The walls of Wistal were a welcome sight for the exhausted Saki come dusk the very next day. What was a sleepless twenty-something hours was spent watching the passing landscape by, thankfully in more silence than anything else.
Zack's bout of chatty questions had subsided for the most part following his brief remark about footsoldiers from another country. Whether it was because he'd realized she wasn't much of a talker, or he actually saw her coughing up blood somewhere along the way, Saki didn't know. All she did know was that he had taken to steering his horses along the way and left the silence continue with just a few peppered glances here and there.
What was a three day journey on foot, as stated by Zack, was easily halved with just breaks for the horses, and there was no way Saki could have managed even half of that on foot, no matter how determined she was.
Upon arriving at the end of the queue waiting after-dusk entry into the city, Saki had managed to drag a sleeping Lirae and displeased Tok from within the cart and slipped down to the ground. Her brief attempt at thanking Zack for the help was quickly waved off with a wry chuckle and a remarkably amiable smile.
'Don't mention it, Saki.' He had responded, using her name for the first time since he had picked her up. 'If you see me 'round, stop by and say hey at least. I'd appreciate seein' a friendly face around.'
If that was it, then Saki guessed that was fine.
She really had more important things she needed to deal with.
The walk straight through the forest towards her house felt like it was perhaps one of the longest trips she had endured, and as soon as the familiar, poorly faced building on its own island of the river came to view, Saki felt undeniable relief threaten to drown her.
The clucking hoard of twelve chickens had torn open another bag of wheat and cleared it out, though they were currently roosting all over the smithy pit walling as if it was their own personal sleeping perch, and the oak had finally lost all its leaves. Tok, who was trailing along after Saki's feet appeared quite perturbed about the balls of feathers twice its own size, and hesitated to even scoot past the birds to follow Saki and the slumbering Lirae into the house.
A faint mewling from upstairs caught Saki's attention the instance she had kicked the loose door open, though she had paid it no heed as she dropped Lirae into one of the two chairs situated at her table, and deposited her belongings with little care. The black cat who'd taken a more permanent residence in Saki's home descended the crudely built staircase, with its wide eyes taking in the sight of the new faces warily.
Even though Saki really wanted to, now wasn't the time to rest. Now wasn't the time for her to collapse for up to a whole day in its entirety, when there were matters to tend to.
So she left Lirae there to snooze while she had the opportunity and washed up in the cold as best she could, tossing her well-tarnished ensemble of clothes aside as she sought out a set that was at least a little more presentable. She set the fire alight beneath the steel basin in the smithy, poured water into the basin until it was at least to a fair level over the bricks placed at the bottom, and before it had heated too well, she roused Lirae and sent the girl to wash up.
Excited squeals were quick to escape the girl as she found herself in access to a fresh, warm bath, and even if they had been voiced, no amount of complaints from Saki would have ceased the carry on out the front of the smithy. As it stood, it was hard enough getting the girl to understand that right after she was clean, Saki was dropping her off for medical treatment at the castle. And even that was with considerable doubt on Saki's part.
It certainly hadn't helped the struggle that getting Lirae into a makeshift change of clothes had ended up as. But it was managed with a great amount of effort on Saki's part, and she found herself staring down at a girl that looked surprisingly different now that she was cleaned of all grime and in fresh clothes.
Platinum blond hair hung in heavily curled locks like a cloud around the girl's head, and in spite of the unhealthy and malnourished taint to her body, it was immediately very clear that the girl usually lived a very active lifestyle outdoors.
The pout across Lirae's face was obvious as she reluctantly allowed Saki to neaten up the old shirt with a makeshift strip of material tied around her middle like a sash, turning it into a more presentable dress with exceedingly baggy sleeves.
'Missus Saki, I don't like this dress...' Lirae Complained, much to an already exasperated Saki's displeasure. 'Its too floppy...'
That was too bad. Saki didn't have a single article of clothing that fit a child, and while she may have the coin to pay for it, none of the shops or market stalls were open at this time of the evening. She knew this for a fact, shaking her head as she carefully wrapped a large wad of lambs wool around each of the girl's feet before tying a large sheet of soft leather around each as well.
And besides, Saki intended to have the girl handed over to the castle regardless, so the servants there could sort out more appropriate clothing.
The last few moments were spent gathering the last items of requirement before Saki ushered Lirae out of the house. Tok dangled from Lirae's arms wrapped around its middle, scarcely batting an eye as they left through the dark forest.
Footsteps peppered the night, before Saki heard the excited, and rather awestruck gasp of Lirae's as the walls of Wistal began to appear through the trees.
'Where are we?!' Lirae practically squeaked as she stumbled along ahead of Saki.
'Wistal.' Saki managed to force out, though she knew the girl hadn't even heard her.
But it really didn't matter all that much.
Saki's thoughts were gradually becoming hard to hold onto, and she had lost herself effectively in the plaguing questions that had begun to take residence in the back of her mind. She didn't recall even getting through the after-dark gate guards, didn't recall even stopping to wait in the queue, and before she knew it, she was leading Lirae and Tok up that gradual slope that lead up towards Wistal Castle.
It made no difference for her to contemplate just how she had missed it, even though she really should be bothered about it. She chalked it down to the three odd days without sleep wearing down her awareness.
Even if she could function moderately well, that didn't mean she was comfortable with how little she was noticing at that moment.
However, no matter what she could have managed, it was impossible to overlook her own arrival at the castle gates.
Within Saki's attempts at digging the identification tag out from beneath her teal, replacement scarf and the tunic top she wore, the elder of the two guards most familiar with her actually held up a hand to motion her to stop.
'I'm sorry Miss Akazawa, but I can't let you through.' He informed her, though his partner appeared to look rather displeased at that moment. 'We're going to have to ask you to leave.'
Saki was stunned at first, failing to comprehend exactly what was going on.
At least until she happened to catch the sounds of a familiar tyrant of a maid screaming fury at another maid from the courtyard near the guards.
She faintly recalled that she had been sacked just before she left to get the investigation over and done with, but right now it was fresh in her mind.
And in spite of herself, Saki let out a heavy, exasperated breath that caused the pain in her throat to flare up considerably.
'I've only been fired.' Saki managed to force out, much to the two guards obvious alarm. 'How does that mean I can't so much as set foot on the castle grounds with a warrant?'
The younger guard cast his partner a rather pointed frown, but said nothing.
'We have been instructed by the Head Maid that you are not permitted under any reason.' The man informed her, though if possible, he looked even more apologetic. 'I'm sorry.'
'We could, Shiira-senpai...' The younger guard muttered. 'Minene can't ban people all on her own...'
'That's trouble we don't need to invite.' The guard apparently named Shiira rebuked with a rather obvious groan.
A weary sigh escaped Saki as she buried her face in her gloved hands. She didn't want to stand out here arguing like this over something as stupid as her passage through the gate. Truth be told, all she wanted to do was go home. Alone. It was an agonizing idea that even now, Minene was making her life painfully difficult, and she wasn't even under that woman's orders anymore.
'What are you doing locked out here, Miss Maid?' Came the one voice that Saki didn't want to hear, causing the overworked woman to practically groan in complaint.
She reluctantly lifted her head to scowl up at who she knew to be Obi, who was currently propped up atop the wall in a crouch as a kind of amused smile began to spread right across his face. Whenever he had gotten there didn't matter to Saki at that moment. What did matter was that amusement that tugged at her agitation.
'Oh, Obi.' One of the guards remarked at the sight of the man, bringing his attention right off of Saki within an instance. 'You know Miss Akazawa?'
'About as much as her prickly personality will allow.' Obi didn't hesitate to remark.
'I see...'
This looked as good an opportunity as any to try and disappear.
As she filtered out the exchange of words underway, Saki glanced down at Lirae's silent form before she nudged the girl along back the way they came. The girl didn't utter a single complaint and did as directed, much to Saki's endless relief.
She neither had the patience nor the energy to deal with Obi right now.
However, it appeared that fate had other plans in mind for her.
'Sure, let her through.' Came Obi's painfully loud remark, bringing Saki to practically grimace as she nudged Lirae along a little more forcefully. 'Prince Zen wanted to talk to her, anyway.'
Saki bit back on a choice string of words as she continued on her way, perhaps picking up at least a little of the pace.
'The Second Prince wants to see her?' The guard called Shiira questioned in surprise.
'Yes, and the prickly maid is a friend of the young miss, too~'
'She's friends with Miss Shirayuki, too?' The younger guard gasped?
'Yep.'
'Well... I guess that is fine.' Shiira relented.
'Actually, I think she's leaving.' The other guard commented.
Saki inwardly cursed as she heard that string of words. But then before she knew it, she found herself having to halt in her tracks as she suddenly found Obi appearing right in front f her. She hadn't heard any sounds of movement, or seen him walk past her or anything, and it tugged at her already prominent discomfort around him all the more.
Just how was he doing that so easily?!
'Are you leaving already, Miss Maid?' The amused man asked her with no lack of a smirk written across his face. 'You only just got here.'
'Missus Saki, who's this?' Lirae mumbled from Saki's side, just as she shuffled a little to hide behind the woman's larger form. However, what was rather peculiar was the tiniest glimpse of surprise that had flashed across the man's face as he snapped his gaze straight down to the girl.
Almost as if he hadn't even realized she was there at all.
Saki kept her mouth shut as she nudged Lirae along even further, though the girl hadn't moved in the least as she tried to peek curiously up at Obi from past Saki's side.
'Hello there, Little Miss.' Obi actually greeted the girl with a cheerful smile as he crouched down to be at more of an equal level with her. 'What's your name?'
Lirae actually shrunk further behind Saki's form, shy, like her fox held carefully in her arms as she stared up at Obi.
'L-Lirae, mister...' The girl responded hesitantly.
Saki actually got the very clear impression that the girl wanted to leave. That was, if the tugging of Saki's scarf was anything to go by, in any case.
'That's a nice name. Mine's Obi.' The sly man had responded with a kindly smile, which didn't fail to confuse Saki greatly. 'Do you know this Grumpy Maid, Lirae?'
Hesitantly, Lirae turned her head to look back up at Saki, almost as if she was asking permission to answer.
'Yes...' Lirae whispered as she returned her attention back to Obi. 'Missus Saki said I have to meet flower people...'
Well... close enough.
'Is that right? I'm on my way to see them, too.' Obi replied before he cast a painfully amused smirk up at Saki's motionless form. 'I don't mind leading the way, so long as the Maid here doesn't attack me with a broom.'
It was a joke, of course, but that didn't mean Saki was pleased with the insinuation. But at least that gave her an opportunity to receive her freedom quicker.
Without a word, Saki leaned down and pushed Lirae towards the smiling Obi with a hand to the small of her back, earning a startled squeak as the girl stumbled forward slightly. The annoyance undoubtedly understood what she wanted, but cast her a painfully dramatic look of confusion.
'What's wrong, Miss Maid? Don't you want to come inside?' He questioned, almost tauntingly. 'You know, it would be easier if you told me what you wanted. The Young Miss told me you were quite the conversationalist when she was in your company last week.'
She honestly didn't care what Shirayuki had said or thought about her! And talking about it wasn't going to help her worsening patience, either!
So she pushed Lirae along once again and turned to leave.
'M-Missus Saki--?' Lirae squeaked out as she looked back at Saki's departing form. 'Where are you going?!'
But then a sudden gasp and the painful latching of arms clamping over Saki's arm flared to life, causing the woman to almost let loose a slew of hissed curses from past her lips.
'M-Missus Saki! Don't leave me!' Lirae cried out as she practically attached herself to the woman's arm, drawing an irate glare right across her face within an instance. 'I DON'T WANT TO GO SEE FLOWER PEOPLE ON MY OWN!'
What the hell, was that man standing there watching the whole spectacle invisible or something?
She let out a breath as she simply lifted her arm up, raising a lone brow as the girl maintained her parasite's grip so well that she was lifted right off the ground and hung like a piranha latched onto a piece of meat. In fact, it hurt probably just as much at that moment, Saki wagered. Tok was perhaps only a little better for the fact that it couldn't physically latch onto her without biting her, and instead just chose to plant itself right between Saki's feet.
No amount of gentle shaking could cause Lirae's grip to slip, and in the end Saki resorted to forcibly detaching her, much to Lirae's whining complaints.
'NOOOOO MISSUS SAKI CAN'T GO!!!'
And then the instance Saki set the girl on the ground, she was right back at square one. Lirae had turned on her heel and threw herself onto Saki like a rabid monkey, along with the defiant complaints to match. Her arms latched tightly around Saki's neck as she managed to shimmy over her back, and with every successful shift of Lirae's grip, she managed to snatch herself away and secure an even worse hold of Saki.
In the end Saki was left with no ability to pry the surprisingly strong girl from her aching form without harm and had no choice but to follow the thoroughly amused Obi into the castle grounds with the parasite firmly locked in place.
The girl's eyes were wide in awe as she gazed around the castle, all the while Saki tried to ignore the painfully familiar eyes she could feel latched upon her form as she wandered past the maid's facility.
It was a lot easier said than done, and she was left with the irritation plaguing her beyond belief.
Finally they reached the Court Herbalists office with at least a small portion of Saki's patience and sanity left, no thanks to the endless babbling of Lirae's from atop her head. And it was because of that babbling that the door had opened before Obi had even reached out towards it.
'Oh Obi!' Came Shirayuki's rather surprised remark, and a second later she leaned past the man to look directly at the severely irritated Saki and babbling Lirae. 'A-and Miss Akazawa?! What on earth is going on?'
However, Lirae was the first to respond to Shirayuki, and this was with a sudden gasp of awe.
'Wow! What pretty hair!' Lirae exclaimed as she dropped herself off of Saki and sprung forward to practically mob the woman for her scarlet locks. 'Miss Lady your hair looks like fire!'
'Thank you very much.' Shirayuki hesitantly responded. 'That's very sweet of you.'
At that moment, Obi shifted slightly so he was standing next to Saki, much to her evident displeasure.
'Where exactly did you pick the kid up from, anyway?' He seemed to lean slightly towards her as he asked, his tone hushed as if he were trying to keep his words from otherwise being overheard.
Not that asking her would do any good right now.
'So, umm, Miss Akazawa,' Shirayuki hedged as she lifted her head to cast the woman a rather sheepish look. 'If it's not too much trouble, do you think you could stop in to see Zen? He's been asking for you to drop by.'
Why does everyone want to talk to her these days? Nobody wanted anything to do with her a month ago, and now people left and right were wanting her to stop in at her earliest inconvenience? This was hardly fair.
Where was her stray, incognito life going, and why wasn't it dragging her along with it?!
'Oh! Miss Red Lady!' Lirae decided to interrupt Saki's internal monologue, dragging both Saki's and Shirayuki's attention straight to the energetic blonde. 'Missus Saki said I have to see Flower People! Where are they?!'
'What...?' Shirayuki hedged as she looked up at Saki, though her unspoken query was answered with the smallest motion of Saki's head towards her. 'That would me me. Are you not feeling well?'
'Ooh! You're a Flower Person!?' Lirae squealed in glee, ignoring the woman's question entirely.
'Yes. How about we head inside and I'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry.' Shirayuki offered as she took the girl's malnourished physique into account.
And with an excited squeal at the mention of food, Lirae bounded inside after Shirayuki, leaving Saki with the task of trying not to flee while she had the opportunity. The annoying male had wandered inside after Shirayuki and Lirae, so she could disappear without a word.
She really, really wanted to.
But she knew she shouldn't.
Inside was a ceaseless barrage of chatter from Lirae, who appeared to have latched right onto Shirayuki as if she was entranced, and Saki was left to take up residence in the far corner of the room, closest to the stairs leading up to Garak's office. The girl had exploded into a series of gratitude and squeals as Shirayuki set a small basket of fruit in front of the girl, which didn't fail to cause the pounding in Saki's head to worsen quite considerably.
The fox had followed her inside, Saki noticed as she felt a small weight appear atop her right foot. It proceeded to use her to hide near instead of remaining with its owner given the presence of new people closer to Lirae, peering out from between Saki's ankles as it curled up into as small a ball of fluff as it could.
It honestly looked like it wanted to be anywhere else but here.
And how Saki shared that same sentiment with it.
'No! I'm happy~' Lirae squeaked out like an ecstatic squirrel in possession of a mountain of acorns. 'Thank you for the apple Missus Flower Person!'
'Oh, I see.' Shirayuki responded uncertainly, as she paused to cast a questioning look towards Saki's silent form.
In response the sour woman signed towards a foot she briefly lifted off of the floor before motioning towards Lirae's form happily munching on a bright red apple.
It was a few seconds before Shirayuki turned her attention straight back to Lirae.
'Do you mind if I have a look at your feet?' She didn't hesitate to ask.
'Oh! Okay!' Lirae responded as she stopped swinging her legs erratically. 'Missus Saki looked at them too!'
'Thank you.' Shirayuki responded as she began to carefully remove one of the makeshift boots.
And perhaps it was silent while Saki stood there, filled with curiosity and confusion so thick it could almost be grasped. And perhaps Saki could have opened her mouth to try and force her vocals to elaborate, but she didn't. She found she didn't have to as Shirayuki's gasp rung through the Court Herbalists office as soon as that boot had been removed from Lirae's foot.
The raise of Shirayuki's brow did wonders to paint just how alarmed she was to see the half-healed scratches and cuts marred with the presence of purple residue that had failed to lessen even with the bath of warm water. The bruising that had begun to spread beneath the cuts were a far cry from the particular shade of sickly purple, and the drying, decaying skin now visible without the grime was a clear indication that this was not a natural sickness for a human child.
In fact, Shirayuki's alarm had been enough to draw a nearby Obi closer to have a look, himself.
'Lirae, where is your house?' Shirayuki questioned before long.
In response, Lirae lifted her attention from her half-eaten apple to cast the woman her undivided attention.
'Umm... I don't know?' She hesitated. 'I live with Grampa and Papa.'
'Aren't there other people living nearby, too?'
'Papa and Grampa always walk for ages to see people.' Lirae responded with a strangely thoughtful look across her face. 'Oh! But Missus Saki knows where! Missus Saki visited! And gave us food! And asked wolfies to sleep!'
'What?' Shirayuki seemed flabbergasted by the sudden change of topic.
'Wolfies! Loooots of them!' Lirae proudly stated.
Oh no.
The brat was starting to turn into a chatterbox again.
As Lirae started to recite the incident involving the wolves with painfully accurate detail, Saki could feel surprised glances begin to shift towards her. Her brow narrowed quite considerably as she tried to pretend that nothing was being discussed, that Lirae hadn't just announced that she had dealt with a pack of hungry wolves with just her bare hands and – in Lirae's own words – magic wolfie potions.
A faint scratching in the throat began to give Saki some trouble as the gushing and reciting of Lirae's continued on, and before she could raise a hand to try and massage her neck to be rid of it, she wound up coughing into her hand. Her throat seared in protests to the involuntary action, however, before she could so much as move to bury her hand in a pocket, a slender and pale hand closed firmly around her wrist to halt her motions.
Needless to say, the alarm that flashed across Saki's face was nothing in compared to the rather exasperated look she could see across Garak's face as she peered down at the flecks of red that marred the worn leather glove.
'I see you've been taking care of yourself again, Akazawa.' Garak remarked sarcastically as she looked up at Saki's rather uncomfortable expression, though she allowed the woman her arm back. 'I must say, I am appreciative of your loyal patronage.'
Unfortunately, Saki knew without a doubt that the woman was quite displeased right now.
'Oh, Chief!' Shirayuki greeted as she looked up from Lirae's energetic form. 'Miss Akazawa brought this child in. She looks to have contracted that strange disease.'
'I will have a look shortly.' Garak responded as she looked towards the redhead, though she hadn't lifted her full attention from Saki even once. 'I have to deal with Akazawa first, before she decides to take a liking to my window, again.'
'Eh?' Shirayuki seemed rather startled by the woman's response.
However it mattered not.
With a reluctant sigh, Saki followed Garak upstairs, bracing herself for a quiet lecture and even more disapproving stares.
It was going to be a very long night.
--=[Submitted 16th September 2018]=--