. She tightened her grip on his scarf making him pull back for air. A pleased grin quirked at her mouth.
Crouching down next to them Shirayuki held her basket in her lap as she met Kumiko's light brown gaze. "Where do you want to go?" she asked kindly.
Leaning away from the girl's kindness Kumiko slowly said, "I don't want to say."
"Is it inside the castle?" she inquired.
"Yes," Kumiko nodded.
"Then why don't you go," she smiled.
"Miss?" Obi questioned.
"I don't need constant guarding Obi, besides I trust Kumiko won't leave," she explained.
Jumping up from their entanglement Kumiko pointed an accusatory finger at Obi who adjust his scarf. "I'm not going with the hood stealing jerk," she declared.
Standing Shirayuki said, "I'm sure you two can work it out."
With a smile Shirayuki stepped around them and left the greenhouse. Kumiko leered sideways at the annoying guard as he stared after the other girl. Reaching into his shirt he pulled out her hood and tossed it at her.
As she caught the fabric Obi said, "Don't make the Miss regret trusting you."
While pulling on her hood Kumiko absentmindedly murmured, "And why is that?"
Suddenly Obi was towering over her with a murderous look in his eye. Kumiko shrunk back as her hands reached for the sword that wasn't there. "Or it'll be the last thing you do," he warned. "Understood?" He arched a brow at her.
"Y-Yeah," she muttered.
He stood there for a moment longer before disappearing after Shirayuki, leaving Kumiko with trembling legs and her heart in her throat.
Once Kumiko pulled herself together -lying to herself that Obi hadn't scared her- she exited the greenhouse and made her way to the other side of the castle. Climbing the tree she had spent the last week in spying on her brother, she perched on the familiar oak branch with a leaf stem stuck between her teeth and eyes firmly fixed on the second Prince's office.
Zen was filling out boring paperwork, while Kiki and Mitsuhide read from book and scrolls. All busy with their high titled jobs. Kumiko irritably chewed at the leaf stem as she narrowed her gaze at Mitsuhide. Her sword gleaming at his hip.
"Could run in and snag it," she whispered to herself.
Twisting her silver lock of hair around her finger Kumiko imagined the outcome if she busted into a prince's room.
Scrunching up her nose at the conclusion she sighed, "Not a fan of prison."
So Kumiko just sat there angrily chewing on a leaf and twirling her silver hair -a habit she'd had since she was little. The kids in her town always made fun of her for the old lady streak that corrupted her black hair. Some teased her as a witch, or anything inhuman until Kumiko ran off trying to hide her hair.
"It's your birthmark. It is what makes you special," her brother would tell her. She would be crying under her bed refusing to leave, but somehow Mitsuhide would make everything okay again.
Kumiko shook off the memory. They were too young, nothing he said then mattered now. Mitsuhide was probably just trying to get her to quiet down so he could focus on his studies. Releasing the lock of her hair Kumiko pulled her hood up hiding her hair and most of her face in the fabric's shadow.
She watched as Zen worked, Kiki kept everyone on track, and Mitsuhide tapped the two swords at his hip together. His face unusually pale and his gaze distant. Kumiko had grown use to seeing the wide grin on Mitsuhide's face as he merrily worked alongside his friends. His day-to-day life far happier than Kumiko had ever expected. The letters he sent home were always average never detailing his work as a prince's aide, not that he missed home. Kumiko knew he was content with his role, but she had never pictured he loved it more than their home. She preferred his old job as a knight.
As Kumiko leered down at the blue hair boy she lost track of time. Not noticing the falling sun or her uninvited guest that sat perched on the branch below hers. When he tugged on her dangling leg Kumiko jumped, yelped and tumbled from the tree. Her guest, Obi, at least saved her from landing on her head, though she wasn't about to say, "Thank you," as she hung upside down from the leg he had tugged. Obi was swinging from his branch with his legs hooked around the tree and Kumiko's ankle clenched in his hands.
"What the heck?" Kumiko yelled. She glared awkwardly up at Obi around her falling leather jacket and her boot.
"Surprise," Obi snickered.
"Jerk, put me down," she ordered.
"Visiting big brother Little Mitsuhide?" he questioned.
"I'm not! It's Kumiko! Now put me down," she kicked at him with her free leg.
"Obi?" Zen called. He and his aides had hurried out onto the balcony after Kumiko's first scream.
"Kumiko?" Mitsuhide questioned.
"As you wish," Obi said releasing her leg.
Kumiko's stomach dropped out of her before she hit the ground. She didn't quite make it, but landing on her hands and knees was better than her face. After she hit the ground she looked up at Obi, who was smirking down at her, and leered at him with heated brown eyes.
"Stupid jerk. What was that for?" Kumiko shot ignoring her audience.
"Miss wanted to invite you to dinner," Obi replied innocently. Following his reply he gracefully dropped from the tree and landed on his feet. Showing off as he stood next to Kumiko.
"I don't want food," she stated. Getting to her feet she turned her burning gaze onto Mitsuhide who was watching them over the railing of the balcony. "I want my sword so I can leave," she hissed.
Mitsuhide's mouth pinched into a tight line as he stared back at her. Kumiko could see his hand moved towards the swords, the rattle of metal on metal clear in the evening air.
"It's not yours," Zen announced.
Kumiko's sharp glare flickered over to the white haired boy who held himself like he was dealing with a royal issue, which it definitely was not.
"Excuse me?" she raised her brows.
"The sword you want, is not yours," he stated.
"Zen," Mitsuhide muttered.
"I was told I could have my sword back if I waited. Now I've waited, so give me my sword," Kumiko said stomping her foot.
"I have an idea," Zen said. He grabbed Kumiko's sword from Mitsuhide's belt and held it over his head like a trophy. Kumiko watch in frustration as the second prince stared down at her and proclaimed, "This sword will be added to the festival's fencing grand prize. If you want it back then you'll have to win it."
"That isn't fair," Kumiko shot.
"You wanted to show off your talent, that's why you came here right?" Zen challenged. Kumiko gritted her teeth as she refused to break eye contact and back down. "Well now you can," Zen smirked.
"Interesting," Obi snickered.
"The festival is in two weeks, I can arrange for you to have a room here in the castle so you don't have to travel far. You will also be permitted to use the royal training grounds so your skills don't get rusty before the festival," Zen informed.
Kumiko clenched and unclenched her hands as she fought back the angry tears that burned at the back of her throat. She had never hated royals, but as she watched the proud gleam in Zen's eyes grow she was starting to understand why people did. She wanted to smack the look off of his face.
Glancing towards Mitsuhide she gave him the darkest look she could before saying, "Aren't you done hiding behind your job yet?"
Before Mitsuhide could react Kumiko stormed off towards the pharmacist room, she figured Shirayuki would be in. She tired to ignore Obi who followed her with an amused aura, that only fueled Kumiko's temper. Even after adjusting her hood she could still sense the smirk on his face.
As they reached the hall that would lead them to Shirayuki Kumiko spun on her heel to confront Obi. He stopped with reflexes of a cat, standing less than a foot apart as he glanced down at her. Dark brows pulling together as Kumiko gave him a dark leer that couldn't match the look she gave her brother.
"Why are you so happy?" she demanded.
"Things are getting lively," Obi replied.
"You get a kick out of watching people?" Kumiko questioned annoyed.
Shrugging he said, "You could say that."
"You're finding this far too funny," she uttered.
"I don't," Obi corrected.
Kumiko arched a brow challenging him.
Shoving his hands into his pockets Obi replied, "I'm just curious to see how this plays out Little Mitsuhide."
"Kumiko," she stated sharply.
"Right right. I want to see how well my master's plan works," he nodded. Unaffected by Kumiko's attitude.
"And what is his plan?" Kumiko questioned.
"I have no idea," he chuckled.
Kumiko rolled her eyes as she turned away from him too confused by this man. He was not the traditional royal guard, Kumiko was aware of that, yet he wasn't a normal guy wither. Terrifying one minute then freely laughing the next. Obi reminded her of the wind.
"What ever his plan is it doesn't change that your master stole from me," she muttered as she continued up the hall.
"If you say so Little Mitsuhide," Obi teased.
"Kumiko," she groaned.
The cat-eyed man tugged at the back of Kumiko's hood causing it to fall away from her head revealing her black and silver hair. As he lowered his hand he said, "Right right."
Kumiko shot him an annoyed look over her shoulder as they neared the medical room. After their arrival Shirayuki was relieved of her duty to which she happily hurried over to Kumiko with bright green eyes.
"So you're going to join me for dinner?" she asked.
"Do you mind having a guest for two weeks?" Kumiko replied.
Shirayuki looked from Kumiko to Obi confused. "Two weeks?"
"She's staying till the festival," he answered.
"That's great," Shirayuki beamed.
"It's not by choice," Kumiko deadpanned.
"Oh?" Shirayuki inquired.
"Prince Zen won't give me my sword," she huffed.
Kumiko informed Shirayuki about what happened as they made their way to the herbalist's living quarters. Obi correcting Kumiko when she exaggerated Zen's "wrath." Once the girls reached the room Obi left with a brisk farewell and Shirayuki began cooking. As she moved about the room she calmly explained why Zen had "stolen" he sword, and that there was a perfectly good reason for his actions. Kumiko wasn't up for agreeing, she was content with staying mad and holding tightly onto her grudge.
After dinner Kiki dropped by to show Kumiko her room, which was two doors down from Shirayuki's. Kumiko was sitting at the small window staring up at the stars while Kiki turned to leave, but she paused.
"Why do you hate Mitsuhide?" Kiki asked.
Kumiko glanced at the blonde to see she wasn't looking at her. As she turned back to the window she simply replied, "Because he killed my brother."
Kiki didn't say any more as she left the room, closing the wooden door behind her. Kumiko spent most of the night wringing her hands over her empty sheath and doing basic fencing moves with an invisible blade until her body was too tired to keep moving. She collapsed into the bed cursing Zen and Mitsuhide as she drifted off to sleep.